[COLOR="Navy"]Yapz:

Received your message regarding this post. The 3-ply no-ring shell of the 1980s is a fine quality shell, with as stated in the article the same wood composition and ply lay-up as the classic Slingerland shell with solid maple reinforcing rings. However, the bearing edges are quite different. The ringless 3-ply shell has a sharp 45 degree cut, whereas the earlier reinforced 3-ply shells have rounded edges with exact profile that varied depending on the manufacturing period. You can expect acoustic differences based on the edges, and you would not be able to recreate the ringed shell sound without significantly altering the ringless shell.

From a vintage value and historical preservation point of view, many Slingerland drummers would strongly wish that you not do this. You can get a very nice maple-poplar-mahogany ringed shell brand new from Keller, have the edges cut exactly as you want, and recreate the sound you are looking for. Just some thoughts.

Chicagoland Slingerland made its own shells in house throughout its history. There was one short-lived period in the later 1970s when Slingerland prototyped some new drums in sizes they were not yet tooled to produce, and they bought some shells from Jasper. There is a small number of Slingerland factory marching Cut-A-Ways out there with Jasper shells. Slingerland tooled shell molds in the new depths and the use of the Jasper shells was short-lived. Of course Slingerland used up the small Jasper stock it had, and we occasionally run across a late 1970's or early 1980's kit tom with a Jasper shell. You can detect this shell by the different ply lay-up - multiple thin plies all of the same width, no rings.

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