Slingerland value
- Thread starter Walden
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RickP
Gold Member
I was a huge fan of Danny Seraphine and Buddy Rich in my formative learning years back in the late 60’s and 70’s . My first drum teacher was also a big fan of Slingerland drums . I always wanted a Slingerland 80N Buddy Rich signature kit. Never realized this until about 5 years ago . I was at the Chicago Vintage drum show and the first booth I came into had the pictured 80n kit (second floor tom not in the picture ) . It had the ribbon mahogany outer veneer , optional 22” bass and 6” x 14” Buddy Rich signature snare .
The drums sounded fantastic , but the bass drum spurs are flimsy and frequently collapsed. The Set-O-Matic was wobbly as well . Much as I liked the sound , the hardware just not reliable enough to gig with for me and they went up for sale .
The drums sounded fantastic , but the bass drum spurs are flimsy and frequently collapsed. The Set-O-Matic was wobbly as well . Much as I liked the sound , the hardware just not reliable enough to gig with for me and they went up for sale .
Warrenwood
Active Member
Iristone
Silver Member
I've heard of Slingerlands being too quiet more often than Ludwigs. Could be the bearing edge, or are Slingerlands more often built using inferior in-between poplar wood? Could also be why they went to heavy shells earlier than Ludwig.
Also, there are the low end Slingerlands (under Music Yo?) that have undermined their values like big R era Rogers. People are afraid of buying one from that era
Also, there are the low end Slingerlands (under Music Yo?) that have undermined their values like big R era Rogers. People are afraid of buying one from that era
BobC
Silver Member
That's a fallacy that they're quieter. Slingerland drums are woody and warm sounding, while Ludwigs, IMO, are more raw sounding. Poplar is not an inferior wood. I don't know where you got that information. Poplar has been used on drum shells for years. Slingerland's poor budget drums may have hurt their reputation. Collectors know the real Slingerland drums from years ago were well made and still sound good.
jda
Diamond Member
I'd say so.
But yea local slingerlands I've played (sounded muffled) - that wide bearing edge I suspect; But not all evidently
then there's...
or in Paul Motian Documentary for Lovano (who now owns Motian's Slingerlands) playing them. They sing.
(Those are Motian's drums also above) So maybe +/- their edges were done ?
Bookmarked:
"If they all sound like that"... I suspect those may have been "New York" edged like at Cusatis shop or something.
Sometimes (even) when Buddy Rich hit that 9x13 wmp tom (I think) heard it sounded pancake flat.
mostly another brand don't recognize snare there but the toms and bass get some hits.
Those look to be 18, 13, 14..16?..
probably the coolest Sling set on the planet..
Lovano owns them.
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Iristone
Silver Member
I'm not saying poplar is bad - I'm saying maybe Slingerland used poplar of a lesser grade or something than Ludwig
Warrenwood
Active Member
To be honest, my Slingerland sets sing much more than my Ludwig set does. Being hand made, all the sets were subject to the "don't buy a set made on Friday" rule, so there is a wide variation in quality over the decades of production. I wonder if my Slingerland sets were made by the senior guy on a Wednesday, and my Ludwig by the new apprentice on Friday afternoon!
For both brands, I believe there is a substantial improvement on moving to RIMS or INDe mounts. The vintage mounts seem to choke the drums. Of course that's just my opinion, on drums made before I could ride a bicycle!
For both brands, I believe there is a substantial improvement on moving to RIMS or INDe mounts. The vintage mounts seem to choke the drums. Of course that's just my opinion, on drums made before I could ride a bicycle!
Long shot, but I'm selling a 70s double Set O Matic tom holder if anyone is interested...
Slingerland 1970s Double Set O Matic Tom Holder | eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Slingerland 1970s Double Set O Matic Tom Holder at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.
www.ebay.co.uk
Rattlin' Bones
Gold Member
99% of kits purchased are purchased to play, not sit in a showroom to be admired. And most drummers want reliable hardware. A lot of those drummers play gigs. Very few of them want something like a vintage Slingerland kit because they're just not as reliable if you're moving them around gig to gig. Easier just to buy a new Ludwig Gretsch Tama DW PDP etc.
