Now on the verge of the release of the much anticipated first episode of Star Wars from George Lucas, I want to tell you how we worked for George.

A few years ago we supplied two wonderful prop masters named Tantar and Vernon with drums and other percussion instruments for George's movie, Radioland Murders.

Without giving away the plot, let me tell you that it's set in 1939 and we needed to make the instruments look brand new. We rebuilt and recovered a four piece Slingerland Radio King set and Harry hand painted the hoops a beautiful walnut brown. The white marine pearl and the chrome parts looked great against those hoops. We also supplied traps, a L & S concert snare drum, a vibraphone and the gaudiest set of congas ever built.

The congas started life as 70s Ludwigs with a maple laminate finish. We removed the laminate and painted them light purple and added white marine pearl and silver sequined bands in the middle. They looked a lot like the authentic congas of the time. Lastly, we took off the Ludwig lugs and put Leedy beavertail lugs in their place and - voila- we had made some special effects! Michael McKean from LaVerne and Shirley and Spinal Tap was the performing artist.

Just as we got the Radio Kings ready to ship, Tantar called us and said he needed to stage a fight scene and that someone might go through the set.

Harry heard these words and all the color drained from his face! A Radio King set that may be destroyed?

In came the negotiators and here's what we did. We got a 26" marching drum, a 9 x 13 import shell, an undrilled snare shell without bearing edges or snare beds and an old 16 x 16.... they became a fake Radio King set. Once again Harry painted a set of hoops. And after all that fuss, guess what.. no fight scene. Sure a trumpet player dies and falls back into the bass drum. And if you watch closely, you can see the switch. The Radio Kings came back to us. The fake set, which would sound terrible if played, is, no doubt, setting in storage somewhere waiting for the next period piece.

Tantar and Vernon, wherever you guys are, we're here with plenty of drums from the turn of the century on. Just call for your next project!

To learn more about vintage drums, order Harry's book! Email us for details on getting an autographed copy of The Great American Drums!