Nice kit. You are right about the details though.The tom and floor tom have pre '48 lugs, no "shelf" at the top. However, the double flanged hoops which are on your drums didn't come into use on the toms until '48. My '47 RKs have single flange hoops and clips on the toms, no badges or vents either.Add in a bass drum with an earlier badge, this may get interesting.

I'm seeing the larger BT lugs with 2.5" hole spacing on both toms. Those were used '48-'54 I think? The snare has the smaller 1.5" hole space BT lugs. Seeing how the guide says the wider re rings were used in the toms from '28-'55. I guess the question would be when did the clips go away on the toms? Looking on Marks site pics of a '49 RK kit, toms have the clips. And the next pic of a '53 shows the newer style hoops on the toms. So between '50-'53 somewhere. I think the toms could be original as is?

That cocktail bass is 18x20There are 14x20 bass drums offered in 1950.I don't have a cat scan from '49 or '48 to tie into the badge timeline exactly.If '50 is the earliest for a 14x20, maybe the drum was fitted with a leftover badge from '48.If someone has a full cat scan from '48, perhaps they can see if a 14x20 is offered?Either way, a great outfit, and one for the books!Kev

Hey kevins; Yes, you are right, the bass drum in the scan is longer. I was just using it to point to the fact that Slingy had a 20" mold at the time. They could just cut a shell down and dress both ends the same. Once again, I think the old style lugs point to a crossover period drum. There is a '49 Slingy catalogue posted on this site. You can get there either through the links at the top of this page or from the link in one of my previous posts.

Hey ffr428; There is an actual catalogue scan of the ad when Slingerland introduced the double flanged hoops on Mark's site as well. It is dated 1948. So the hoops were available, but not necessarily used on every drum. The reason I am leaning towards earlier, (at least on the toms), is the non-shelf styled lugs. Having both end of the run, (lugs), and newly introduced, (hoops), parts on both toms is a pretty good indicator of a transition period drum. Both the new style lugs and double flanged hoops were introduced in 1948 according to the catalogues. The bass drum badge fits this time as well as the lugs and t-rods, claws and cymbal holder, but the reinforcement rings don't. O.P. says the edge profile is different as well, maybe they have been messed with or cut down? I know the '48 catalogue doesn't list a 14 x 20 bd but it does list an 18 x 20 so the 20 inch mold existed. As did the 12 inch. The only thing that pulls this kit out of the '46 - '48 timeline is the re-rings on the bass and they don't match the profile either. Hopefully we can get some better pics of the bass drum shell to see if it has been altered.

http://www.coopersvintagedrums.com/ This site should help you too if you haven't seen it.

Hey ffr428; There is an actual catalogue scan of the ad when Slingerland introduced the double flanged hoops on Mark's site as well. It is dated 1948. So the hoops were available, but not necessarily used on every drum. The reason I am leaning towards earlier, (at least on the toms), is the non-shelf styled lugs. Having both end of the run, (lugs), and newly introduced, (hoops), parts on both toms is a pretty good indicator of a transition period drum. Both the new style lugs and double flanged hoops were introduced in 1948 according to the catalogues. The bass drum badge fits this time as well as the lugs and t-rods, claws and cymbal holder, but the reinforcement rings don't. O.P. says the edge profile is different as well, maybe they have been messed with or cut down? I know the '48 catalogue doesn't list a 14 x 20 bd but it does list an 18 x 20 so the 20 inch mold existed. As did the 12 inch. The only thing that pulls this kit out of the '46 - '48 timeline is the re-rings on the bass and they don't match the profile either. Hopefully we can get some better pics of the bass drum shell to see if it has been altered.