Slingerland value
- Thread starter Walden
- Start date
jda
Diamond Member
niggling hardware issues. Not the shells Not the Sound. Not the colors or the finish;
the brackets by now are froze up and
it isn't an easy "slap some new ones on"
combine that with the "inward" hoops an oddity back then, the bit of a stodgy image. Plus I have never seen as many Slingerland in my area as Ludwig, Rogers and others; they really died off after 1968.
I recall 3 or 4 sets over the 53 years 1 I was familiar with. All the bracket t-screws were froze in soft bracket metal or something very unlike Ludwig or
~
same thing I experienced: Alan on his buddy's drums:
soft bracket material
and there wasn't much leeway w/ short nub stem for error
the brackets by now are froze up and
it isn't an easy "slap some new ones on"
combine that with the "inward" hoops an oddity back then, the bit of a stodgy image. Plus I have never seen as many Slingerland in my area as Ludwig, Rogers and others; they really died off after 1968.
I recall 3 or 4 sets over the 53 years 1 I was familiar with. All the bracket t-screws were froze in soft bracket metal or something very unlike Ludwig or
~
same thing I experienced: Alan on his buddy's drums:
soft bracket material
and there wasn't much leeway w/ short nub stem for error
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opentune
Platinum Member
Slingerland are a best kept secret. If you want to get into vintage drums and not pay absurd prices, like $500 for just a beat up orphan bass drum with tom rash, Slingerland are worth a look. Yes their tom holders are questionable, but when I see most vintage drum setups, the tom is in a snare basket 80% of the time anyway. Slingerland shells themselves on average have better bearing edges than Ludwig. To me Gretsch and Rogers are in a sound/class of their own and differ from Ludwig.
Slingerland are for sure behind the pack in reputation, but 'a beautiful loser' (ala Bob Seger) and of great value. They are all great if that is the sound you are after.
They also have a sound of their own. I'd say a little warmer and fatter than Ludwig. Give this a listen. I wish more drum comparison videos did this.
Slingerland are for sure behind the pack in reputation, but 'a beautiful loser' (ala Bob Seger) and of great value. They are all great if that is the sound you are after.
They also have a sound of their own. I'd say a little warmer and fatter than Ludwig. Give this a listen. I wish more drum comparison videos did this.
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Warrenwood
Active Member
The timing of this post is interesting to me: I just bought a 1966 Slingerland kit last night. I paid half what an equivalent Ludwig would cost, and a third of what a Gretsch would cost.
Slingerland suffered from years of being shuffled from owner to owner. Each successive owner refused to invest in the company, even to the point of not upgrading the tooling machines. A major blow was when Slingerland stopped providing endorsement deals. As an example, Danny Seraphine had endorsed Slingerland for over 10 years, when (according to him) they dropped him for no reason. (Seraphine moved to Yamaha then to DW.) Phil Ehart (Kansas) was another artist dropped by Slingerland.
When I was a jr high drummer (late 1970s) I had a Ludwig Hollywood kit, but I LOVED Chicago and Kansas. And of course, I wanted a Slingerland kit, so I could be like my two idols. But jump forward into the late 80s 90s, 2ks... what drum sets did we see on stage? What brands did the middle school and jr high drummers see?
Slingerland pretty much died in the 80s. Oh, it was around for years to come, but the brand was really just an also-ran. The worst time was the Music Yo era, when a Sears Roebuck set had a better tone than the particle-board garbage Gibson sold under the Slingerland name. Gibson let the brand die.
I agree with @opentune that Slingerland drums have a wonderful, warm/fat tone, but in my opinion they have a limited tuning range. But that's not a bad thing: I've owned 5 Slingerland sets over the years and I've learned to find each drum's happy place. All the sets were 3 ply, I never owned the 5 ply. For me, I love the 13-16-22 combination and in these sizes, Slingerland drums do well for classic rock and blues. If I want to do big band, I'll switch over to a 12/16/20 set (which is what I bought last night.)
