Slingerland- Banjos To Drums To Nothing
I had just looked at a circa 1995 Slingerland Studio King
set and inspected it. I ordered that set for The Drum Center and sold it to its
only owner, who kept it in showroom condition. It was beautiful- the match of a
traditional look with modern manufacturing abilities and the finishing
capabilities of Gibson, the last owner of Slingerland.
It's a happy-sad
story.
Slingerland started in 1916, selling ukuleles and music lessons.
By the late 20s, they were drum manufacturers way behind Leedy and chief rival
Ludwig & Ludwig.
But by 1936, they were on top of the world with
their new endorser, Gene Krupa, and his trendy drums, the Radio Kings.
Over
the next 33 years, the Slingerland family ran their Chicago area business with
flair, exciting players, new models, unique finishes, and loyal customers the
world over.
In 1969, H.H. (Bud) Slingerland, Jr. sold his business to
MacMillian Publishing, the first of many subsequent owners.
By 1983,
Slingerland was on life support.
Great hope came in the early 90s as
Fred Gretsch, the new owner, and HSS, the great distributor, joined forces to
resuscitate Slingerland.
In a bold move, Gretsch sold Slingerland to
Gibson. The president of Gibson promised to restore the company to greatness. We
all believed in that story- but it was a fairy tale.
If you'd like to
read more about Slingerland and the drums from that era, order an autographed
copy of my book, "The Great American Drums",
published by Modern Drummer. |
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