-
Overview
Well here's something you don't see every day. Or in fact ever!
I've been stalking Black Panthers a long time and I thought I'd basically tracked them all down. Then as I was doomscrolling on a wet Sunday in October 2025, THIS suddently showed up on a repost on Lefty Ichiroh Shimano's feed from 8 years ago! According to the comment by the lucky owner Satoru Tatai, it's an early prototype that Shimano San sent him.
There's a green and red version on this site but not this blue version! (Ignore the 1/50 serial as it's a prototype, so the number is just a placeholder).
I asked both Shimano San and Tatai San about it, and both were kind enough to reply.
Tatai San said it was sent to him on loan so he no-longer has it, but that "It had a slightly sweet sound that's not very steel-like! But it did have less power."
Shimano San, said that, if his memory serves, only one was ever made!
So the one question remains...what became of this unique model? No idea...yet! If I ever find out, it'll be on here first!
-
Original Text (原文)
しまのさん：「こちらも試作品（プロトタイプ）の1台とおもいます。」
田々さん：「これはお借りしたスネアなので私は持っておりません。
あまりスチールらしくない少し甘いサウンドしてました！
その分パワー感は落ちます。」
Photos courtesy of Satoru Tatai (田々井悟)
