pgm554!

Yes indeed. Buddy DID in fact play the Slingerland BR/TDR, and he actually liked the drum!... until he didn't. He then went right back to the Fibes SFT 690/COF, and THAT is what caused Don Osborn Sr. to say ENOUGH! Course, the Fibes SFT 690/COF on the cover of Buddy Rich LIVE in London at Ronnie Scotts didn't help either! Anyway, the Slingerland BR/TDR was in fact designed to get Buddy to STOP playing the Fibes snare drum, and it worked!... for a while. Buddy WAS involved with the design of the 1969/70 Buddy Rich 4X14 with Zoomatic and 16 lugs, but he was not involved with the TDR to my knowledge. I have had many chats with Tom Osborne, and as recently as this past May's Chicago Drum Show where I displayed my "Snare Drums of Buddy Rich" collection, and we talked at length about the TDR! The only thing Buddy might have had to do with it's design was that he wanted a WOOD snare drum!, and one that would project, yet remain sensitive. The TDR does indeed do all of that! It is an excellent snare drum! I'll attach a couple pics of my 1973/74 Slingerland BR/TDR in exactly the set up/way Buddy played his, including the StickChopper hoops of course! ENJOY!!! NICE pic of your Fibes by the way!

Tommyp

I nearly bought a TDR a few years ago ,but it was a bit funky in the throwoff and I noticed it had plastic in the action that was just waiting to break or wear out.

My rhetorical question is considering how many folks consider SFT690 snares to be among the tops of all time,why hasn't somebody begun to manufacture them again?

Well I hate the snare drum but love the drums. But Im no Buddy Rich either. lol!

pgm554!

Actually, there is no plastic in the TDR strainer!, well... excepting TWO nylon roller bearings which really don't wear out over normal use, although I suppose they "could". The majority of the design is all metal in construction! It is actually a very SMOOTH working strainer/throw with nice positive action. However!, not everyone is going to like everything!, so in that regard you are certainly entitled to your thoughts/opinions, and I mean that in a positive way!

Regarding the Fibes SFT 690/COF: Well yes! Fibes Austin/Tommy Robertson OWNS the Fibes name and designs, and as you know, they were still building that snare drum, and with the SFT system as well. They have been OOB for a while now, but Tommy says they will be back! As to when... no one seems to know. Not even him! There is of course Jenkins/Martin for TOP QUALITY fiberglass snares and drums... ( built on the Blaemire planform ) ... and THAT would be the route to go today hands down in my humble opinion!

Tommyp

Ah... yes indeed Jeff! NONE of us are Buddy Rich! Would be nice to even get close though! That said... bear in mind that your Fibes are LATER manufacture, and as such are certainly a little more consistent in shell quality... I would hope! Then, there are many more head choices today then there were in 1967 when Buddy played Fibes... and THAT can have a lot to do with "taming" a drum, so to speak. As to the Fibes snare drums:

Much like the Rogers Dynasonic.. ( which I know extremely well as it is my MAIN gigging snare drum! ) .. one has to learn how to set up a Fibes snare for optimum sound/performance. Again, head selection plays an important role in that today as does tension/tuning... thus the snare drum can be set up a myriad of ways, with many different approaches. Again though, they are not everybody's cup of tea!, and that's the beauty of having so many options as drummers today!

Tommyp

Maybe there is some confusion as I thought the TDR also came with the slapshot snare strainer.

The marching TDR I had used that strainer.

I saw a TDR snare with one and that had the plastic parts that looked breakable.

It also had the "hanging" issue.

As for Tommy ,the guys at Starving Musician, who were one of the Fibes dealers here on the west coast,have heard that one too.

What's it like,9 years?

pgm554!

Yes!... there was confusion, as you are referring to and showing the "Slapshot" strainer! The TDR was a particular strainer that was found on the Buddy Rich model snare drum as well as some of the marching percussion. Then, Slingerland had a better idea! .. ( but not really ) .. and that was the "Slapshot" as you have shown. Two totally different throws/strainers, in build as well as function. I can't say that I was ever a fan of the "Slapshot" either. The TDR though... nice in build/function/operation!

I know, right??!! Has it been 9 years??!! Jeeze! I say Jenkins/Martin all the way today if the fiberglass experience is desired. None better than theirs that I have ever seen!

Tommyp

I wanted to get a bearing edge redone on my Fibes fiberglass snare and I called those guys up a few years ago and it was we can do it ,but we don't have the time.

Sounds like I need to send you the drum and have you set it up. lol!

... and I would do that for you Jeff! I have actually done this for some other guys! If you are serious/interested, send me a PM, and we can hook it up. Of course NO CHARGE outside of your packing/shipping, and heads if applicable.

Tommyp