THE DRUM MODIFICATION THREAD.

[NUTHA JASON]

a member sent me this question and before i answer it i wanted other people's input and experience as well. this might be a good place for all sorts of modification ideas.

j
Hello
I recently purchased a dated Tama Rockstar as i was looking for some
sort of
project related to my drums and, eventually, to create a personalised
Kit
which would look, feel and sound the way i wanted. I am fond of the
sound of
the kick drum on this model and i was wanting some advice on how id go
about
painting the drum in the fashion i wanted. Is it as easy as one may
guess?
would it just require me stripping the plastic rap off the drum and
painting
it? or is there a way of going about this? Also there is a tom mount
on the
drum. I was looking at having this removed or replaced for a newer
version.
I have seen a few modified kits where this has been done but was not
sure of
the effect this created on the sound.
Thank You For Listening
Alex.
Also, if your From GB do you know anywhere that sells legs for Kick
drums?

[Thinshells]

In one of the recent issues of Modern Drummer there is a good piece on re-covering drums.

After removing and sanding the shells you can repaint.

For hardware and parts, there are a lot of places that sell stuff like kick spurs, like www.amdrumparts.com

The best place to inquire about drum repair would probably be www.drumsmith.com and I think there is a site called Ghoste note, drum shed or something like that. That's pretty much all they do there is build and modify drums.

[boomboomda]

You can take off the wrap, but be sure to get all the glue of the shells. If you want to paint them with a solid color do not sand the shells to smooth, the paint needs some grip to hold on. ( maybe 400 grit max. 600 grit)
If you good at spray painting you can try it yourself, but I would suggest you put a sort of automotive laquer over the paint to get a nice shiny look. Be sure that all those layers of paint and laquers are not too thick, otherwise it will choke the sound of the shell.
The other thing you can do is , as soon as you took off the wrap, and you like the look of the wood just sand it and put a laquer on top of the shell for a nice natural finish.
I do not know any supplier of drum hardware in the UK.

[NUTHA JASON]

i would take it very slowly. to start with i would only try peeling the wrap from the base part of the bass drum so if there are any negative results they won't show.

the most iportant thing about any modification is not to change the good sound characteristics of the drum...this means above all else, protecting the bearing edges. take off the wrap, lightly sand to remove any glue, put masking tape over the bearing edges. put several primer coats and then lightly sand with a high density paper (1200 grit or more) , then add several light coats of colour. most important to follow the manufacturer odf the coating's advice at all times.
also investigate types of laquer or varnish to put over the finish. look up resin gel coats as well. this will help make the finish last longer.
compressor powered spray paint is much superior to canned stuff. see if you can borrow one, or take your shells to a car respraying company for a quote. they will do a great job.

j

[VSD]

Good points, and in some cases the drum manufacturers wrapped shells that were
not the best cosmetically. The wrap would cover up imperfections in the wood. I can't say that about Tama.

So the drums in question would probably need to be painted and probably would require extensive work if they were going to be stained. Also remember to cover each interior hole with tape so the paint and over spray does not get to the interior of the shell.

In regards to the switching of tom mounts it depends on certain factors. If they match up with the same hole pattern ( very unlikely) then there is not much to worry about. If on the other hand they do not, then you will need to get some dowel rods that fit snug. After the wrap is removed then plug the holes with the dowel and a little glue. Cut them with the appropriate tool and sand.

In regards to removing the wrap depending on the glue, you might need to slightly heat it with a heat gun to soften it. This of course has adverse affects if you heat it too long and potentially burn the wrap and or create unhealthy fumes. (do it outside)

The sound is an entirely different factor and there are many schools of thought on that. Many custom drum builders refuse to wrap drums because they feel that changes the tonality of the wood and restricts vibration of the shell.

In the end if the drum has the sound you require, it probably will not drastically change the sound by removing the wrap.

Going in the opposite direction and taking a painted or stained drum then adding wrap, you need to make sure heads will fit with the increase of material.

Hope some of that helps

David

[Drad-dog]

That's a good call about the heads. I've only ever peeled one drumset. When I was done, the heads were all a little too big. It didn't turn out to be a problem- after all, the bearing edges and the hoops were the same. But if I had a drum I liked the sound of, I might worry a little. Also, the wood on the kit I worked on looked like crap! Rockstar is probably better than what I was working with but you might end up with a kit that dosen't look so hot.

Sounds like a fun project anyway, good luck!

