The 4 x 14 Slingerland Radio King Snare Drum

In 1936, the Slingerland Drum Company introduced the Radio King Snare Drum. It was the flagship snare drum of the company and quickly became associated with Slingerland's number one endorser, Gene Krupa. For many years, the drum was simply referred to as the Gene Krupa Radio King. The drum came in various sizes--5 x 14, 6 1/2 x 14 at first, then 7 x 14 and 8 x 14 later. Many big band drummers used the larger sized Radio Kings in their bands so they could be heard over the horn sections. Or at least, that was the theory.

But, in the 40's, particularly after the war, Be-bop became the fashion and with it drum sizes began to contract. Drummers began favoring smaller sized snare drums. Indeed, the Gretsch Drum Company began marketing 4 x 14 snare drums and associating them with their endorsers, particularly the great Max Roach.

Other drum companies followed Gretsch's lead and began making 4 x 14 and 4 x 13 snare drums. Between 1948 and 1962, Slingerland produced the 4 x 13 Bop snare drum. The drum wasn't associated with any particular drummer, but it did offer the aspiring drummer yet another choice in snare drums. Which brings me to the very rare and very beautiful snare drum you see pictured here.

You will not find this drum in any Slingerland catalog. There is no factory information anywhere on a 4 x 14 Radio King. The inside of the steam bent maple shell is stamped Sept. 1941. The badge is an early 50's Slingerland badge. Otherwise, the drum is correct in every detail. It has the Radio king stick shredder hoops, the nickel plated Harold R. Dobbs twin internal muffler, and the three point strainer. There are no other modifications to it. It is not a cut down shell.

A couple of things come to mind about this beauty. The drum was, I believe, either a special order or an endorsers request. Slingerland did stockpile shells and the Second World War affected production immensely. Drums made during the war were subject to the 10% rule. Metal could not constitute more than 10 % of a drum's total make up. Wood became the major material in construction, even in the case of lugs. Drum production didn't really hit its stride until after the war. As mentioned earlier, Be-bop was the rage and the 4 x 14 snare drum was part of that excitement. I think this snare drum was but one result of the times.

But how does it sound? Simply great. The drum is extremely versatile--at home in various musical situations. With the choices one has today in drum heads, the mind boggles at what this drum is capable of.

The Slingerland Gene Krupa Sound King Snare Drum

Gene Krupa was Slingerland's top endorser. He was on the cover of every Slingerland catalog from 1936 to 1967. As mentioned in earlier blogs ( See Dec. 20th, March 21st, and Apr. 12th), Slingerland wasted no opportunities when it came to Mr. Krupa. It's no exaggeration to say that Gene Krupa was the best drum salesman Slingerland ever had----which brings us to the beautiful drum you see pictured above.

This ten lug cupcake was known as the Gene Krupa Sound King Snare Drum. It came in two sizes, 5 x 14 and 6 1/2 x 14. It was in production from 1963 to 1977. There was an eight lug model that was an option and, although not plentiful, is not too difficult to find in the vintage market. The ten lug is more difficult to find, especially one like this. But more on that later. The shell is made of brass and the hoops are also brass. The drum is outfitted with the Zoomatic snare strainer, the standard Slingerland Strainer for the time. This snare drum was the last Slingerland snare drum to bear the Gene Krupa name. Indeed in 1976, " Gene Krupa" was dropped from the listing and the drum was simply known as the Sound King.

This particular drum has a special uniqueness. She is brand new. I bought this drum yesterday. The drum has never been tuned, much less played. The small bag hanging from the lug contains the drum key and the warranty paperwork. It goes without saying that everything on her is totally original. This drum had been sitting in a music shop for 35-40 years until I happened to see it 2 weeks ago.

Obviously, I can't comment about its playability. But I hope to rectify that situation shortly

The Slingerland Hollywood Ace Snare Drum--1960's version

From 1939 to 1957, Slingerland sold the Hollywood Ace Swing Model snare drum. (See blog dated April 18th). It was a Radio King, had a solid maple shell, and had the Radio King Snare Strainer too boot. It was a top of line snare drum for the company and it had good long run in the Slingerland catalog.

