I am definately not going to change anything about these drums. I want them to be exactly how they are. What I am interested in is finding a collector who will appereciate them. That 2-1 snare looks like a perfect match, I know mine isn't like that. Although it might have the endorser badge.
I have contacted steve Maxwell and he is the one who turned me on to Rick Van Houten at Modern Drummer Magizine. I haven't talked to him about selling because at the time I didn't need to although I wanted to know the value. Here is a copy of what Louie Bellson sent me:
From: RVH
>Date: 2007/12/10 Mon AM 10:47:23 CST
>To: [email]joker777@verizon.net[/email]
>Subject: Louie Bellson drumkit
>Dear Aaron:
>
>We've received the following from Louie Bellson.
>Sincerely,
>The Editors
>Modern Drummer
>
>
>Dear Aaron Smith,
>Your inquiry was forwarded to me from Modern Drummer.
>Yes, this was one of my sets and that was a former home address on the
>label.
>
>However, there are 3 discrepancies that I will note.
>1. The white marine pearl finish doesn't look quite like my white marine
>pearl finish;
> so it may have been replaced from the original.
>2. The setup shown doesn't have double-bass drums which I (invented and)
>always use.
>3. The four toms don't appear to have heads on the bottom the way I always
>play them.
>As for present monetary value, I cannot help you at all.
>
>Meanwhile, keep up with my present activities and find related links,
>by visiting my brand new website, http://www.louiebellson.info
> .
>In addition, I'm attaching an order form of exciting Bellson items you
>and your friends would enjoy.
>For a listing of the Alfred publications I have written, click on:
>http://alfred.com/alfredweb/front/SearchResult.aspx?keywords=Bellson
>
>spx?keywords=Bellson>
>
>Incidentally, you may be interested to obtain my latest CD,
>"The Sacred Music of Louie Bellson" which I composed and
>my wife produced. Click on http://www.cdbaby.com/louiebellson
> .
>This will also be the source for my new CD with Clark Terry
>that I recorded in May and is due for release in January.
>It features drummers Sylvia Cuenca and Kenny Washington.
>
>My best to you in your endeavors.
>
>Louie Bellson
......................................................................................................
Then this is what Steve Maxwell sent me after
......................................................................................................
Hi Aaron,
OK, I checked it all out. A few thoughts:
Louie's email document is not very strong because on the one hand, he says it's a set that was his, but on the other hand he notes discrepancies that almost make it sound like he's not sure. Example: the finish. He says it doesn't look the same as his WMP, but, his WMP was the regular Slingerland finish and those concert toms look fine to me. Then he says that although the set was his, he says that he always used double headed toms, which these are not. So, it makes it sound as if he's not sure, know what I mean? Of course, he's not technically correct about the double head toms either since we all have seen him in the late 70s with the Slingerland Louie Bellson "Explosion" kit which was configured with the traditional double head 13/16/16 toms, two BDs, and 4 single head concert toms set up over on his left side.
Also, he notes that he always used two bass drums, and there is only one here. This is a valid observation since I have never seen him without both bass drums, but all that means is that one of them is missing.
Lastly, what's important to note here is that the bass drum is not Slingerland at all. It is in fact a Pearl bass drum. Louie went over to Pearl after he left Slingerland.
So, the reality is that this set would not have been used in performance by Louie because he would not have been in a position to play a mixed set. He was a paid endorser, so he'd have to play the set of the company that he was endorsing at present. Also, the odd configuartion and the fact that the floor tom is black with brass hardware while the rest of the drums are WMP, makes it also unlikely that the drums were used on stage. Louie was meticulous with his set up, even in instances where he had a non-traditional set up the drums and hardware always matched. (Ex: He had a 15 drum configuration back in his Rogers days circa 1966 used only for recording of his composition "Bittersweet". That set had 5 different size BDs, 5 different size SDs, and 5 different size toms, but, all were matching Rogers and all were WMP, and some of the drums were in custom sizes not built as part of the regular product line production).
So, valuation for this set is really difficult. I will do the best I can here:
I think the value needs to be looked at on a case-by-case basis broken down as 1) the concert toms; 2) the floor tom; 3) the bass drum; 4) the cases. Valuation is based on what I think they could be sold for, not what a dealer would pay.
1) The concert toms look original, but, I can not see the tom holder attachments. If they match a holder that fits on the bass drum then they are not Slingerland mounts because the bass drum is Pearl, and the tom holder on the BD is also Pearl. If the tom mounts on the concert toms work with the Pearl holder then either a) the toms were altered after the fact, which probably was not done by Louie, or b) if there are no alterations in terms of extra holes on the toms they may not be original Slingerland shells. I'd need pictures of the inside of the concert toms and close ups of the tom mount that is on the concert toms, and also pictures of the inside of the concert toms where the mounting bracket is installed to see if there are any extra holes. If they are all original Slingerland they have greater value. If they have been modified it will lower the value. If fully original, maybe worth $2000 for the set of toms. If alatered, would need to see the degree of alteration before making a valuation call on these.
2) The black floor tom with brass hardware is an odd item. Louie always used WMP. His email document makes no mention of the floor tom alone, so it could be assumed that the drum was his, but because the color is one that he is not associated with it will have nominal value. I currently have a 16x16 Slingerland WMP floor tom with Louie's endorser badge on it and my opinion of the value of that drum is probably around $750. I can not prove that he used the drum in concert or on recordings, so in my view all I can do is prove that it was built for Louie and therefore would have been owned by him, but beyond that I can't attach much of a premium since I can't substantially document it's use by him. I think your floor tom would be worth much less, because of the fact that the color is wrong for Louie. (Unless Louie could specifically tell you that he did have a black kit with brass hdwe, in which case it would make it worth more).
3) The bass drum is Pearl. Louie's Pearl drums also had his name on them but the badge was rectangular and it was not at all like the Slingerland "Louie Bellson" badge. I had one of Louie's Pearl 16x16 floor toms and sold it awhile back. That floor tom could not be documented in terms of albums or tours. That drum brought $500. Your bass drum would have greater value if it still had the Louie Bellson logo head on the front. I'd need to see close ups of the badge and would like to see a few shots of the BD by itself to be more certain, but in any case, the value is probably only around $500.
4) The cases may be worth a few hundred if there is a collector who specifically wants something of Louie's but can not afford or find a set.
Overall, if I were you I would not invest any more money into these drums because it will be hard to get the additional investment back, and it won't increase the value overall. It is too hard to tell a convincing story here because of all the anomolies. With rare vintage drums as well as celebrity owned drums the selling process is always more complicated if there are issues that create lots of questions. It would be easier if this set was one where Louie could be more definitive about it, but his document doesn't do that. If it had been a set where, for example, he may have done a recording or two and wanted a certain sound, so he combined the drums together and what is shown here is what was used for those recordings, then that would make it a lot easier. Right now, it just looks like a group of drums that were built for Louie, and even his own documentation doesn't give you a lot of comfort since there is conflicting information in there.
......................................................................................................
For further info: The toms are the origional slingerland mounts and have not been altered. The slingerland set-o-matic mount fits fine on the pearl bass.
The Pearl bass does have the rectangular mount for an endorser plate, but I would like to see another to compare. He is right though It is an anomoly of a set.I do want a rough estimate on value because I have always wanted to know, and when I have enough info I might even say how much I origionally paid. :) I think it is so unique that I really just want to store it and pass it to my grandkids.