[dr_worm]

Often wrapped drums do not have a suitable wood surface for a good painted or stained finish. You need sand and seal, sand and seal, sand and seal......then if you stain it the liquid makes the wood expand and you have some slight splintering and unevenness. So you lightly sand and restain to taste. Make sure it's completely dust free (use damp cloth) before the lacquer goes on - spray it on, do not use a brush - and let the shells dry in a sealed, dust-free environment. Then polish with fine grit paper like 2400. Then you should have some awesome drums.

[Skitch]

I'm not certain of all of the pariculars in this case, but I will offer what litle experience I have. First, you will need to have access to all the right tools. A good putty knife will help you gat the old wrap off of the drum. Also, Tama used to use what I call a keyed split aluminum grommet on the vent hole. You will need to remove this grommet. I used a flat blade screw driver to remove mine, but there is potential to mar and scuff the inside of the shell; I warned you! You will neeed to prepare the shell for refinishing and this may mean filling in a lap joint (this is an intetionally sunk part which Tama used to make the seam on a wrapped drum fit more flushly against the outside. There is an excellent article ina back issue of modern Drummer on the refinishing process. It was written by the guy at DW who does all of the painted drums. I will try to find out more on this as time allows. If you know of someone who has the MD archive, you may even be able to research it there. As far as bass drum spurs, if you wanthe factory Tama spurs, contact Dale's Drum shop in Harrisburg PA. They are a dealer of Tama replacement parts and thier number is 877-704-5682. If you need anything else from me, feel free to contact me at www.1stdrumlessonsonline.com

Best of luck!

[georgebird]

for things like adding floor tom legs, re doing bearing edges and converting toms into snares id jus talk to guys who own shops such as andy's guitar shop in London. they can help you. and converting stuff doesnt cost as much as u might think. if you want to do it yourself look in bargin bins and spare bits bins in shops, you can pick up things like floor leg clamps for a few quid. ive tried modifying my drums a few times and most have been resounding failures. i would however recomend that people get their bearing edges re-done. it's amazing how much difference it makes. if you've got a drum which just doesnt sound as good as it used to no matter what you try, get the heads off and you'l prbly find the bearing edges are rounded, dented and sometimes soft.

[Builder]

Having learned a very simple method to do so, I just build my own gear. The shells are easy to roll up. I do them in italian poplar or birch (haven't tried maple yet. its pretty stiff).
I just sold my last kit. 20x20 kick (big thunder for a smaller size), 14x12 suspended floor, 6, 8, 10, 13 racks and a 14x8 snare (Nice bottom end).

My next project will be a BIG kit. Double bass (28x28 cannons) 10, 12, 13, 14 racks, 18x16 floor and 14x10 snare. 12 ply shells all (i play pretty hard). I'll post pics as the project progresses.

Build a jig with two pieces of wood cut to the inside diameter of the shell with a single cross member to create the first seam. Use brads to secure the sheet. Then, positioning the next seam 180 degrees from the first, apply DAP weldwood to both the outer surface of the first and inner surface of the second sheet, roll the next ply on. Then position the 3rd seam 90 degrees from the 2nd, same gluing process. Position the 4th 180 degrees from the 3rd and do the same thing again. Use a rolling pin on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th sheets to ensure bonding. let the shell sit for a few hours to be sure the glue has set up. Then mark off both ends to the inside of the jig and cut off the jig ends. Remove the cross member with a pair of pliers (gently). The brads will come out of the 1st sheet. Use a planer to even up the shell ends. A granite slab or a good counter top will serve to level the ends. Now cut your sound edges (vertical with 45s or 30x45 or 45x45 depending on your tastes.
Edges can be cut with a router or with a half round wood file. Then line off your shells for hardware (use the rims to mark off with. The bass has to be done with a tape measure). Repeat this process for all the shells. Cut snare beds on the snare drum shell. This kit will be covered with either sheet brass or bronze. Mounting hardware (lug casings, etc. will be finished in brass). As i said I'll post pics as I get them. Ciao, Rich the Builder

[Loge]

Very impressive, Rich. Really look forward to seeing pictures of your work. Some picts of your shop would be cool too.

L

[PdoubleE]

I just striped down my Older pearl export select snare......and i want to do somthing with it.. I have a good friend that is into woodworking...and i am thinking about getting an exotic burl veneer to put on it. Then i want to get my edges all redone and that good stuff..all new hardware. My main concern is the veneer. Dose anyone have experence with this stuff?i know its really thin and brittle....but they make stuff to soften it up. Any input would be greatly appreaciated.

