Old 04-25-2021, 06:00 PM
#1
Mike Curotto Mike Curotto is offline
Vintage Drum Guru
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: S. F. Bay Area
Posts: 1,334
Default TWO RARE 1940s-50s SLINGERLAND 4x13 "BE BOP" RADIO KINGS
HI,
Two more blasts from the past that I never did articles on. The 4 x 13 Sparkling Gold RK “Be Bop” model was one of my earliest purchases (1995) from Ned Ingberman, The Vintage Drum Center and the WMP 4 x 13 RK Bop model was purchased from a fellow musician in SF about 20 years ago. A special thanks goes to my good friend and fellow collector Mark Cooper for helping me to date these two drums.

1948-50 SLINGERLAND 4 x 13 SPARKLING GOLD “BE BOP” RADIO KING MODEL (UNCATALOGUED/SPECIAL ORDER?)
This drum has a solid maple shell. The Sparkling Gold wrap is pretty funky with some “cancer” spots. The nickel plated hardware is in good shape. There is no mention of a 4 x 13 Radio King in early Slingerland catalogs which leads to the speculation that this drum could have been an uncatalogued special order.

EARLY 1950s SLINGERLAND 4 x 13 WMP BOP SNARE DRUM (cat. #444)
This drum also has a solid maple shell. The WMP is in very good shape, the same is true with the nickel plated hardware. This snare was offered with the Combo Be Bop Drum Outfit (cat. #445).

Both of these 4 x 13 Radio King “Be Bop” models are pretty rare. In all my years of collecting I have not seen any other late 1940s side-by-side lug 4 x 13 RKs and I have only seen one other 4 x 13 Bop Snare. I’d love to hear from any others out there that may have one or both of these drums.

Enjoy!

Mike Curotto
Attached Thumbnails
Old 04-25-2021, 06:02 PM
#2
Mike Curotto Mike Curotto is offline
Vintage Drum Guru
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: S. F. Bay Area
Posts: 1,334
Default Re: TWO RARE 1940s-50s SLINGERLAND 4x13 "BE BOP" RADIO KINGS
A few more....

Mike Curottoi
Attached Thumbnails
Old 04-25-2021, 06:26 PM
#3
grantro grantro is offline
Vintage Drum Guru
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 5,290
Cool Re: TWO RARE 1940s-50s SLINGERLAND 4x13 "BE BOP" RADIO KINGS
Absolutely stunning!! You always bring the best to the table, Mike!! Please, keep them coming...The pics, info and back stories of your snares are very interesting...

Cheers
__________________
1976 Ludwig Mach 4 Thermogloss 26-18-14-14sn
1978 Ludwig Stainless 22-22-18-16-14-13-12 c/w 6-8-10-12-13-14-15-16-18-20-22-24 concert toms
1975 Sonor Phonic Centennials Metallic Pewter 22-16-13-12-14sn (D506)
1971 Ludwig Classic Bowling Ball OBP 22-16-14-13
1960's Stewart Peacock Pearl 20-16-12-14sn
1980`s Ludwig Coliseum Piano Black 8x14 snare
1973 Rogers Superten 5x14 & 6.5x14 COS snares
1970`s John Grey Capri Aquamarine Sparkle 5x14 snare
1941 Ludwig & Ludwig Super 8x14 snare
Old 04-25-2021, 07:16 PM
#4
leedybdp leedybdp is offline
Vintage Drum Guru
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,753
Default Re: TWO RARE 1940s-50s SLINGERLAND 4x13 "BE BOP" RADIO KINGS
Here's the 4x13 Radio King snare drum given to me as a retirement gift by the owner and his staff at Rockin Robin in Houston after being their Fender rep for 27 years. They have a great selection of vintage drums available for sale and a whole lot of not-for-sale slobber and drool drums.
Attached Thumbnails
__________________
No matter how far you push the envelope, it is still stationery.

Last edited by leedybdp; 04-25-2021 at 07:21 PM.
Old 04-25-2021, 07:22 PM
#5
Mike Curotto Mike Curotto is offline
Vintage Drum Guru
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: S. F. Bay Area
Posts: 1,334
Default Re: TWO RARE 1940s-50s SLINGERLAND 4x13 "BE BOP" RADIO KINGS
Cool...nice to see another one..

Mike Curotto
Old 04-25-2021, 07:25 PM
#6
leedybdp leedybdp is offline
Vintage Drum Guru
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,753
Default Re: TWO RARE 1940s-50s SLINGERLAND 4x13 "BE BOP" RADIO KINGS
I know that the wrap on mine is new, and the shell may be unoriginal. But all of the metal parts seem to be correct and original. Whatever the case, this drum will never leave my possession.
__________________
No matter how far you push the envelope, it is still stationery.
Old 04-25-2021, 07:55 PM
#7
jbohan6 jbohan6 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 34
Default Re: TWO RARE 1940s-50s SLINGERLAND 4x13 "BE BOP" RADIO KINGS
I have not seen one with the side by side lugs like that. Very nice, thank you for sharing. Here is a later one that was in my possession for a short time.

I bought it so I could complete my No. 2n Jobbing outfit but did not much care for the sound. Cheers everyone!
Attached Thumbnails
Old 04-25-2021, 10:01 PM
#8
O-Lugs O-Lugs is offline
Vintage Drum Guru
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,168
Default Re: TWO RARE 1940s-50s SLINGERLAND 4x13 "BE BOP" RADIO KINGS
Cool drums as always, Mike, but maybe not as fancy as many drums in your collection...which is to imply that you have some really fancy drums in your collection!

-love those old clamshell lugs, though! I always forget about those, but they are really a cool design as far as lugs go.
__________________
"God is dead." -Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead." -God
Old 04-26-2021, 03:36 AM
#9
Dan Boucher Dan Boucher is offline
Vintage Drum Guru
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,086
Default Re: TWO RARE 1940s-50s SLINGERLAND 4x13 "BE BOP" RADIO KINGS
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Curotto View Post
HI,
Two more blasts from the past that I never did articles on. The 4 x 13 Sparkling Gold RK “Be Bop” model was one of my earliest purchases (1995) from Ned Ingberman, The Vintage Drum Center and the WMP 4 x 13 RK Bop model was purchased from a fellow musician in SF about 20 years ago. A special thanks goes to my good friend and fellow collector Mark Cooper for helping me to date these two drums.

1948-50 SLINGERLAND 4 x 13 SPARKLING GOLD “BE BOP” RADIO KING MODEL (UNCATALOGUED/SPECIAL ORDER?)
This drum has a solid maple shell. The Sparkling Gold wrap is pretty funky with some “cancer” spots. The nickel plated hardware is in good shape. There is no mention of a 4 x 13 Radio King in early Slingerland catalogs which leads to the speculation that this drum could have been an uncatalogued special order.

EARLY 1950s SLINGERLAND 4 x 13 WMP BOP SNARE DRUM (cat. #444)
This drum also has a solid maple shell. The WMP is in very good shape, the same is true with the nickel plated hardware. This snare was offered with the Combo Be Bop Drum Outfit (cat. #445).

Both of these 4 x 13 Radio King “Be Bop” models are pretty rare. In all my years of collecting I have not seen any other late 1940s side-by-side lug 4 x 13 RKs and I have only seen one other 4 x 13 Bop Snare. I’d love to hear from any others out there that may have one or both of these drums.

Enjoy!

Mike Curotto
The double lug version looks a bit like hens teeth to me. What a piece! Congrats finding that one.
 

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Collapse Forum Rules Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Search Options
Tag Search Advanced Search