I finished polishing this up this old Leedy snare last night.
It came with a case and an old Hamilton stand.
Appears to be a nickle plated thin brass shell.
Six lugs... it came with wire wound silk snares and a calf skin batter, but a mylar snare head, so I replaced both heads and the snare wires. The batter hoop is stamped... "LEEDY Indianapolis Ind".
I have a question about the model and year of manufacture.
Uh, what is the model and the year of manufacture?
Thanks !!
Dude! You've improved that thing 106%. Way to go!
Kev, it's date is from1930 to 1942 and I'm still looking for the model name??
Thanks guys..... it really looks quite a bit better in person, I'm not much of a photographer.
She's built like a tank, the t-rods are stout, as well as the collar clips....
Minimalistic design here.... I guess it's an lower level snare with the six lugs.
She sounds pretty good, I really don't have her dialed in precisely, but still sounds good.
Wouldn’t this drum have been manufactured by the same company that was producing Ludwigs of the same era, Conn? It seems like there are similarities to those Conn Ludwigs too. I like that drum!
:)
Yes, Leedy in the 1930's-1950's and Ludwig from the same time were both manufactured by Conn in Elkhart, IN. in the same factory side by side, so there are similarities and even cross breeding of parts.
However this snare is PRE-Conn.....being made in Indianapolis.....I'm sure the two companies being rivals at the time got "ideas" from each other..... :p
Thanks guys..... it really looks quite a bit better in person, I'm not much of a photographer.She's built like a tank, the t-rods are stout, as well as the collar clips....Minimalistic design here.... I guess it's an lower level snare with the six lugs.She sounds pretty good, I really don't have her dialed in precisely, but still sounds good.
Is this where the donated snare wires came from? If so, what are you using for snares on it now? And how does it sound? :D
Kev, it's date is from1930 to 1942 and I'm still looking for the model name??
Actually it predates 1930. Leedy was in Elkhart, IN by 1930....this is one of the Indianapolis drums....its the Utility model snare, made sometime in the teens to 1924. Leedy went away from tube lugs in 1925 and the type of strainer/throw-off was modernized around the same time.
You've got something real special there Kevin :D
Is this where the donated snare wires came from? If so, what are you using for snares on it now? And how does it sound? :D
No, they were from either a Rogers or Slingerland marching snare.
I've got some old Ludwig wires on it right now, but a couple of the wires are "sprung" and I'm getting some rattle, but only around the edges. When played in the center, the tone is great, slightly ringy, and a little washy. I have it tuned pretty low right now.
The snare beds are very narrow and shallow, so I'm thinking some new 12 strand snares might be the ticket?
Actually it predates 1930. Leedy was in Elkhart, IN by 1930....this is one of the Indianapolis drums....its the Utility model snare, made sometime in the teens to 1924. Leedy went away from tube lugs in 1925 and the type of strainer/throw-off was modernized around the same time.You've got something real special there Kevin
Wow ! I knew it was old, but Wow !
I may have to look for a slunk snare head, put back on the calf skin batter, and the wire wound silk wires, and get an idea of what she used to sound like "back in the day".
Thanks LD !!
Yes, Leedy in the 1930's-1950's and Ludwig from the same time were both manufactured by Conn in Elkhart, IN. in the same factory side by side, so there are similarities and even cross breeding of parts.However this snare is PRE-Conn.....being made in Indianapolis.....I'm sure the two companies being rivals at the time got "ideas" from each other..... :p
Just to play devils advocate with you, are you saying that Conn didn't own Leedy while in Indy and that when they moved they didn't bring their extra stock of Indy logo hoops to Elkhart?
Just pullin your chain a little LD!
;)