[LumberjackIvan]

I have an old Slingerland set that although it looks rather pathetic, sounds amazing. I want to put artwork on it instead of the rusted shells it now has. From reading this thread I've picked up some tips but not enough to feel confident about doing it. I guess Im just asking for someone to sum up how to modify a set and where to buy the materials needed. It would be very appreciated.

[Coz]

Good points from most...The thing about Tama drums unlike other models they use an adhisive on the entire wrap so removal will be more difficult than most wrap coverings.

Here are some useful links. I was thinking of refinshing a new Yamaha set because the wrap was Ugg! But it looks like a huge undertaking.

http://www.acousticdrums.com/members/refinish.html
http://www.drumdojo.com/tech/recovering.htm
http://www.jamminsam.com/drum_material.htm

http://www.tamadrum.co.jp/world/tamaism/index.html

Coz out!

[mr. inards]

Where can I get lugs powdercoated a different color? DW for some reason would not do lime green lugs, only black chrome nickel and gold.

[umpsphan]

i took my kit (stripped down) to a body shop, and personal scheme slapped on. worth the money, honestly

[rendezvous_drummer]

today i finally decided to take off the black wrapping on my drums, because it is damn ugly. just one question though. when i take the wrap off, will it affect the fitting of the heads on the drums?

[gaspesien]

Rendezvous, no it shouldn't cause any problems, the edge is still the same.

Im looking for a way to burn a graphic on mine, anybody has done this before. My drum is a pearl export made of ugly looking poplar.
I want to keep the natural finish with a clear and a burnt drawing on the wood, should be nice.

[altered_beast]

Hi there. Having read all of the above, I'm not really all that confident about stripping my kit down myself etc (I've been playing for 9 years and I've never come across the terms "wrap" and "bearing edges" but then I don't know much about the technicalities of the drums, more just playing them lol... what are "wrap" and "bearing edges"?). Does anyone know of anywhere in the UK that will strip down drums and re-paint/ whatever them to custom colours etc etc? I'm due to have an operation in August so won't be able to play for a couple of months, this will be an ideal time for me to have these done as it'll take away the temptation to play when I'm not supposed to, plus I'll get an awesome looking kit. I have a Yamaha 9000 series kit from the late 80's, it's in a bright scarlet red, but I have a Recording Custom 12x10" tom, when I ordered I told the guy on the phone that the kit was a bright cherry red, he said "Yea, no problem, Yamaha only do one red on the Recording Cusrom"... Yea, they do now tool, but what about back then? Anyway, the 12x10" is a lush dark red colour, but the rest of the kit is bright scarlet red. It kinda stands out a bit. I'd like it all matching and looking sweet, maybe in black?

So anyway, back to the original question, anyone know of anywhere in the UK that does it? Preferably in Lincolnshire/ Cambridgeshire/ Nottinghamshire/ Yorkshire area (I don't want to have to travel hundreds of miles, but if there's somewhere that will do an astoundingly good job in, say, South London, I'll travel to it!!)

Thanks!!

Al

[d.c.drummer]

I stripped my terrible Pearl snare (summer boredom) and staind it with shiny natural finish. And it looks better than Hiedi Klum in a swimsuit. (ok i'm exaggerating)

Make sure you sand off all the glue. Also i would strip the snare before I toched the toms or bass. Also trying to redo laquer is as pointless a boat on dryland.

[d.c.drummer]

Hi there. Having read all of the above, I'm not really all that confident about stripping my kit down myself etc (I've been playing for 9 years and I've never come across the terms "wrap" and "bearing edges" but then I don't know much about the technicalities of the drums, more just playing them lol... what are "wrap" and "bearing edges"?). I'm due to have an operation in August so won't be able to play for a couple of months, this will be an ideal time for me to have these done as it'll take away the temptation to play when I'm not supposed to, plus I'll get an awesome looking kit.

Al
Best of luck w/ that operation. Bearing edges are where the head meets te shell. The wrap is the material put on a non-stained drum. If you touch your wood drum and your not toucing colored wood there is a wrap on your drum. If you aren't confident, go to your local music sHop and post and add or ask one of the guys behind the counter if they know anyone.. I would do it for $150- U.S.

[d.c.drummer]

Rendezvous, no it shouldn't cause any problems, the edge is still the same.

