Sonor D-506 value

[Wayne]

Looking at Reverb, there are 12 recent sales ranging in price from $300-750 many in similar condition. Any idea of what characteristics make some of these drums more expensive ?

[Jules]

If you can believe this, I am on Reverb now and was already looking at the D-506's. I see one for $1079. Condition is everything. The 1875 1975 badges could make them more valuable since that was the anniversary badge.

Sonor really made snare drums differently back then. Any of those should serve you well, just be sure to get really good photos if the ones already posted aren't revealing of blemishes in the shell and hardware. Those drums have alot of age, and even well cared for, they can have pitting and other issues.

[DaveInNZ]

Making sure they have the correct, original hoops on them is important too. You don't want to find someone swapped that ferromanganese hoop for a vanilla triple flanged effort.

I have heard of more than one person mention very fine cracking behind lugs and butt plates etc. too which implies to me that the shell itself on all of these ferromanganese drums may be pretty brittle. So worth examining carefully. They're still the best steel shell snares ever made. I played a Joyful Noise ferromanganese drum a while back too - it had the same mojo. That steel is magic.

[SonorBart]

I paid $400 for a D-506 about 10 years ago that was missing the original ferro top hoop, but had a generic die cast. The shell was in very good shape, but the butt tension adjustment was a bit loose. I sold it for $450 five years ago. I bought one wih Hella die casts a little over a year ago for $750. It's in very good shape too except the strainer tension bolt has a slight bend in it that you can feel when turning it.

[Wayne]

Do these hoops look original?

[SonorBart]

I think that's correct for a Centenial drum. In the 80's they beefed up the top hoops to 3mm.