"DUPLEX RED SPARKLE SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS FULL DRESS"

[Jim Messina]

THIS IS THE ONLY DUPLEX RED SPARKLE FULL DRESS "SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS" I'VE EVER SEEN. I'VE SEEN SOME ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS MINT WMP FULL DRESS MODELS,BUT NEVER A RED SPARKLE. I,VE SEEN GOLD SPARKLE", BLACK DIAMOND",
BLACK NICKLE" AND OF COURSE WMP.
THIS ONE ALSO HAS ALL BRASS HARDWARE"AND TAKES 13" HEADS.
I ALSO HAVE A 26" DUPLEX "SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS " MODEL BASS DRUM .
THAT I RESTORED.HERE'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE WHEN I GOT IT MANY YEARS AGO...

NOT SURE IF THE WHITE SPOTS WERE LEFTOVER ADHESIVE FROM BEING WRAPPED AT ONE TIME OR IF IT WAS ALUMINUM CORROSION.
I NOW BELIEVE IT WAS THE LATTER BECAUSE IT WAS ON THE HOOPS ALSO.
IT IS NOW SOLID BLACK WITH THE GOLD FINISH TOTALLY RESTORED.


JIM MESSINA
vintagedrumstalk.com

 

[clowndog]

Absolutely incredible. Thanks for sharing. I'm happy to own a WMP still. Such odd yet cool drums that haven't had much attention within the community in recent years.

 

[Frank Godiva]

i always felt the Peavey Radial bridge folks were inspired by the original design as seen here

 

[D. B. Cooper]

How cool! I've never really learned much about Duplex. Are those SOSL drums all metal?

 

[clowndog]

Aluminum body with all lugs built internally. Duplex described them as 'aeroplane metal'

 

[steambent]

Wow!!!

 

[Jim Messina]

i always felt the Peavey Radial bridge folks were inspired by the original design as seen here

I AGREE",UNCANNY RESEMBLANCE"

 

[DuplexTim]

Notice my screen name! I’ve owned several Duplex kits....visited the place they were made...have copies of all the existing factory records and have enjoyed Duplex drums. By friend in KC is keeping my first kit for me Duplex are interesting from a historic perspective.

 

[GeeDeeEmm]

I've never looked into Duplex drums before, so I was surprised to read the following from the Vintage Drums site:

A little info about the Grossman History

It's difficult to give an exact date, but '68 to the very early `70's. After Grossman sold Rogers to CBS, he bought the Duplex name in or about 1968 and built drums using leftover Rogers components. The shells were the same shells used on all the Rogers drums, but the drum hardware was from the Yamaha built R-360/380 drums of the same era. These drums are very high quality and were built in the old Cleveland Rogers factory.

GeeDeeEmm

 

[D. B. Cooper]

I've never looked into Duplex drums before, so I was surprised to read the following from the Vintage Drums site:

​

A little info about the Grossman History

It's difficult to give an exact date, but '68 to the very early `70's. After Grossman sold Rogers to CBS, he bought the Duplex name in or about 1968 and built drums using leftover Rogers components. The shells were the same shells used on all the Rogers drums, but the drum hardware was from the Yamaha built R-360/380 drums of the same era. These drums are very high quality and were built in the old Cleveland Rogers factory.

GeeDeeEmm

Wow. No way! Never knew that. I thought Duplex were made earlier in the century? We're there two different brands? Or 3?

 

[Frank Godiva]

This company has been manufacturing the Duplex drum since 1883

Vintage Drum History - Duplex Drum Company History - Duplex Drum Company

Vintage Duplex Drum Company History. This page is dedicated to the Duplex Drum Company. Duplex Catalogs, Duplex Badges, Duplex After-Beat Pedal and othe Duplex Drums and Percussions

www.vintagedrumguide.com

 

[SKSMITH]

I still kick myself for selling the SOSL kit that my uncle gave me. Gold glass glitter with chrome stick chopper hoops. Sold it when I was out of work in the early 90's and needed money. The head sizes where 13/14/18 with a matching 13 snare. The shell sized were 1 or 2 inches larger in diameter than the heads. They were cool old drums. Miss them dearly.
If anyone in the St. Louis area has any idea where they may be, I'd love to know.