Im looking for a way to burn a graphic on mine, anybody has done this before. My drum is a pearl export made of ugly looking poplar.
I want to keep the natural finish with a clear and a burnt drawing on the wood, should be nice.

Can use hot wire but it is tedios and very dangerous. Andby the way, how did you get the wrap from around the sound hole?

[d.c.drummer]

I just striped down my Older pearl export select snare......and i want to do somthing with it.. I have a good friend that is into woodworking...and i am thinking about getting an exotic burl veneer to put on it. Then i want to get my edges all redone and that good stuff..all new hardware. My main concern is the veneer. Dose anyone have experence with this stuff?i know its really thin and brittle....but they make stuff to soften it up. Any input would be greatly appreaciated.
If your really serious take it to an antique shop. (may cost more than you paid for the kit) and ask if the they know a veneerist.

[baz]

...I have used a hardwood flooring paste wax as a finish over raw wood shells, and have been very pleased with the results.

It takes a lot of elbow grease, but it is well worth it.

A great place to find odds and ends for drum modification, and repair is at your local Home Depot, or some other large home improvement center. You can find wood plugs to fill in holes, screws, washers, tools, stain, wax, laquer, and even some exotic veneers.

Barry

[Jay.B.]

Could somebody with a Pearl masters custom or similar, preferably a recent kit, tell me the lug bolt centre spacing so I can see if they will fit my BLX as I would like to customise my kit by putting the latest design bridge lugs on all of my shells, but don't want to re-drill them.

Thank you in advance,

Jay

[ZDrums24]

heres the situation: i am a college freshman currently helping out a local marching band drum line. my eventual plan is establish a marching band at my old high school or reestablish the marching band of the school across town (still havent decided if giving up navy blue for purple in the uniform is worth a nearby football field and the history). anyway, they have decent bass drums and tenors kicking around the music department, but the snares are the old style marching drums with the high tension lugs that run the length of the shell. when i get around to this little project, i want to refinish the drums and grab a few of the new style high tension drums. when going about this, i figured buying some keller tom shells and pearl hardware (less drilling than dynasty or yamaha) and just assembling the drums myself would probably be cheaper and more time effective than buying preassembled drums and refinishing them.

the question: how exactly do you go about getting those ultra shallow snare beds in the shells?

[defunkt]

Hey guys I was thinking I would take off this wrap I have on my old kit and just put a stain or something like that on it. I'm not to sure how to go about this so I was hoping I could get some advice or ideas because I really need it. The wrap has actually split on one of the toms which has tempted me to try this. Any help would be appreciated.

[LumberjackIvan]

Where can you send your snare away to get it rechromed. I have a old ludwig chrome snare and the chrome is peeling a bit. Can it be fixed? And where? Please help.

[MilfordCubicle]

I need to know asap if applying wood putty to a shell wood effect the sound. Heres the situation I took off the wrap off my drum and found that the shell had like a split. It apparently was made like this. The shell is not cracked, don't get me wrong but there is a crevase. So is applying wood putty a good idea or not? Thanks

[SeanyBoy-The-Astronaut]

So I'm saving up for a new kit right now to replace my begginer but it will take a while. I like the shallow toms and have some pretty non-shallow ones right now. Does any one know if it's safe to cut out like a few inches from the middle of your tom and somehow get them back together?
thanks:
Sean A.

[Latin Groover]

Well ive started, taking the hardware off now, just picked up the stain. Ive been taking photos, when im done ill post a thread, but man am i excited!...

[Latin Groover]

It turned out ok i got the wraps off quite well. I just pried the staples from underneath when i had some room to get under there. Now im off to sanding. If anyone else is having trouble with their wraps or they are just bringing to much wood of with the glue, HEATING. Heating from above with a hairdryer worked absolute wonders. I started heating the glue but that just made it looser it would still bring some splinters off with it, but if you heat the wrap, not the glue directly, not one bit of wood(not even a splinter) came off. Pity it was only when i was up to my 13"tom that i fugured this out. Do them in order of biggest to smallest. Start with the bass drum cause the wrap is underneath which is impossable to see so start there.

[Wavelength]

I have a small, good sounding Remo Quadura kit (8", 10" and 12" toms & 18" bass drum) which is made from Acousticon. I've considered refinishing them and cutting new bearing edges for them. However, I'm not quite sure whether the material is durable enough to be cut to a new shape. It almost seems the bearing edges were pressed into the drums. Have you had any experience on the subject?