For hardware, I don't use vintage hardware with any of my sets. I use DW stands and pedals, and either Gauger RIMS or INDe mounts. I use Evans G12 coated batter heads, G1 clear reso heads. These drums seem to thrive with single-ply heads, and I don't want them to pretend to be a modern set.
To be honest, my Gretsch sets are my favorites. But I don't gig and if I did, I'm not sure I would risk taking the Gretsch out of the house. So even when playing at home, the Gretsch do everything I need. Still... when I take the Slingerland set out of the shelves and set them up to play, I'm filled with nostalgia. I remember my dreams of being on stage like Danny and Phil. I feel again the youthful thrill of wonder and excitement, and I remember how exciting it was to learn to play.
Slingerland suffered from years of being shuffled from owner to owner. Each successive owner refused to invest in the company, even to the point of not upgrading the tooling machines. A major blow was when Slingerland stopped providing endorsement deals. As an example, Danny Seraphine had endorsed Slingerland for over 10 years, when (according to him) they dropped him for no reason. (Seraphine moved to Yamaha then to DW.) Phil Ehart (Kansas) was another artist dropped by Slingerland.
When I was a jr high drummer (late 1970s) I had a Ludwig Hollywood kit, but I LOVED Chicago and Kansas. And of course, I wanted a Slingerland kit, so I could be like my two idols. But jump forward into the late 80s 90s, 2ks... what drum sets did we see on stage? What brands did the middle school and jr high drummers see?
Slingerland pretty much died in the 80s. Oh, it was around for years to come, but the brand was really just an also-ran. The worst time was the Music Yo era, when a Sears Roebuck set had a better tone than the particle-board garbage Gibson sold under the Slingerland name. Gibson let the brand die.
I agree with @opentune that Slingerland drums have a wonderful, warm/fat tone, but in my opinion they have a limited tuning range. But that's not a bad thing: I've owned 5 Slingerland sets over the years and I've learned to find each drum's happy place. All the sets were 3 ply, I never owned the 5 ply. For me, I love the 13-16-22 combination and in these sizes, Slingerland drums do well for classic rock and blues. If I want to do big band, I'll switch over to a 12/16/20 set (which is what I bought last night.)
For hardware, I don't use vintage hardware with any of my sets. I use DW stands and pedals, and either Gauger RIMS or INDe mounts. I use Evans G12 coated batter heads, G1 clear reso heads. These drums seem to thrive with single-ply heads, and I don't want them to pretend to be a modern set.
To be honest, my Gretsch sets are my favorites. But I don't gig and if I did, I'm not sure I would risk taking the Gretsch out of the house. So even when playing at home, the Gretsch do everything I need. Still... when I take the Slingerland set out of the shelves and set them up to play, I'm filled with nostalgia. I remember my dreams of being on stage like Danny and Phil. I feel again the youthful thrill of wonder and excitement, and I remember how exciting it was to learn to play.
BobC
Silver Member
My first set was Slingerland, so I have an attachment. I still have that set, but they are in need of a major restoration, which at this point, I may never get to. I also have a set of early '70s Slingerlands in Red Tiger Pearl that I take out only occasionally. They look and sound great.
I agree that Slingerland's hardware was their Achilles Heel. My Slingerland hardware self destructed in a matter of a few years. It was never as good as Ludwig's hardware, or Rogers', which was light years ahead of everyone back then.
Slingerland drums however, sound warm, woody and fat, so if you like that, there you go. And as you found out, they're a bargain right now. I see Slingerland sets going for as little as $500. It's a good time to buy them. On the other hand, I also see delusional "crack smokers" on Ebay and Reverb asking insane prices for Slingerland drums. The sets sit and sit, sometimes for years, with no takers. Some idiot in PA has had a double bass Sky Blue Pearl Slingerland set on Ebay and other sites for a couple of years at $6000, and he refuses to drop the price. I guess he doesn't really want to sell them. He lists other sets for sale from time to time, all at inflated prices.
It was also mentioned that Slingerland's business and marketing was mishandled for many years. Mix that with some questionable production decisions, and you have a recipe for extinction. I recently asked my artist relations rep at DW what's happening with Slingerland, and he didn't know, or at least, wasn't telling. Now that Roland owns DW, don't expect to see Slingerland drums anytime soon. A shame, but do young drummers want Slingerland? It's their grandfather's drumset. Boomers who grew up with them will rejoice, but that won't sell a large amount of Slingerland drums.
