With its triple chrome-plated solid brass shell and $100 USD price point when it first launched in 1963, the Slingerland Gene Krupa Sound King was and still is an affordable alternative to renowned 1960's chrome-over-brass snares like the Super Ludwig and Rogers Dyna-Sonic. Its Slingerland Rim-Shot hoops (also known as "stick chopper" hoops) give this snare a slightly more open tone than other snares of the era.