I also noticed that the insides of the two smaller toms are covered with a thin layer of black, soft, paperlike material. How will removing this layer affect their sound? I'd imagine it would make the sound a bit more resonant and brighter.

[maddrummr]

I was wondering if there is some kind of Laquer, or some shiny transperent paint that i could paint my Pacific MX to make my emerald fade shine like no other.

I would like it cheap, but good quality.

Thanks

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

I would like it cheap, but good quality.


Don't they all... :)

If you are just trying to make your existing finish shine, why not just clean and wax it?

[maddrummr]

Well ill tell you my drumset stays free of dust 98%, its covered unless im playing it and after i play i dust it. There is no real shine from transperent or laquer paint on there to wax so...yea. Maybe ill wax the bottom of the bass and see what happens, if it shines then thats awesome, if it doesnt, well its not like anyones gonna see it anyway.
Any specific wax or polish i should use?

[tamadrummer132]

Well ill tell you my drumset stays free of dust 98%, its covered unless im playing it and after i play i dust it.
Any specific wax or polish i should use?

you really are mad....

[tamadrummer132]

my refinishing job: an old pacific snare from my first drumset (the set was a 5 piece for 550 dollars.. so this snare is basically worthless). so far i have stripped the plastic stuff off, and now im beginning to sand, although the wood keeps graining up and little pieces fall off.. not to mention i hardly have any sand paper and hvae been working witht he same piece this whole time, BUT its coming together and hopefully it will sound good, and look good

x)

[tamadrummer132]

holy





CRAP!

this thing is beautiful!!! i have this whole set in this black wrap, i think im going to refinish the whole thing then sell it as a 4 piece!!!


yummy.

[darth_vater89]

hmmm, just stripped the midnight blue off my swingstar snare drum.

wood looked alright but a bit to pale for my taste.

sanded and put on jarrah wood stain, 1 coat of laquer (half mineral turps half estapol) then 3 coats of tung oil. looks pretty sweet.


p.s - if your hardware needs powdercoating take it to the powdercoaters!! ask them when they will be doing a set of whatever colour aand theyll gladly do it. cost me $15 AUS for all snare drum hardware except tension rods.



may the forks be with you

[jackothedrummer1]

There is an unkown brand of drums (blackhorse) at my Church. This kit has been through some interesting times. I'm not sure what the original finish was, but now it has some weird finish that resembles a green truck bed-liner. I believe the shells are mahogany on the inside and possibly pine on the outer shell (I sanded one section off to the grain).

THE QUESTIONS:

Will removing this - incredibly disgusting looking substance - affect the sound of the shells drastically? The toms sound pretty good (considering over 3 year old DENTED heads) and the bass drum sounds nice. They are surprisingly resonant but not terribly over resonant.

Also, how do I move the ventilation rings that are in each of the drums?

[IDDrummer]

Here is a little blog about my most recent modification attempt:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=155152272

Not quite what I expected, to say the least!

[Deathmetalconga]

Here is a little blog about my most recent modification attempt:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=155152272

Not quite what I expected, to say the least!

OUCH! Not good. What on Earth possessed you to mess with the snare beds? I'm good with tools and such, but I'd no sooner mess with the bearing edge or snare bed than I would give myself a vasectomy. Leave such things to the experts.

[IDDrummer]

Live and learn, I guess! I'd been reading up on it various internet forums and it sounded doable. I did it, all right - put my foot in it.

I sometimes get these urges to try things just to see what will happen, but I try to keep them relatively inexpensive and not too dangerous. My wife just says it's a man-gene thing, thinking I can make it better by tinkering with it.

At least this one wasn't dangerous.

[tamadrummer132]

I have a tama rockstar fusion set which i have looking to refinish. Right now its a simple red finish, and its just boring to me. I am looking for a natural/ stain finish mainly because i dont want to pay mucho bucks for a new wrap.

I re-did some old pacifics that i had, and when i pulled off the wrap it pulled off some of the wood, basically ruining the grain. What can i do this time to make sure that when i take off the wrap it will virtually look like the inside of the shell? Please answer asap!

[Mikecore]

Regarding removal of factory wraps. Sometimes heat from an industrial "blow dryer" works to soften the glue, but if your drum co. has a thing for gluing the entire wrap to the shell, it won't be easy. Patience is sometimes the key here. Also, if you hose a drumshell by ripping the wrap off, relax. A Keller shell isn't that expensive and it might even sound better. If you cannot do bearing edges: A) buy a router table and learn how, B) get somebody like Precision Drum Co. to do the edges for you and then assemble the thing yourself. Any way you look at it you're taking a chance, so don't worry. Building drums is relatively easy compared to making cymbals! :)


( :)* <-----------smiling because he doesn't know there's a spider on his lip.)