In 1957, the drum was dropped from production. But Slingerland executives didn't drop the nameplate, "Hollywood Ace." In 1958, in their attempt to produce a drum for everyone's taste and budget, Slingerland offered the drum you see pictured here. This Hollywood Ace was definitely not a Radio King. The shell was no longer solid maple. It was now 3 ply. The Radio King Snare Strainer was also dropped and was replaced with the cheaper, but functional, 673 Rapid Strainer. This snare strainer ended up being used on all the student model snare drums that Slingerland sold at that time. It's eerily very similar to the Ludwig P83 strainer that graced the Ludwig Supraphonic 400 Snare Drum of the 1960's.

This snare drum was described in the Slingerland catalog as being "a very popular medium priced snare drum." It listed for 82.00 and came in two sizes, 5 1/2 x 14 and 7 x 14. The buyer also had a choice of pearl wraps or lacquer finishes.

This Hollywood Ace has its strengths. It has solid maple reinforcing hoops, it has the standard Slingerland lugs and it has the famous Slingerland brass hoops. This beauty is wrapped in Blue Agate Pearl. It's interesting to note that Slingerland, unlike many of the drum companies of the current day, offered the same finishes for almost all of their snare drums regardless of price.

Slingerland ceased production of this drum in 1976. This Hollywood Ace had a good long run. It's a fine drum despite its somewhat humble origins.

The Slingerland Super Sound King Snare Drum

The 60's was a decade of excitement, innovation, and, in the case of Drum companies, profitability. Everything and anything seemed possible. Ludwig, Slingerland, Rogers, Camco, Gretsch, Fibes, and Premier--all offered a myriad of drum kits and snare drum choices. And all of them sold their version of " the most sensitive and responsive snare drum in the Drum Industry."

Rogers, for example, sold the Rogers Dynasonic Snare Drum. Ludwig had the Super Sensitive Snare Drum. Camco offered the No 99 Super. And Fibes trumpeted its SFT 690. Slingerland, of course, was not to be out done, particularly since Ludwig, its cross town rival, had the Super Sensitive Model.

The drum you see pictured was Slingerland's answer to the Ludwig Super Sensitive. The Super Sound King Snare Drum came in two sizes, 5 x 14 and 6 1/2 x 14. It has ten lugs. It made its debut in 1967 and it has a very heavy brass shell and the typical " guaranteed for life" brass stick saver hoops. Its real difference from other Slingerland snare drums is the Dual Super Snare Strainer. It was the only Slingerland drum to use this strainer. Each side of the drum had a snare strainer. The drummer could release the snare wires on both sides of the drum simultaneously with one handle, or he could adjust each side separately if he so desired. One knob was used to adjust the tension on the snare wires.

Slingerland, in the 1968 catalog, said the "Super Sound King Snare Drum is the most sensitive and responsive snare drum ever designed." And, as a clear dig at Ludwig, stated, " needs no sound disturbing center bead." The drum listed for 130.00 dollars, which was 30 dollars more than the Gene Krupa Sound King and 38.00 dollars more than a Radio King Snare Drum.

The initial reaction to this drum was somewhat muted and , over the years, the drum has been overshadowed. The Super Sound King never really had a chance. Slingerland ceased production of this model in 1976. As far as I know, this snare drum was never associated with any Slingerland endorsers. Yet, it has all the components that make up the classic Slingerland metal snare drum---the heavy brass shell, the stick saver hoops and the twenty wire snappy snares.

Perhaps Slingerland executives tried to make too much of a good thing. They already were selling one of most sensitive and responsive snare drums in the market at that time--the Slingerland Radio King. The Sound King got "lost in the shuffle."

The Slingerland Artist Model Snare Drum

Slingerland, like many of the drum manufacturers of the 1960's, tried to offer a drum for every taste and budget. Business was simply booming. It was not unusual for music stores to sell 5 drum kits a day! Drum sticks, cymbals, drum hardware---it all sold quickly and in huge quantities. Naturally, drum company executives reasoned that you were better off presenting as many choices as possible in a given year. Throughout the decade, Slingerland, along with Ludwig, Rogers, Gretsch, Camco, and Premier offered various kits and snare drums in a wide variety of wraps and lacquered finishes. These finishes came and went depending on how well they sold during the year.

The pictured drum was known as the Slingerland Artist Model. It first made its appearance in the 1963 catalog. This beauty has 8 lugs, brass hoops, the famous Slingerland solid maple shell, and the new, at the time, Zoomatic strainer. This strainer replaced the Clamshell strainer that, although beautiful, proved to be problematical. ( See April 21st blog entry). The Zoomatic strainer was simply designed and entirely functional. In fact, the strainer was still used by Slingerland into the mid 1990's.