Rogers is in about the same boat because of hardware. That cool script logo badge probably sells a few more kits at a bit higher price than Slingerland, even with Rogers exploding b&b lugs lol.
For a kit that stayed at home and used just to play at home and practice, or even in a studio, Slingerland is a good choice. I would not go and modify Slingerland drums to make them more gigable. That would ruin the value. Better just to buy a more modern kit at outset that ruin a vintage kit.
Rogers is in about the same boat because of hardware. That cool script logo badge probably sells a few more kits at a bit higher price than Slingerland, even with Rogers exploding b&b lugs lol.
For a kit that stayed at home and used just to play at home and practice, or even in a studio, Slingerland is a good choice. I would not go and modify Slingerland drums to make them more gigable. That would ruin the value. Better just to buy a more modern kit at outset that ruin a vintage kit.
I have a vintage Slingerland kit but use modern hardware. The kit has been bashed about a bit over the years but looks and sounds amazing.
I'm guessing not too many people use vintage hardware with their older kits?
Rattlin' Bones
Gold Member
Basement beauties they probably keep original. If they get a kit on the cheap and it's a beater/ player kit then what the heck mod it and gig it.
Hollywood Jim
Platinum Member
I gig with my original 63' Slingerland drums all the time. My Dad brought me the brand new drum set in 63'. In 2002 the wrap was faded and yellowed, the hardware was worn out. So I stripped the wrap off and stained and painted the raw wood. I installed new bass drum legs and I use a stand for the tom. Then I purchased a 22 inch bass drum and a 16 inch floor tom. I love my Slingerlands!!!
Bo Eder
Platinum Member
My first proper kit was a new Slingerland my parents got me back in 1978 - but I think drummers were of a different mentality back then because when things broke, you fixed it. And I remember it wasn’t a big stigma when I replaced the Slingerland spurs with the then-new 1/2” Ludwig Curved spurs - it made the kit cooler because of the additional stability. The next thing to go was the double tom mount which I replaced with the then-new Yamaha double tom mount. Floor tom leg brackets were eventually replaced with Pearl stuff that fit the holes. These were the only upgrades I did to mine and when it came time to sell, the new buyer understood the upgrades.
It is weird how now people won’t mix hardware and try to keep the kit original (like you were saving it for a museum or for re-sale). Back then nobody cared, I certainly didn’t and don’t care now. My 1978 Rogers has DW spurs and the Yamaha tom mount today. The sound is what’s important.
rungeflash
Well-known Member
Rattlin' Bones
Gold Member
People do that sorta thing to their 2023 kits they mod them change them etc.etc. Today's 2023 kit is yesterday's 1963 kit. 50 years from now buyers will be looking for untouched original 2023 drums lol
Bo Eder
Platinum Member
I suppose people are always looking for “stock original factory” drums (probably why the custom market is so small with no re-sale value) - and I would too. But that period from the 60s to the early 2000s, I don’t think anybody made drums where they liked everything. Nowadays it looks like manufacturers can comprehensively outfit their drums, but even Neil Peart and Ringo used Rogers tom mounts on their drum kits. I don’t think Neil left other brands behind until he got with DW.
Clickelliott
New Member
This is my “stock original factory” 1979 Slingerland Country Road set. It's a monster. 13,14,15,16 inch mounted concert toms, 18" floor tom with 4 legs, 24" bass with 4 spurs. 14x6.5 cob snare w/ TDR throw-off. Two counter-weighted boom cymbal stands, pac-all throne. I think they were thinking of Artimus Pyle when they made it, as he was playing big Slingerlands without bottom heads at the time. I love it. Too big to drag around to gigs, but the snare is my favorite and always comes with.
force3005
Silver Member
I also had a 671T. Nice sounding and the snare was killer. I used Yamaha base drum bracket and mounting hardware for 10"& 12" to mount on the 24" base drum. I do miss the snare. It was the best.