[Unix]

Usually rap finish are apply with contact ciment glue, so use laquer thinner it will soften the glue enough to remove the rap without damaging the shell.

[The Levee Breaker]

Hi there. Having read all of the above, I'm not really all that confident about stripping my kit down myself etc (I've been playing for 9 years and I've never come across the terms "wrap" and "bearing edges" but then I don't know much about the technicalities of the drums, more just playing them lol... what are "wrap" and "bearing edges"?). Does anyone know of anywhere in the UK that will strip down drums and re-paint/ whatever them to custom colours etc etc? I'm due to have an operation in August so won't be able to play for a couple of months, this will be an ideal time for me to have these done as it'll take away the temptation to play when I'm not supposed to, plus I'll get an awesome looking kit. I have a Yamaha 9000 series kit from the late 80's, it's in a bright scarlet red, but I have a Recording Custom 12x10" tom, when I ordered I told the guy on the phone that the kit was a bright cherry red, he said "Yea, no problem, Yamaha only do one red on the Recording Cusrom"... Yea, they do now tool, but what about back then? Anyway, the 12x10" is a lush dark red colour, but the rest of the kit is bright scarlet red. It kinda stands out a bit. I'd like it all matching and looking sweet, maybe in black?

So anyway, back to the original question, anyone know of anywhere in the UK that does it? Preferably in Lincolnshire/ Cambridgeshire/ Nottinghamshire/ Yorkshire area (I don't want to have to travel hundreds of miles, but if there's somewhere that will do an astoundingly good job in, say, South London, I'll travel to it!!)

Thanks!!

Al

Well, I know this was a little while ago but, there is a guy i know, who is currently making me a custom kit, in red sparkle (28,14,16) and he also does refinishing of drums. His name's Alan Gilby of Richmo Drums. here's the site:www.richmo.com It isn't much, but email him and ask. It's definitely worth a try isn't it? He's also the guy who made the *LEGENDARY* premier resonator double shelled kit in the late seventies. So, give him a try. Hope this helps you

[The Levee Breaker]

Tough topic. I don't have drums right now. I'm waiting for 'em.

[dea]

I have a Yamaha Stage Custom Advantage kit that I really like. Wonderful features for the money. Anyway, I'd like to make it a bit more unique from a sound point of view. My first thought was to pick up some high end rims that could add some uniqueness to the sound. What do you think about this? If this is something commonly done, is there a preference for what folks believe to be primo rims to upgrade too?

I like a more vintage sound. Warm and fat. I like to do rim shots on my toms as well as my snare.

[punkdrummer1]

I have a Yamaha Stage Custom Advantage kit that I really like. Wonderful features for the money. Anyway, I'd like to make it a bit more unique from a sound point of view. My first thought was to pick up some high end rims that could add some uniqueness to the sound. What do you think about this? If this is something commonly done, is there a preference for what folks believe to be primo rims to upgrade too?

I like a more vintage sound. Warm and fat. I like to do rim shots on my toms as well as my snare.

Fork Out the money for wood hoops!!!! It would look pretty cool, or make your own wood hoops, which would be cheaper, but some hard work. Mind you, you would be very proud :D

[danander11]

Heyas,

Regarding the re-wrapping of drum shells.. here is one alternative that you may wish to consider.. PLease keep in mind that I am in no way associated with these guys, nor endorsed by them... I just like their product).

Go to http://www.rockenwraps.com/index2.html and take a look. Scott Rockenfield (the drummer for Queensryche) has a comapany that specialises in re-wrap kits for drums and heads.. ( I use a 24" decal on the reso head of my kick).

You can choose any "off the shelf" patterns that he has or you can have your own made up for just a couple of bucks more. There are some killer designs there. A few companies are beginning to use them for custom sets... The best part is.. you can remove the wrap when you want a change with no damage to your existing finish or shells!

There is a kit in a local music store here in Sydney that had taken an old kit and used the Rockenwraps and ended up with a fantastic looking set.. they hung it on a wall for everyone to see.. It really is a good product.

For guys looking for a killer logo head, get a decal or head made with whatever you want on it and look good.. ( a pic of my decal can be seen in message #49 at http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30834 )

Cheers!