This drum was originally offered in two sizes, the 5 1/2 x 14 and the 7 x 14. There was also a 10 lug version. The 7 x 14 drum was dropped due to poor sales. For one year, 1968, Slingerland referred to this drum as the Buddy Rich Artist Model. He was the only drummer to have his name associated with this snare drum. Buddy was a Slingerland endorser at the time and company executives took every opportunity they could to use his name to sell their drums. Production of this model ceased in 1979.

The wrap on this drum deserves some mention. The Slingerland catalogs of the day refer to it as Blue Agate Pearl. They also had a White Tiger Pearl, a Red Tiger Pearl, and the rarest of the bunch, a Yellow Tiger Pearl. Of the American Drum companies of the day, only the Rogers Drum Company sold a similar wrap. They called it the Onyx wrap and it came in blue, red and black.

Although not exactly plentiful, these drums can still be found today at vintage shows for very reasonable prices. Perhaps the Artist Model doesn't have the mystique that the Radio King has. Nevertheless, it's a fine drum.

The Hollywood Ace Swing Model Radio King Snare Drum

The Slingerland Drum Company introduced the first Radio King Snare Drum in 1936. The drum came in two sizes, 5 x 14 and 6 1/2 x 14, and it came in either a wood or metal shell. Shortly after it's appearance in the marketplace, Slingerland added the name Gene Krupa to the model nameplate. Sales skyrocketed. The Gene Krupa name was gold. For the next 50 years, Slingerland took every opportunity it could to associate the great Gene Krupa with its snare drums and drum kits. See previous blogs dated Apr 12th, Feb 27th 2011, and Dec. 20th 2010.

But Gene wasn't the only drummer to have a Radio King Snare Drum named after him. In 1936, Ben Pollack had a wood hoop model named after him. In 1937, Ray McKinley also had one. And for 3 years, from 1939 to 1941, Slingerland offered the Buddy Rich Radio King Swingster Model to aspiring drummers.

In 1939, Slingerland began offering the Radio King model you see pictured here. It was not associated with any particular drummer. It was simply known as the Hollywood Ace Swing Model Radio King. Two sizes were available, a 7 x 14 and a 8 x 14. Prospective buyers had a choice of chrome or nickel plated hardware. This cream puff came with 16 "beaver tail" lugs and the famous Radio King Snare Strainer. This strainer, which pulled the snare wires away from the head, rather than directly up into it, was a great success and was used by Slingerland until the mid 1970's.

The shell, of course, was constructed of solid maple. It was truly the strength of the Radio King and this drum remained in production from 1939 to 1957. In 1958, the solid shell was dropped and a 3 ply shell was substituted. Also, the 8 x 14 size became history and a 5 1/2 x 14 was added. This model was produced from 1958 to 1976.

The Hollywood Ace is now a part of history. But all in all, this Radio King Snare Drum had a long and very successful run.

The Super Gene Krupa Radio King Snare Drum

As mentioned in earlier blogs (See blogs dated Dec. 20th and Mar. 21), the Slingerland Drum Company never missed a chance to match the great Gene Krupa with the Radio King nameplate. It was never in doubt who they considered their number one drum ambassador. Gene was THE best salesman Slingerland had, regardless of how many sales reps the company employed. Krupa was loyal to the company and, starting in 1936, his image graced the front of the Slingerland catalog. Indeed, as late as 1967, there was Gene, sitting behind his set of Slingerland Drums on the front cover of the catalog.

The pictured beauty was first introduced in 1955. Production on this model lasted until 1962. Interestingly enough, shortly after the drum hit the marketplace, the Radio King moniker was dropped and the drum was simply known as the " Super Gene Krupa Snare Drum."

This drum came in a variety of sizes both in a lacquer finish and a pearl wrap. In addition to the 5 1/2 x 14, the drum came in a 5 1/2 x 13, 7 x 14, and an 8 x 14 sizes. The strength of this model was in its solid maple shell. It was truly a work of art. Slingerland's main competitors, Ludwig and Leedy, had ceased to make solid wood shells by this time.


