I enjoyed the program more this time around. I was interested in creating and using a blog to assist with the progress (and motivation) of a personal project, that is to restore a vintage drum kit i.e. Slingerland (USA) Radio King Kit c1936. This model kit was endorsed and played by drumming greats such as Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson.
My intention with the blog was (is) to create an electronic environment where I could:
* Plot the progress of the project by describing what I had in my possession and to identify parts that needed to be sourced (very few) to make the kit complete.
* Show others what I have so that contact may be made with other interested people.
* Educate myself and set up a store of information about the Radio King kits including the history of the kits, how I have dated my kit (very important), restoration techniques, contacts for suppliers of parts, etc
* Maybe educate others about the drums and the process of restoration
The structure of the blog was (is):
* Set up the context of my project
* Explain in detail what I have (each drum and fittings) (Show photos of each item/part)
* Date the drums (should be c 1936)
* Identify the parts needed to complete the kit
* Establish and document contacts of suppliers
The initial creation of the blog was to set up an electronic environment that would assist in motivating to progress of the project.
I have considered (and used) aspects of the Learning 2.0 Revisited program in terms of how they may apply directly to my project. When learning about the various aspects of the program, wiki's, RSS Feeds etc, the best fit has been You Tube (online tutorial on the specific subject of restoring and dating Radio King kits). Aspects such as Wiki's would allow collaboration of like minded people. I could use that. RSS Feeds may be a way of keeping up to date and have updated information come to me rather than me seek it out. Aspects such as Tagging and Flickr seem to be of less value for my project, however, I might find applications for them now that I know what service they can provide. I found a generic image of a drum in Flickr and pasted it into the blog. Looks quite nice, however, it is unlikely that images of specific interest to my project will appear in Flickr.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Radio King Restoration: Background
I have a vintage Slingerland Radio King drum kit with a Broadcaster snare drum. All drums have a white marine pearl finish. The kit consists of 4 drums: bass drum, snare, mounted tom and floor tom. When working at Billy Hydes Drum Clinic, Mount Alexander Road in Melbourne, Australia in the early 1980s I found the kit in a cupboard under the stairs on the ground floor of the show room. I purchased the kit for $100. The kit appeared in good condition and all parts were in tact.
After removal of one of the bass drum's pigskin heads a paper note was found inside the kick drum showing that restoration work had been performed on the kit. The note has since been lost, however, from memory the restorer's name and outer Melbourne eastern suburb address was given (now unknown) as was the description, '193? Radio King'.
The drums have remained in a cupboard in my home for all of this time.
Radio Kings: History.
"Slingerland is an iconic drum company with close ties to jazz drumming. famously endorsed by legendary drummer, Gene Krupa, as well as Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson...Slingerland introduced the Radio King line in 1936, and they remained the most popular Slingerland snare drums and line of drumsets. Radio King snare drums were made from a single piece of maple, while the bass drums and tom-toms were made from mahogany....'
'The history of Slingerland Drums'. www.ehow.com/about_5072703_history-slingerland-drums.html
See also Wikipedia entry.
See also: 'Vintage Drum Guide: the history of vintage drums' www.vintagegrumguide.com/radio_king_history.html
Excellent photographs and information in 'History of Slingerland drums' link in 'coopersvintage drums' website at: www.coopersvintagedrums.com/newslinghistory.htm
The drums:
Broadcaster snare. [Detailed description goes here] Size:.... 8 lugs. Nickel hoops/rims? with 'Slingerland Broadcaster' wording that appears to engraved not stamped .
"In 1935, Slingerland introduced the 'Broadcaster' snare drum, which was made of a solid maple shell, new threaded lug casings and the 'patent-pending' adjustable snare gates. The Broadcaster was the forerunner of perhaps the most well-known line of Slingerland drums, the Radio Kings" "Radio King snare drums were made from a single piece of maple....The snare drums usually had ten lugs and there could no mistake that the drums were, indeed, Radio Kings: 'Slingerland Radio Kings' were stamped on the hoops, and the earliest drums from this line had the name actually engraved on the rims." [see photo below]. From 1937 to 1938, the best-selling snare drum was an eight-lug, solid maple drum. It was the Gene Krupa Radio King."
'The history of Slingerland Drums' ....www.ehow.com/about_5072703_history-slingerland-drums.html
Photographs of my drum:
See 'coopersvintagedrums' website. In particular, web-page for '1935 Slingerland Broadcaster snare drum' Excellent photos.
www.coopersvintagedrums.com
Bass drum:
[description and photos]
Mounted tom:
[description and photos]
Floor tom:
[description and photos]
Fittings:
[description and photos]
Dating the drums:
[add website URL's here]
Paste images from websites here showing match to establish and prove date]
[supporting info]
Restoration: parts required.