[Bob Smith]

you can get coustom heads at drumart.com (http://drumart.com)

[baz]

...playing with screwdrivers again.

I, like so many other drummers bought an acrolite some years ago. I did not use it very much, so following my natural inclination towards tinkering, I stripped it, and used many of the parts for other projects. I was bored today, and the drum shops were closed, so I thought that I would see if I could put the little beast back together again.

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/38033/2938857100032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2938857100032450736rRJFhM)

I found the lugs, but I could not find the springs or the lug nuts, so I had to dig through every rat pile in my shrine to find what I needed. I could not find springs, so I got this brainwave and cut up some tubing to use instead.

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/35857/2566397930032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2566397930032450736hoINVk)

I bought a length of this tubing to cut up for cymbal sleeves. I found it at a home brew/ winemaking shop. It was pretty cheap, and it works great for protecting cymbals . You will have to excuse this picture as it is a little out of focus, but you should get the idea.

http://inlinethumb63.webshots.com/40062/2616394280032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2616394280032450736bcnrrD)

as you can see, the tubing fit the lugs, and it is flexible, and rattle free. I used the bracket from a gibralter tom clamp as my template, as it was the right length for the insert.

http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/28963/2725231610032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2725231610032450736nMYwNT)

I had to scrounge for the lug nuts. I did not have enough of the right size, so I used what I had. You can see if you look at the two lugs pictured here that the length of each is different. I also had to scrounge around for the rods. I also could not find the original butt plate, or the nuts and bolts for the throw off, so I had to pull out the old cordless and use a Gibralter throw off that I had.

http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/40472/2944110240032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2944110240032450736ZowrXz)

As it was with that little piece-0-crap snare that I frankensteined back together, this snare is not any form of drum building art. It was just another excersise in improvisation that allowed me to transfer a bunch of odds and ends into a usable drum.

http://inlinethumb29.webshots.com/38876/2223257890032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2223257890032450736mlgrST)

I could save myself a lot of effort buy just leaving this damn stuff alone in the first place, but what fun is that ?

Barry

[Tylerdrums109]

...playing with screwdrivers again.

I, like so many other drummers bought an acrolite some years ago. I did not use it very much, so following my natural inclination towards tinkering, I stripped it, and used many of the parts for other projects. I was bored today, and the drum shops were closed, so I thought that I would see if I could put the little beast back together again.

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/38033/2938857100032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2938857100032450736rRJFhM)

I found the lugs, but I could not find the springs or the lug nuts, so I had to dig through every rat pile in my shrine to find what I needed. I could not find springs, so I got this brainwave and cut up some tubing to use instead.

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/35857/2566397930032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2566397930032450736hoINVk)

I bought a length of this tubing to cut up for cymbal sleeves. I found it at a home brew/ winemaking shop. It was pretty cheap, and it works great for protecting cymbals . You will have to excuse this picture as it is a little out of focus, but you should get the idea.

http://inlinethumb63.webshots.com/40062/2616394280032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2616394280032450736bcnrrD)

as you can see, the tubing fit the lugs, and it is flexible, and rattle free. I used the bracket from a gibralter tom clamp as my template, as it was the right length for the insert.

http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/28963/2725231610032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2725231610032450736nMYwNT)

I had to scrounge for the lug nuts. I did not have enough of the right size, so I used what I had. You can see if you look at the two lugs pictured here that the length of each is different. I also had to scrounge around for the rods. I also could not find the original butt plate, or the nuts and bolts for the throw off, so I had to pull out the old cordless and use a Gibralter throw off that I had.

http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/40472/2944110240032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2944110240032450736ZowrXz)

As it was with that little piece-0-crap snare that I frankensteined back together, this snare is not any form of drum building art. It was just another excersise in improvisation that allowed me to transfer a bunch of odds and ends into a usable drum.

http://inlinethumb29.webshots.com/38876/2223257890032450736S600x600Q85.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2223257890032450736mlgrST)

I could save myself a lot of effort buy just leaving this damn stuff alone in the first place, but what fun is that ?

Barry

I have that same snare...how does yours sound and what heads do u have on it...i really like mine but i think it could sound better...i have a coated weather king on it with some crappy snare side head on the other end

[baz]

I have that same snare...how does yours sound and what heads do u have on it...i really like mine but i think it could sound better...i have a coated weather king on it with some crappy snare side head on the other end

...Tyler.

