this is probably one of the color yours was, a duco which is a Dupont Lacquer paint, this is my 30's Radio King which is black gold duco
Could have been - like I said, thee was a coat of black over a coat of pink and, by the time I sanded through those, who knows what else!
Still, it is a great drum - the old growth Maple is far superior to what they use today.
It sure is!! because I have played mainly in studios for the last 36 years, I have played many, many MANY different types of drums.
One gig, I played another drummers set (the band on before mine) and his set was a 1940 set of Slingerland Radio kings.
Man oh man, NOTHING I have ever played sounded as good as those Kings. Even my lead guitarist, who really doesnt know anything about drums, remarked "Boy those drums sound nice and full".
great drums,. no question.
I've got a '38 RK snare. When I got it over 20 years ago if could best be described as what they call in the dog pound world a "rescue". The marine pearl wrap was beyond yellowed; half-dozen cigarette burns, cracked, snares duct taped on, obscenities scratched into the wrap and writtenon what was left of the heads, definitely abused from a period of an angry owner. I spent a month or so restoring it; removed the wrap, straightened the bent gates, luckily all the parts were there. The wood is remarkable, some nice birds eye pattern in a few places, old growth was special. To this day it is my go-to snare drum, currently using it with a jazz guitar trio, it's range of tuning and dynamics incredible. Once a year I rub in a coat of tung oil and the wood just smiles! You have a winner!
Regards
Don
