jgraeps - Page 1 - Vintage Drum Forum

Hi everyone. I have been researching Slingerland vintage drums and found this website to be quite helpful. But I still have a couple of questions. I think I have a 1959-61 four piece Marine White Slingerland set. They were my dad's and I am trying to sell them. Someone said to me that if there were push button leg mounts on the floor tom, that was rare. Also what about straight legs on the floor tom and straight slugs on the base drum vs. the curved type, are those common or more rare? I've also been looking on line for a glossary of sorts. What is the strainer on the snare? Is it the wires that run across the hitting surface on one side, and why is it called a "strainer". And why is the lever called a "clam shell"?

As you can tell I am pretty ignorant when it comes to drum lingo! But I'm learning.

Any help that anyone can pass on to me will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Welcome and here are my answers, others can add or correct

push button leg mounts on the floor tom, that was rare

Not necessarily rare, but to find all of the push buttons in place and good working order is getting harder and harder.

Also what about straight legs on the floor tom

Does not affect value.

and straight slugs on the base drum vs. the curved type, are those common or more rare

Do you mean drum lugs? Slugs are those sticky creatures and if you have them on your drum we are in trouble!! I had to do it!

You should clarify this a little

What is the strainer on the snare

This is the mechanism that raises and lowers the snares (wire) on the bottom of the drum

Is it the wires that run across the hitting surface on one side

Nope, the top or the batter side is the side that is hit and the other side is where the snares (wires) come in contact with the snare side head. People do call them different things, but batter and snare side work for me.

why is it called a "strainer".

Good question and the dictionary has this a stretcher or tightener.

And why is the lever called a "clam shell"?

The lever on the strainer is called the strainer arm and it controls the snare wires. The clam shell is the type of strainer your drum has.

As you can tell I am pretty ignorant when it comes to drum lingo!

Nope, we do not like to use the word ignorant for people that take the time to do the research and learn about what they are selling.

So your Slingerland Drum set has a snare drum with a clam shell strainer. The strainer arm is what controls the strainer to make the snare wires go up and down on the snare side head of the drum. You play the top of the drum which is called the batter side.

This does not even cover the "Butt" side. Ahh, yes we call the thing opposite of the strainer the butt side and that is the other side that the snare wires are connected too!!

David