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Slingerland 12" tom with no badge/hole Last viewed: 13 hours ago

Posts: 1118 Threads: 30

I just picked up a 1959-61 12/16/20/14 Slingerland kit. Using VintageDrumGuide, I was able to narrow down the dates of the kit from the badges. However, the 12" tom has no badge or air hole. I was told by the seller that it was common to find drums without a badge/grommet hole. Is this true? (Yes, I did try searching, but couldn't find info on it...)

By the way, the kit is BEAUTIFUL! It's black diamond pearl, and it has faded to a darker color. The snare is a single-ply, the kick is 3-ply with a mahogany interior, and the toms are 3-ply with maple interiors. After I clean it up, I plan on taking pics and showing it off here.

So, about the lack of badge/hole...IS it common? What does the lack of the air hole do to the sound of the drum? Thanks in advance...

1970 Ludwig Downbeat
1965 Ludwig Hollywood
1970 Ludwig Jazzette
Posted on 15 years ago
#1
Posts: 2212 Threads: 95

Usually only the snare and bass drum had badges, the toms did not. They started putting badges on the toms after 1966.

Posted on 15 years ago
#2
Posts: 2628 Threads: 40

[COLOR="DarkRed"]What he said.....I have '64's and there's no badge on the toms, nor vent hole. They sound fine, but I do wonder if it increases the role of the resonant head in the tone...I would think it would, theoretically speaking...

Dude...a 1-ply maple snare you have there ? Yowza...there's a find unto itself....electricit[/COLOR]

www.2ndending.com
Posted on 15 years ago
#3
Posts: 1118 Threads: 30

From Jaye

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Dude...a 1-ply maple snare you have there ? Yowza...there's a find unto itself....electricit[/COLOR]

REALLY? I haven't really read up much on Slingerland drums until now (I'm more familiar with Ludwig's history). I'm still learning...so, is it pretty rare, or rare to find one with a matching kit, or what? According to the catalogs (Vintagedrumguide.com), it's a Gene Krupa model (there are no other single-ply drums listed). Was this the only Slingerland solid-shell snare at the time?

Thanks for the help, guys!

1970 Ludwig Downbeat
1965 Ludwig Hollywood
1970 Ludwig Jazzette
Posted on 15 years ago
#4
Posts: 73 Threads: 12

From caddywumpus

I just picked up a 1959-61 12/16/20/14 Slingerland kit. Using VintageDrumGuide, I was able to narrow down the dates of the kit from the badges. However, the 12" tom has no badge or air hole. I was told by the seller that it was common to find drums without a badge/grommet hole. Is this true? (Yes, I did try searching, but couldn't find info on it...)By the way, the kit is BEAUTIFUL! It's black diamond pearl, and it has faded to a darker color. The snare is a single-ply, the kick is 3-ply with a mahogany interior, and the toms are 3-ply with maple interiors. After I clean it up, I plan on taking pics and showing it off here.So, about the lack of badge/hole...IS it common? What does the lack of the air hole do to the sound of the drum? Thanks in advance...

I also have a 12" Slingerland tom with no badge or vent hole that came with the other Slingerland red sparkle bass and floor tom. The bass has a Niles USA. black/gold badge and is 79887 or 78997 (dont feel like going back out there to check again) but its the same first digit and 5 digit badge and the tom was trashed so i was going to pull the badge off of it and couldnt find one or a vent hole but definitely a 12" 3-ply Slingerland like the others to the kit. So yes they made them or at least the 12" without the badge/vent hole at some time. First i ever seen like this though besides yours.

Posted on 15 years ago
#5
Posts: 200 Threads: 19

As stated, they didn't start badging toms until 1966-ish. I have '61 and '65 stamped toms without badges, just FYI.

As for your snare, that would be a Radio King, which they also called the Gene Krupa. Mine, a 7x14 is the Super Gene Krupa, which always makes me think Gene should be wearing a cape and mask or something. Not necessarily rare, though finding the one that matches with your kit is kind of uncommon. It's a desirable snare, to be sure, so that's a a great find. That matching snare probably doubled the value of your kit.

Posted on 15 years ago
#6
Posts: 1118 Threads: 30

From dde

I also have a 12" Slingerland tom with no badge or vent hole that came with the other Slingerland red sparkle bass and floor tom. The bass has a Niles USA. black/gold badge and is 79887 or 78997 (dont feel like going back out there to check again) but its the same first digit and 5 digit badge and the tom was trashed so i was going to pull the badge off of it and couldnt find one or a vent hole but definitely a 12" 3-ply Slingerland like the others to the kit. So yes they made them or at least the 12" without the badge/vent hole at some time. First i ever seen like this though besides yours.

Sweet! Thanks for the affirmation/confirmation!

From Rob G.

As stated, they didn't start badging toms until 1966-ish. I have '61 and '65 stamped toms without badges, just FYI. As for your snare, that would be a Radio King, which they also called the Gene Krupa. Mine, a 7x14 is the Super Gene Krupa, which always makes me think Gene should be wearing a cape and mask or something. Not necessarily rare, though finding the one that matches with your kit is kind of uncommon. It's a desirable snare, to be sure, so that's a a great find. That matching snare probably doubled the value of your kit.

Nice! Thanks for the insight! I had researched and couldn't figure out if it was the Gene Krupa model OR a Radio King. So, it's BOTH, then. Does that mean that all single-ply Slingerlands are "Radio Kings"? (I apologize if that's an absolutely embarrassing noob question...) What designates a "Gene Krupa" model from a regular Radio King?

1970 Ludwig Downbeat
1965 Ludwig Hollywood
1970 Ludwig Jazzette
Posted on 15 years ago
#7
Posts: 7 Threads: 1

I have a Slingerland 13" rack and a 16" floor tom wrapped in a gray pearl wrap. Neither drum has a badge or a hole for a badge. The matching bass does have a badge. What would be the approximate age of the two drums with no badges? Does the fact that they do not have a badge make them worth more?

Thanks, Bob.

Posted on 13 years ago
#8
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