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Slingerland 5.5" × 14" Refurbished '50s Snare Drum

SOLD

From the Kline Drums Archive

This drum has found a new home, but it remains part of the Kline Drums story. This is a drum I previously built and sold — preserved here as part of the archive of instruments that have come out of my workshop.

This is a '50s-era Slingerland 5.5" × 14" mahogany and poplar snare drum shell that I've given a second life with all-new modern hardware. The original shell has plenty of history, including an imported tone control that still works great, a few extra holes from previous hardware, and a badge that was remounted at some point with a non-Slingerland grommet.

The original butt plate is the only original hardware still on the drum. Everything else has been replaced with brand-new hardware, including heavy 3mm Gretsch 302 hoops, modern chrome-over-brass Beavertail lugs, a Gibraltar vintage-style throw-off, and Pearl snare wires.

What's the story with this drum?

This is a vintage shell I came across many years ago and recently decided to put back into service. It's no longer a collector-grade Slingerland, but that's part of what made it a good candidate for this kind of build. Rather than trying to restore it to something it can no longer be, I wanted to turn it into a great-playing drum that takes advantage of what the original shell still has to offer.

The shell has been cleaned and polished, but I left the minor wear that comes with its age. The bearing edges have been trued, sanded, and waxed, making this drum super easy to tune.

The heavy Gretsch hoops and solid brass lugs add some welcome heft to the drum and give the vintage shell a more modern feel. The result is a really versatile snare—from a bright, dry crack when tuned high to a rich, warm thump when tuned low.

Shell

  • Size: 14" × 5.5"
  • Shell: Vintage Slingerland mahogany/poplar
  • Bearing Edges: Roundover
  • Finish: White Pearl

Hardware

  • Lugs: Modern chrome-over-brass Beavertail
  • Hoops: Gretsch 302, 3mm double-flanged
  • Throw-off: Gibraltar 3-point vintage-style
  • Butt Plate: Original Slingerland
  • Snare Wires: Pearl

Every Workbench Series drum begins as just a collection of components. Each drum is carefully curated, by me, and built as a unique one-off instrument, every piece waiting to find the right partner, each with its own voice and character
— all combined into an instrument that is unexpected yet still familiar.

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