Open Box, mint when I bought it in March. So now call it excellent condition for nearly new. You can still smell the new through the vent hole. The Slingerland Radio King 6.5 x14 Artist Snare will ship in the double box from the Oxnard facility.

I am selling because I want to try the solid shell version, this drum is exceptional, I only played it one light jazz show and it matches the same 2025 DW released shell packs. Comes with Remo stock heads batter and reso.

The new Slingerland Radio King drum sets are proudly built in Oxnard, California, where DW has dedicated years to honoring the brand’s legacy. From the very beginning, DW made it clear that this project wasn’t about slapping a famous badge on a generic shell. Instead, their goal was to treat the Radio King name with the respect it deserves. That meant studying the originals in depth — their shell recipes, bearing edges, hardware designs, and even the small details that gave them their unmistakable character. 

Rather than reinventing the wheel, DW chose to faithfully recreate the spirit of the classic Radio King while making subtle updates where history showed weaknesses. Fragile spurs, unreliable mounts, and inconsistent parts have been replaced with sturdier modern solutions — all while maintaining the look, feel, and sound that made drummers fall in love with Slingerland in the first place.

(statue of old man playing drums is for the coolness factor, not included)

The result is a kit that feels as if it could have rolled straight out of a 1950s music store, but with the build quality and dependability that today’s players demand. It’s more than a reproduction — it’s a careful balance of authentic vintage vibe and modern craftsmanship, proving that DW didn’t just bring Slingerland back, they brought it back the right way.

Shells & Construction

At the heart of the new Radio King Artist Snare lies the same formula that made the originals legendary. DW has stayed true to Slingerland’s traditional shell design, carefully matching materials and construction methods that shaped the warm, full-bodied sound drummers still chase today. Every detail — from the plies to the reinforcement rings to the edge profile — has been crafted to deliver that unmistakable Radio King tone while ensuring modern consistency and durability. The video catches the style I played this snare which is light and you can feel the throat of this shell when sitting next to it. Very Nice

• Indicative of the old formula of 3-ply mahogany/poplar/mahogany shells.
• Solid maple reinforcement rings. This drum is solid.
• 30° bearing edges for warmth and roundness.
• Classic Slingerland nickel-plated hardware for a vintage look.
• Authentic Slingerland logos on hoops, throw off and even washers on the lugs inside are initialed for that extra added touch
• Modernistic “Beaver Tail” lugs — circa 1940 design, reproduced with detail down to the interior washers.

• Tone Controls — muffler knob that look and work like the originals.
• Zumatic Throw-Off — the classic snare mechanism, reborn for today.
• Stick Saver Hoops — a Slingerland innovation, softer on sticks and sonically distinct.