Field Drums -Vintage and Modern

Here is a video all about Field Drums. I show you some of the field drums that I own and use for my professional musical endeavors. These drums are from many different time periods ranging from the mid 1800’s all the way to a drum manufactured this year (2023).
I explain how the size, snares and shell materials affect the sound of these drums and I play them all for you.
Here are the drums in the order of their appearance in the video:
Majestic Prophonic 14” x 12” 60th Anniversary Cherry Field Drum
Pearl Philharmonic 15” x 8” African Mahogany Field Drum
Pearl Philharmonic 16” x 16” Maple Field Drum
Wells and Son 17x 12" 1860's Mahogany 1860s Civil War Field Drum
Ludwig and Ludwig 1936 15”x 12” Field Drum
Leedy 1940's Mahogany 15”x 12” Field Drum
Leedy and Ludwig 1950's 15”x 12” Maple Field Drum
Slingerland 1960's 14”x 12” Mahogany Field Drum
Slingerland 1970’s 16”x 16” Maple Field Drums
Premier 14”x12” Late 70’s/ Early 80’s
Steel Field Drum
Time Stamps
0:00 Introduction
2:47 Modern Snare Systems
4:16 Majestic Prophonic 14” x 12” 60th Anniversary Cherry Field Drum
4:33 Pearl Philharmonic 15” x 8” African Mahogany Field Drum
5:18 Pearl Philharmonic 16” x 16” Maple Field Drum
6:23 Stands for Field Drums
7:00 Wells and Son 17x 12" 1860s Mahogany 1860's Civil War Field Drum
9:08 Ludwig and Ludwig 1936 15”x 12” Field Drum
11:09 Leedy 1940's Mahogany 15”x 12” Field Drum
14:00 Leedy and Ludwig 1950's 15”x 12” Maple Field Drum
15:07 Slingerland 1960's 14”x 12” Mahogany Field Drum
16:35 Slingerland 1970’s 16”x 16” Maple Field Drums
21:50 Premier 14”x12” Late 70’s/ Early 80’s
24 :08 Recommendations
26:59 Closing Solo

[tommcmichael]

I have the 60s Slingerland and have used it a few times. Got it from a High School cleaning out their storage and it had been painted blue.

[wjreid]

Thank you, Rick, for letting us see and hear these wonderful drums. I think my favorite sounding one is whichever one I'm listening to at the moment.

[jscan]

Terrific gear and fantastic chops, thanks för this video!

[KaiOwensDrums]

Beautiful, wish I had more excuses to get a field drum but not many opportunities playing drumset haha

[JDavidBrown]

Love this! I had one of those 60s Slingerland single tension drums exactly like the one demonstrated. It was my first drum. It “evolved” into a floor tom for my first drum set.

In junior high, we had Slingerland 14x10 single lug drums that served both marching and concert band. High school (late 60s) was the usual 15x12 field drums for marching band. If I was still playing, I would get a 15x12 from that era.

My collection now includes a Ludwig 14 x 8 Coliseum snare that someone switched out the strainer and bottom hoop with ones from a Yamaha drum corp drum. Gut snares. I call it my “Shostakovich” snare. I also have a vintage Premier 14 x 10 with the strainer that keeps the snares tensioned even when they are off. I bought that from ebay in a fit of nostalgia since we had those drums at my college.

I hate the current over torqued marching drums and the sound they strain to make. It sounds as if they are playing on a tabletop. But, that’s just me!
🤓

[dennisstgermain]

An amazing video history. Belongs in the Smithsonian.

[charliesmithdrummer]

Hey Rick, Great video, curious to hear what head choice you're using on the single tension slingerland? Just got hold of a similar model from the late 40s and undecided whether to go with modern wires and Remo heads or a Calf batter and some gut/cable snares.

[KaiOwensDrums]

Also, do you ever use any of the smaller drums for really old jazz stuff

[vgomesmusic]

Well Rick You Got As Field Drum 14 and 16 inches? 🎼

[ARTURAS]

Hello, do you tunning top and buttom to the same note?