I agree that Slingerland's hardware was their Achilles Heel. My Slingerland hardware self destructed in a matter of a few years. It was never as good as Ludwig's hardware, or Rogers', which was light years ahead of everyone back then.
Slingerland drums however, sound warm, woody and fat, so if you like that, there you go. And as you found out, they're a bargain right now. I see Slingerland sets going for as little as $500. It's a good time to buy them. On the other hand, I also see delusional "crack smokers" on Ebay and Reverb asking insane prices for Slingerland drums. The sets sit and sit, sometimes for years, with no takers. Some idiot in PA has had a double bass Sky Blue Pearl Slingerland set on Ebay and other sites for a couple of years at $6000, and he refuses to drop the price. I guess he doesn't really want to sell them. He lists other sets for sale from time to time, all at inflated prices.
It was also mentioned that Slingerland's business and marketing was mishandled for many years. Mix that with some questionable production decisions, and you have a recipe for extinction. I recently asked my artist relations rep at DW what's happening with Slingerland, and he didn't know, or at least, wasn't telling. Now that Roland owns DW, don't expect to see Slingerland drums anytime soon. A shame, but do young drummers want Slingerland? It's their grandfather's drumset. Boomers who grew up with them will rejoice, but that won't sell a large amount of Slingerland drums.
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Walden
Member
Hi, could you tell us why this choice, what diffences had them ?
PorkPieGuy
Platinum Member
Why are old Slingerlands not as valuable as other names?
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B: (Imagine being able to spin the wing screw like a helicopter.
With that said, I own a set of 3-ply Slingerlands, and they are absolutely fantastic (circa 1974). If I am ever so inclined, I'm going to replace every floor tom bracket with an INDE bracket, but it will cost like $400, but my kit is just fantastic. I play it every week, and it's absolutely stunning. Outside of the hardware, it's freakin' perfect. I love how quirky my kit is, with its 4 kick drum spurs that don't hold it (thus the kick drum anchor) and the 4 floor tom legs on the 18".
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B: (Imagine being able to spin the wing screw like a helicopter.
With that said, I own a set of 3-ply Slingerlands, and they are absolutely fantastic (circa 1974). If I am ever so inclined, I'm going to replace every floor tom bracket with an INDE bracket, but it will cost like $400, but my kit is just fantastic. I play it every week, and it's absolutely stunning. Outside of the hardware, it's freakin' perfect. I love how quirky my kit is, with its 4 kick drum spurs that don't hold it (thus the kick drum anchor) and the 4 floor tom legs on the 18".
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jda
Diamond Member
is that the position the original position the (ft bracket) T-screw went Pork?
on the 'edge like that?..
Or did you tap an entire new position (ha.. funny question huh ; )
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jda
Diamond Member
Original:
reverb.com
Maxwell reop:
reverb.com
solved my own question (your pic is the Maxwell repo? right seems so..
Slingerland floor tom leg brackets | Reverb
VG shape. No issues. Came off a 3 ply Niles badge floor tom. Complete w/ original mounting hardware. Have been hand polished and look GREAT! Expedited shipping!
reverb.com
Maxwell reop:
Maxwell Slingerland style 9.5mm floor tom leg bracket | Reverb
NOTE: We will combine shipping so order as many as you need and we will refund excess shipping. SteveThis new reproduction bracket is an exact replica of what was used on Slingerland drums built from the 50s through the 70s. This bracket works with the period correct 9.5mm legs and the bra...
reverb.com
solved my own question (your pic is the Maxwell repo? right seems so..
jda
Diamond Member
1910 Fruitgum bubble machine (was a band..
reverb.com
This is what to me stood out about Slingerland
over all these years
was the width of that bearing edge area.
just massive
Slingerland 1970's 20/12/16 Purple Satin Flame Drum Set | Reverb
1970's Slingerland drum set with 14x20, 8x12 and 16x16 floor tom in Purple Satin Flame. Clear interiors with maple/poplar/mahogany shells and black and silver Niles badge. The edges and interior of the drums are in great shape but the purple satin flame, like most satin flames from this era, show...
reverb.com
This is what to me stood out about Slingerland
over all these years
was the width of that bearing edge area.
just massive
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PorkPieGuy
Platinum Member
jda
Diamond Member
I see the Maxwell repo's on the edge the originals on the flat side.