The Super Gene Krupa model also came with either stick shredder or stick saver hoops. The stick shredder hoops were engraved with the "Radio King" nameplate. These hoops carried the lifetime guarantee that Slingerland was noted for.

Lastly, the drum came outfitted with Slingerland's Super Strainer. This strainer, also known as the Clamshell strainer, was introduced in the early 1940's. It's Art Deco look was quite attractive, but problems arose with its use. The extension levers would break, sometimes at the most inopportune time. If the lever broke while the snares were disengaged, there would be no way to reengage them. Slingerland soon replaced this strainer with the Zoomatic Strainer and the Clamshell became part of history.

The Slingerland Student Model Radio King Snare Drum

It can't be overemphasized how much Gene Krupa's association with the Slingerland Drum Company affected its bottom line. Unlike almost all of his contemporaries, Gene stayed with Slingerland throughout his career. His influence extended beyond the drum throne. Before Gene, drummers weren't even considered musicians. Gene brought the drums "out front" Even everyday folk knew who Gene Krupa was. Only the great Buddy Rich could claim a similar influence.

Bud Slingerland, and the execs at the company, were no fools. It's true that they fumbled the ball when it came to Rock music, but they had been in the forefront of big band jazz and they could read a sales sheet as well as the next guy. The name "Krupa" and the label "Radio King" meant sales and the Gene Krupa Radio King Snare Drum was the drum to play. And why not? With its steam bent solid maple shell and its Radio King snare strainer, the drum was the "cat's meow" for drummers everywhere. (See blogs Feb 27th and Dec 20th)

But there were a whole group of musicians like students, non-professionals, and weekend players who couldn't afford the Radio King. In 1948, Slingerland introduced its Student Model Radio King. The pictured drum was a different animal entirely. It really wasn't a Radio King at all. It had a 3 ply shell rather than a solid shell and it was only offered in lacquer or mahogany finishes and it originally came with nickel plated hardware. Perhaps this is the reason that Krupa's name was not linked to it all. Certainly, Slingerland hoped the buyer would associate the two.

This drum stayed in production from 1948 to 1967. In 1960, the drum simply became advertised as the Student Model Snare Drum. The drum came with stick shredder hoops that were fastened to the 8 lugs with clips. I suspect this was done to save money. This model also comes with a rapid strainer rather than a 3 point strainer. In any case, the drum sounds fine. A Radio King it's not. But it takes more than just advertising slogans to make a true Radio King.

The Radio King Chrome Shell snare drum

The Ludwig Drum Company and the Slingerland Drum Company were both based in the Chicago metro area. Ludwig was in the city proper and Slingerland was in Niles, a northwestern suburb. The companies were relatively close to each other, about 10 miles apart as the crow flies. Both Bud Slingerland and Bill Ludwig knew each other and they shared a history of competitiveness.

Slingerland, largely because of Gene Krupa, ruled the roost in the 1930s and 40s. It seemed like almost everyone, particularly big band drummers, played Slingerland Drums. Bill Ludwig did his best to compete, signing such drum stars as Buddy Rich in the late 40s. But the Slingerland Radio King snare drum was the desired drum of choice. The solid maple shell was practically a work of art and the hardware was second to none.

The 1960s saw a seismic shift in the cultural scene, largely due to the Beatles and the British Invasion. Rock was the "Now Sound" and Ludwig, unlike Slingerland, was quick to jump on the trend. Ludwig featured prominent jazz and rock players in their advertisements and catalogs. Slingerland, on the other hand, stressed their stable of Jazz Drummers. Indeed, even as late as 1968, Slingerland featured one (1) rock drummer in their catalog, Tom Schiffour of the Shadows of Knight.

But it was in the arena of snare drum sales that these two giants went toe to toe. Ludwig pitched the metal Supraphonic 400 (see blog entry Jan. 5th 2011) as their best selling snare drum. Slingerland countered with the snare drum you see pictured above, the Radio King Chrome shell snare drum.

The ad copy Ludwig and Slingerland used for their respective drums tells volumes about the marketing direction each company pursued. The ad for the Ludwig Supraphonic 400 describes it as " totally modern in sound and concept." The drum was " just plain explosive, offering instant response and undistorted snare action." "Its one piece Acousti-Perfect shell, made of heavy gauge metal with flanged hoops and a center bead for triple strength, was the utmost in modern snare drum design."

