yes...guitar2

+1 on Blair's comment...definitely factory backing plates. Wait until you get that snare all dialed in...you will be amazed. I have a mid-60's Leedy version and it sounds amazing! You should look into the Puresound vintage wires before they're all snatched up (I'm sure you know they stopped making them). I believe you will want the PRE1416 Radio King extended length model. Happy drumming!

Hmm... really hadn't thought of that. I was going to use German wires.

I found the special type on ebay, I think. If this is the set, it is really more than I should spend on this...

If this is the right kind, does the strap really make all that much difference? I'm not arguing with you at all...but I don't understand the differences.

For all I know, it's a brilliant investment and I'm to iggerant to see it!

Thanks!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PureSound-Vintage-14-Slingerland-Radio-King-Snare-Wires-With-Strap-PRS1416-ES-/290665112712?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43acfda488

Do you have a picture of your 3-point strainer? Some take the tabs (like my Leedy) or others have 12 holes which can use cord, not tabs. To be honest, the tabs are a pain in the @ss! The ones I mentioned to you do not have the tabs...they take cord like others. These wires are longer than the snare itself and extend out through the hoop to the snare extensions. This allows the wires only to float along the bottom of the drum head. Hope that makes sense. I'll have to dig out my snare and take a pic for you.

It's a Zoomatic strainer, not a three point.

And, yes, now I see the idea!

I'm in the process of setting up 3 Slingerland snares to keep.

One is an earlier Concert King, 1950's; then a Buddy Rich Signature 1969 (not the 4 inch), and this COB, which I'm guessing is mid-60's or so.

Makes me wonder what kind of snare wires these should have. To be honest, 50 bucks a pop is a little bit of a strain for me right now... stil...if they are going to be unavailable...

this is really helpful!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004DGI46E/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

Try Amazon they are a little less on there.

The mid-60's to early 70's Sound King drums all used the aluminum lug backing plates to strengthen the shell behind the lug. It was an excellent idea! Later models used a cup washer.

The use of the original half-extended wires has to be properly set up to work. See my attached pictures. I've had a few of these drums where the Leedy butt is not positioned properly, causing the snare wires to either be pulled up too much or not down far enough. My suggestion is to just use "normal" wires! This is exactly what Slingerland did when they went to the "New Zoomatic", around 1968, and used a wider gate with a clamp to use either string or tape to hold the wires. Slingerland used a normal set of 13" wires for these drums, while still maintaining the Leedy extended butt. See the pictures of a 1970-71 Sound King snare I had, that uses the original 13" wires.

What I liked about both snare drums was that each had the "half-moon", or round-over, edges and the aluminum lug backing plates. The 70's drum, with "normal" wires, sound way better than the 60's drum with those odd half-extended wires! Still, if you want to try a set of those wires, I believe I have a new set sitting in a box that I can sell for reasonably cheap!

Mark

Mark -- good advice, and good offer.

This weekend I plan to try to set up all three of these drums with heads, wires, etc. I have enough Zoomatic parts now to do some rebuilds if I need to.

So, after I check them out, I may want to experiment with the wires.

Any suggestions for the 50's Concert King?

Yeah, I agree those backing plates are a great idea. The Slingerland hardware I've rebuilt that is older is really pretty impressive stuff. The dynamo hi hat design is ingenius, with the hex rod. And the lower tube unscrews from the bottom assembly. The Ludwigs of the same era rely on a small tab in the tube for the tension adjustment plunger, and the tubes are press fit.

The Yellowjacket pedals too, are very well built and designed.

Y' know, if Ivor Arbiter would have had a set of the BR 2 floor tom models on the sales floor, instead of a Ludwig, and Ringo played Slingerland... what a change!

I read the Beatles' biography and equipment books. Bill Ludwig was just stunned to see Ringo show up on Ed Sullivan with the Ludwig logo!

Speaking of setting up snares...

I have a COB with a rebuilt Zoomatic that I'm setting up (to sell) as a killer backbeat snare.

Dig this: the DW 3 way butt plate fits the shell prefectly. I briefly has a DW with that butt plate and loved it. I'm thinking that would be a good way to handle snare tension without abusing the Zoomatic.

It's still in pieces... but it should work great, IMHO.