Original's
Slingerland floor tom leg brackets | Reverb
VG shape. No issues. Came off a 3 ply Niles badge floor tom. Complete w/ original mounting hardware. Have been hand polished and look GREAT! Expedited shipping!
reverb.com
Maxwell's
Maxwell Slingerland style 9.5mm floor tom leg bracket | Reverb
NOTE: We will combine shipping so order as many as you need and we will refund excess shipping. SteveThis new reproduction bracket is an exact replica of what was used on Slingerland drums built from the 50s through the 70s. This bracket works with the period correct 9.5mm legs and the bra...
reverb.com
only relevant to a Pebbles Beach Concours car judge
where radio antenna's and wiper blades are judged
PorkPieGuy
Platinum Member
I see the Maxwell repo's on the edge the originals on the flat side.
Original's
Slingerland floor tom leg brackets | Reverb
VG shape. No issues. Came off a 3 ply Niles badge floor tom. Complete w/ original mounting hardware. Have been hand polished and look GREAT! Expedited shipping!
Maxwell's
Maxwell Slingerland style 9.5mm floor tom leg bracket | Reverb
NOTE: We will combine shipping so order as many as you need and we will refund excess shipping. SteveThis new reproduction bracket is an exact replica of what was used on Slingerland drums built from the 50s through the 70s. This bracket works with the period correct 9.5mm legs and the bra...
only relevant to a Pebbles Beach Concours car judge
where radio antenna's and wiper blades are judged
Ok, got it. Thanks for the clarification.
Juniper
Gold Member
L
Thanks for posting.
With regards to the OP, my advice is take advantage of the lower costs. They are great drums. I love my 1970’s set, it sounds great.
I see them as the USA version of Premier Drums. Over here in the UK Premier vintage kits are in abundance and very cheap (I’d suspect them to cost more in the states)
Over here Slingerland drums cost a lot.
Love this
Thanks for posting.
With regards to the OP, my advice is take advantage of the lower costs. They are great drums. I love my 1970’s set, it sounds great.
I see them as the USA version of Premier Drums. Over here in the UK Premier vintage kits are in abundance and very cheap (I’d suspect them to cost more in the states)
Over here Slingerland drums cost a lot.
Z26R-#
Silver Member
Sure I acquired some sets I really like so sold the Ludwig Legacies I had ( Maple ), 4 sets of 60's Rogers and a Gretsch USA. All good drums , the Slingerland set I got in pieces and decided to do my thing to it and didn't have to be precious about it. Gretsch USA is the one set I may re obtain. here's the Sling set ( old mahogany ) with a Ludwig solid maple snare ..
BobC
Silver Member
They were The 1910 Fruitgum Company, actually, and they were from New Jersey. The keyboard player's father was my guidance counselor in high school. His name was Ames Ripley, and his son's name was Larry. At the beginning of my senior year, Mr. Ripley said to me, "Do you want to go to college? If so, you better start getting some decent grades, or you're going wind up drafted and in Viet Nam."1910 Fruitgum bubble machine (was a band..
Slingerland 1970's 20/12/16 Purple Satin Flame Drum Set | Reverb
1970's Slingerland drum set with 14x20, 8x12 and 16x16 floor tom in Purple Satin Flame. Clear interiors with maple/poplar/mahogany shells and black and silver Niles badge. The edges and interior of the drums are in great shape but the purple satin flame, like most satin flames from this era, show...
This is what to me stood out about Slingerland
over all these years
was the width of that bearing edge area.
just massive
I started working and got into college and out of the draft. Good advice, Mr. Ripley.
Larry and his partner owned a piano store on Route 46 in the town of Parsippany up until a few years ago.