Slingerland countered by praising the Radio King as " a swinging drum with a solid brass shell and no sound distorting center bead." The drum was described as " a real buy" in the Slingerland catalog. This Radio King came in an 8 or 10 lug version with brass stick saver hoops that were guaranteed not to rust or break for life. The Ludwig Supraphonic 400, in contrast, was originally made of brass, but by the early 60s, the company simply started making them of any metal that was available at the time.

The results of this sales competition were somewhat lopsided. It can be argued, and quite convincingly I believe, that the Ludwig Supraphonic 400 was the most popular snare drum of the 1960s. It was offered as standard equipment with the Classic, Downbeat, New Yorker, and Traveler drum kits. Its recorded history is well known among drum aficionados.

And the Slingerland Radio King chrome snare drum? Well, history has not been kind to this model. Slingerland fumbled the ball badly with this drum. The ad campaign stressed its history rather than " the sound of today." Ludwig was quick to recognize that rock music was no passing fad and that to ignore its sales potential was foolish.

When all is said and done, this Radio King remains a fine, but neglected drum. But no apologies are needed. The Radio King chrome snare drum can hold its own in any musical situation. Incidentally, stick shredder hoops can used in place of the stick savers. This makes it a different animal. In any case, the drum sounds terrific.

The Slingerland Spitfire Snare Drum

Drum Companies throughout the decades have gone to great lengths to build "the perfect Snare Drum." Different shells, different snare strainers, and different snare wires and heads have all been used in the quest for the perfect sound. Slingerland, Ludwig, Gretsch, Rogers, Camco, Premier---- all have taken a whack at it. Some of these ideas have worked, others have not.

In 1979, the Slingerland Drum Company gave customers a look at the Slingerland Spitfire Snare Drum. This drum was offered in two sizes, 5 1/2 x 14 and 6 1/2 x 14. It came with either gut or wire snares and you had a choice of a wood shell, a chrome-plated brass shell, or a lacquered brass shell. It also came with brass hoops and the TDR snare strainer, which Slingerland introduced in 1976.

As one can see in the photo, the drum had the unusual arrangement of off set lugs, with 12 for the batter head and 6 for the snare head. This was supposed to give added sensitivity and clarity to the drum. Whether this was the case was debatable.

Slingerland had offered offset lug snare drums in the early 70's. The 1973 catalog shows a 4 x 14 Buddy Rich model, but both heads had an equal number of lugs. The Spitfire was a different animal entirely. This particular drum is unusual because it's a wood shell covered with chrome wrap. It's a good drum, but it's not better than the Slingerland Radio King.

In any case, the drum was a failure. It lasted one year and then simply faded away.. I'm sure there were Slingerland endorsers who used the drum, but I've never seen any. The history of Drum Companies is filled with many success stories. Unfortunately, this is not one of them.

Slingerland Radio King Snare Drum

I think it's probably pretty safe to say that, at one time, the Slingerland Radio King Snare Drum, was the most popular snare drum in the world. Gene Krupa played Slingerland Drums his entire carreer and many other drum stars of the 30's and 40's such as Buddy Rich, Dave Tough, Ben Pollack, Ray McKinley and Barrett Deems played and endorsed these drums.

The 1930's-60's Radio King was made of either metal or solid wood. The solid wood models, which are highly prized, came in two sizes, 5 x 14 and 6 1/2 x 14. It came with the Krupa strainer and double flanged hoops. The top hoop was engraved with the words, "Slingerland Radio King". The drum was offered with either nickel or chrome plating. By the late 1940's, the drum was actually referred to as the Gene Krupa Radio King, such was the influence of this Chicago drummer.

Throughout the 50's and 60's, Slingerland continued to offer the Radio King. The metal model was made of brass, as were the hoops, which were now known as stick saver hoops. The name of the drum changed to the Super Gene Krupa Snare Drum and other models, playing off the Radio King name, were added to the catalog. The Gene Krupa Sound King, the Concert King, and the Super Sound King were made to entice drummers everywhere. These models achieved various degrees of sales success.

The pictured drum is from the 1950's. A few Drum Historians and Collectors believe that these drums from the 50's and early 60's were the finest drums that Slingerland ever made. This drum is also covered in a White Marine Pearl Wrap which was Krupa's favorite finish.

Slingerland is still in existence---now owned by Gibson Guitars. But this drum is from a time that is long passed and will never return.