Vintage Drum store.
www.vintagedrumstore.com
Has 'Vintage drum parts' link.
See: 'coopersvintagedrums' website. In particular, web-page for '1935 Slingerland Broadcaster snare drum' Excellent photos, especially snare release.
Restoration: process.
[add URL for You Tube tutorial here...oops lost it...bad librarian]
Message boards/forums.
www.vintagedrumforum.com
coopersvintagedrums@verizon.net
'Drum Doctor'. drumdoctor@att.net (Mike)
Appraisals:
Vintage Drum Centre. www.vintagedrum.com
Bibliography: websites.
Bibliography: journal articles.
Journal: Not so modern drummer.
www.notsomoderndrummer.com
see also: 'Drum Centre'. www.drumcentre.com
Bibliography: Books.
Cook, Rob. The Slingerland book. Rev.ed. ( ) $29.95
Cangany, Harry J. The great American drums ( )
Images.
Excellent photographs in 'History of Slingerland drums' link in 'coopersvintage drums' website at: www.coopersvintagedrums.com/newslinghistory.htm
Clips:
After removal of one of the bass drum's pigskin heads a paper note was found inside the kick drum showing that restoration work had been performed on the kit. The note has since been lost, however, from memory the restorer's name and outer Melbourne eastern suburb address was given (now unknown) as was the description, '193? Radio King'.
The drums have remained in a cupboard in my home for all of this time.
Radio Kings: History.
"Slingerland is an iconic drum company with close ties to jazz drumming. famously endorsed by legendary drummer, Gene Krupa, as well as Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson...Slingerland introduced the Radio King line in 1936, and they remained the most popular Slingerland snare drums and line of drumsets. Radio King snare drums were made from a single piece of maple, while the bass drums and tom-toms were made from mahogany....'
'The history of Slingerland Drums'. www.ehow.com/about_5072703_history-slingerland-drums.html
See also Wikipedia entry.
See also: 'Vintage Drum Guide: the history of vintage drums' www.vintagegrumguide.com/radio_king_history.html
Excellent photographs and information in 'History of Slingerland drums' link in 'coopersvintage drums' website at: www.coopersvintagedrums.com/newslinghistory.htm
The drums:
Broadcaster snare. [Detailed description goes here] Size:.... 8 lugs. Nickel hoops/rims? with 'Slingerland Broadcaster' wording that appears to engraved not stamped .
"In 1935, Slingerland introduced the 'Broadcaster' snare drum, which was made of a solid maple shell, new threaded lug casings and the 'patent-pending' adjustable snare gates. The Broadcaster was the forerunner of perhaps the most well-known line of Slingerland drums, the Radio Kings" "Radio King snare drums were made from a single piece of maple....The snare drums usually had ten lugs and there could no mistake that the drums were, indeed, Radio Kings: 'Slingerland Radio Kings' were stamped on the hoops, and the earliest drums from this line had the name actually engraved on the rims." [see photo below]. From 1937 to 1938, the best-selling snare drum was an eight-lug, solid maple drum. It was the Gene Krupa Radio King."
'The history of Slingerland Drums' ....www.ehow.com/about_5072703_history-slingerland-drums.html
Photographs of my drum:
See 'coopersvintagedrums' website. In particular, web-page for '1935 Slingerland Broadcaster snare drum' Excellent photos.
www.coopersvintagedrums.com
Bass drum:
[description and photos]
Mounted tom:
Floor tom:
[description and photos]
Fittings:
[description and photos]
Dating the drums:
[add website URL's here]
Paste images from websites here showing match to establish and prove date]
[supporting info]
Restoration: parts required.
Vintage Drum store.
www.vintagedrumstore.com
Has 'Vintage drum parts' link.
See: 'coopersvintagedrums' website. In particular, web-page for '1935 Slingerland Broadcaster snare drum' Excellent photos, especially snare release.
Restoration: process.
[add URL for You Tube tutorial here...oops lost it...bad librarian]
Message boards/forums.
www.vintagedrumforum.com
coopersvintagedrums@verizon.net
'Drum Doctor'. drumdoctor@att.net (Mike)
Appraisals:
Vintage Drum Centre. www.vintagedrum.com
Bibliography: websites.
Bibliography: journal articles.
Journal: Not so modern drummer.
www.notsomoderndrummer.com
see also: 'Drum Centre'. www.drumcentre.com
Bibliography: Books.
Cook, Rob. The Slingerland book. Rev.ed. ( ) $29.95
Cangany, Harry J. The great American drums ( )
Images.
Excellent photographs in 'History of Slingerland drums' link in 'coopersvintage drums' website at: www.coopersvintagedrums.com/newslinghistory.htm
Clips:
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