So I bought a set of Slingerland drums last month. I have always been partial to that brand, since Gene Krupa was my first drum idol growing up. But these are not just any Slingerlands, they are the mid-90’s Studio King line. The ones Greg Morrow uses on all the hits, even though he endorses DW. For roughly 5 years, Gibson built Slingerland drums in Nashville, in a custom shop that was run by industry legends Pat Foley and Sam Bacco. Those drums were highly prized then and have become legendary since. They’re not often on the market because discerning drummers and studios tend to keep them. The drums were a lot more than just another Keller maple shell kit. I’ve heard Gibson priced them prohibitively and that was the main reason for their demise.
The history of my kit: built by Slingerland for Chris McHugh. He apparently wasn’t with Slingerland very long, and the drums went to Fork’s Drum Closet in Nashville, where they were going to be rented out for special sessions. The second owner, Waldo LaTowsky, persuaded Fork’s to sell the entire kit to him, as he loved the sound of the drums Pat and Sam built during that period.
I have not recorded with them yet, but I will let y’all know when I do, and throw some tracks up on SoundCloud. Check the gorgeous finish…
