I just bought these from a friend for pretty cheap and I was wondering how much they would be worth right now and also on top of that how much they'd be worth once I put all the parts back on and bought new heads.
I've heard slingerland bass drums are extremely nice and great sounding so I'll most definitely want to keep that, but I'm not sure I'll want to keep the tom just yet. Wondering how much I could get out of it if I chose to sell it! I'm not too familiar with vintage drums! Thanks!
They're great drums, but bare Slingerland shells generally don't sell for that much. Looking at completed auctions on eBay, the recent range for completed sales is $26 to $107. Of course, some do occasionally go for quite a bit more if there's something special about them, such as pristine condition, particular years or construction, rare or desirable finish, or a motivated buyer looking for a drum that matches his existing set.
Building out the drum with period-correct authentic Slingerland hardware will almost certainly cost you more than you'd sell the drum for. Using completed auctions on eBay as a guide again, it looks like typical selling price for complete 60s/70s Slingerland bass drums in common sizes is in the $100-$200 range.
As for "hearing they're great sounding"... It's not too hard to hear them with your own ears. Among other recordings, you could listen to Slingerland drums on any early Rush albums up through 2112.
Thank you so much for all the help! I'm only paying $15 for the tom, so even if I got it to sell for $30 I guess that would double my profit. But after reading up about these, I think I might be interested in keeping them for a second kit. Right now I am putting together a custom set, and I would love to add at least a snare to this and make a second kit.
Once again thanks for all the help, I didn't realize the Rush drummer used Slingerlands until you pointed it out! I'm definitely beginning to like these slingerlands a lot more. Now if only I could find a snare that was around the same time as these. Hopefully once I get them, I can get some pictures up and get some help figuring out what year they are.
They're easy to find and you've got a few options at different price points. One option is the chrome-over-brass ("COB") Gene Krupa Sound King. It's a great drum and plentiful on the used market, and it seems to be undervalued as they've been going for cheap. You can commonly find the 5" deep version in the $100-200 range on eBay. The 6½" version typically sells for a bit more. Starting in the '70s, these shells can also be found outfitted with TDR strainers instead of Zoomatics.
