Read the description.... this set is put together from different years.

The ride tom is from '66 or younger.... no badges on Slingerland toms until then, despite the seller's early 60s statement.

The snare is the prospective j-e-wel of the bunch and has been modified to accommodate the aftermarket throw.

A REAL BUMMER THERE... turned a $500 to $700 snare into a $200 one, in my opinion.

So, you have a bass and floor that might have been part of a set, a ride that doesn't belong and a boogered Radio King snare.

By '59, Slingerland had dropped naming outfits Radio King, though the shells are still called that in the descriptions in the catalogs.

So, the Gene Krupa Deluxe Radio King Ensemble became the Gene Krupa Deluxe Ensemble.... the Windsor Radio King Ensemble became the Windsor Ensemble, and so on....

So, to call this a Radio King outfit is a stretch at best, and probably just not appropriate in reality.

People are bidding on it now, but I think it's at the top of its' value for me ($736.00), especially considering the $150 for shipping.

This and a buck seventy-five will get you a non-Fair Trade cup 'o joe at your local convenience store.

HAVE FUN, BEAT A DRUM

Congrads on your user name as a newbie, I wonder how that one was not taken, as far as that kit, I'm not an expert, but I will say two things, almost a day left on the auction, I'm sure it will go up, next if you look at the badge, I don't think its a 50's set, I have a 50 RK snare and its much different, maybe somone else will chime in, looks to me like a 60's set......plus I don't see any pics of the hoops stamped as RK.........?????

Thanks and thanks for both assesments..

You are good. I love it. I always admired the radio king drums but as you can probably tell I need to study up on them. I've been playing since I was a kid but only recently learning the history. What do you all think about this whole retro vintage sets dw is has been making.

They'll be vintage in fifty years.

Funny Post

Kevins is right, as usual. 1956 was the last year Slingerland put out kits with the engraved RK hoops, yet the shells were still called Radio Kings as late as the 1959 catalog.

I got my AUG 1958 kick and rack and JUN 1959 floor - all 3 together - for $715 (shipping and all) off feeBay back in December. I spent another $300 on a matching (wrap and badge) Super Gene Krupa snare that was in desperate need of cleaning and some replacement parts, but it's unaltered. After getting several correct BD, RT and snare parts, I've got about $1,200 in it now. Personally, I think my kit's worth what I've got in it, considering they're all from within a year of each other, all correct parts now, and unaltered. I'd like to know anyone else's opinion on that, as I'm curious now. Give your honest opinion, please, if you'd like to give your opinion.

But this thread is not about my kit, so back to the point. If the snare was unaltered and the rack tom was a '59, I'd say "Yeah, that's a pretty low price!" However, considering the current bid would make it $900 to get it to your door, and the much later rack tom and altered snare, I'd pass on it. That's my :2Cents:.

Sorry to ramble, it's WAY past my bed time and delirium is setting in. Eye Ball

Hey SLingerland

SOunds like you have a sweet kit. Love to see pics. I'm just a beginner at the vintage stuff but if it's in the same family and year they are essentially a complete set, right? Send pics..

Rich

radioking, here is a picture of my kit, if you were directing your request to me. As you can see, I used the old "Slingerland Radio King" hoop engraving for the logo on my BD. It may not be 100% accurate, but it looks cool to me. The snare drum is not pictured because it's not put back together yet...still waiting on a couple parts to come in.

As far as my drums being "essentially a complete set," my kick, rack and floor came to me together as a "set." I'm still a beginner in the vintage drum community myself, but I've done a lot of research in the last few months. Here are some possibilities that I have discovered: someone may have bought this kit in mid to late '59 and it came with two drums from August of '58 and one from June of '59, or someone may have bought a Windsor Ensemble (kick, snare and rack) in late '58 and then ordered the FT in mid '59. So, I don't know if they came together as a set in the late '50s or not. Obviously, something happened with the snare over the years. However, I currently have a "set" of Slingerland drums that match in color, the badges on the snare and bass drums match (the badge was only used from '56 to '59 - see VDG article: http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/drcjw/article_1_badges.html), and the 3 drums that have date stamps are within 10 months of each other. So, it's highly unlikely they came together as a set in the late 50s, but they're my matching set now. ;) So, to finally answer your question, I would say they are "essentially a complete set."

kevins, are those your red sparkle beauties?

Wow those are awesome looking. They must sound great. The pearl looks brand new. Congrats!!