I have a coated ambassador over ambassador snare on this. To my ears, it sounds pretty good, but my taste may be very different than yours. I have a pair of the old Premier die cast hoops on this, but I am going to switch back to triple flange. I also had to change out the strainer and butt plate to Gibralter. I can not say how that may have affected the sound (if at all). As I said in my post, my intent with this snare was to put together a usable drum from what was a pile of parts.

Barry

[Clubdrums]

Does anyone here know if Mapex uses glue for the whole wrap? I'm considering refinishing my Pro-m. Does anyone have experience with mapex?

[Latin Groover]

Does anyone here know if Mapex uses glue for the whole wrap? I'm considering refinishing my Pro-m. Does anyone have experience with mapex?

A Pro-M; no. But No kit will, but i have heard stories of some cheaper kits, such as low level CB's or percussion plus etc. That have actually had glue all the way around. But i don't see why. Kits like that are trying to produce the cheapest product possible, and why they would waste al; that glue, i don't know.

[matthew]

Tama Rockstar (2001 model) 5 piece
22", 14"x6.5" snare, 12", 13", and 16" toms.

The drums started out like this
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/4430/24765599hm7.jpg

and now look like this
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5808/dsc01034stv0.jpg
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/2176/dsc01033sqo7.jpg
http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/5617/dsc01041sup5.jpg
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6434/dsc01039sgu4.jpg
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/711/dsc01038shu2.jpg
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9728/dsc01037sqw6.jpg
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3234/dsc01035ssq3.jpg

It was laquer red, but I stripped away the laquer, stained and varnished it, this is the finished product. I also had to replace the black plastic bass drum hoops with chrome hoops, replacing the bolts with vintage styled claws at the same time. I haven't set up all the cymbals I own, keeping it to the basic (and pretty) K Constantinople family of hats (13"), crash and flat ride, which is a pretty unique set up. The tom tom holder mounted from the bass drum was next to go, it looks crap, so I replaced it with a snare stand holding the tom, making the entire drum set wood and chrome... very happy. Furthermore, the skins, their all single ply battered of some description... = good jazz/vintage sound.

[Les Ismore]

For the love of god man!

[matthew]

For the love of god man!
yes? what do you mean?

[Drumalltheway]

I have a Yamaha Stage Custom Advantage kit that I really like. Wonderful features for the money. Anyway, I'd like to make it a bit more unique from a sound point of view. My first thought was to pick up some high end rims that could add some uniqueness to the sound. What do you think about this? If this is something commonly done, is there a preference for what folks believe to be primo rims to upgrade too?

I like a more vintage sound. Warm and fat. I like to do rim shots on my toms as well as my snare.

Ring can do the trick if the bearing edge was well made. You can also think about just using different type of drumhead.

[Beaton29]

just wondering if someone can help me...

I stripped the wrap off some old CB's and decided to stain a bold strip along the middle the drum horizontally. Problem is that the stain ran a little bit and the edges are not 100% perfect at all. Also, I made the mistake off brushing i the stain sideways to the grain rather than with it
I'm debating whether i should cover it up with some kind of material bordering the stripe's edges to cover up the run...or try to create some kind of fade to the rim of the drum... or should I should I just paint the whole shell and forget about getting fancy.

thanks

[Bish]

just wondering if someone can help me...

I stripped the wrap off some old CB's and decided to stain a bold strip along the middle the drum horizontally. Problem is that the stain ran a little bit and the edges are not 100% perfect at all. Also, I made the mistake off brushing i the stain sideways to the grain rather than with it
I'm debating whether i should cover it up with some kind of material bordering the stripe's edges to cover up the run...or try to create some kind of fade to the rim of the drum... or should I should I just paint the whole shell and forget about getting fancy.

thanks

You could always make the strip wider to cover up the running?

[drumhead61]

If you are really set on that strip you can always resand and start over and do it the way you should have done...sounds to me you had a look you wanted and now are settling for something less...its your world bud

just wondering if someone can help me...

I stripped the wrap off some old CB's and decided to stain a bold strip along the middle the drum horizontally. Problem is that the stain ran a little bit and the edges are not 100% perfect at all. Also, I made the mistake off brushing i the stain sideways to the grain rather than with it
I'm debating whether i should cover it up with some kind of material bordering the stripe's edges to cover up the run...or try to create some kind of fade to the rim of the drum... or should I should I just paint the whole shell and forget about getting fancy.

thanks

[paul_creedy]

After much thought, and quite a few unsuccessful attempts to drill a clean hole through some scrap ply, I added some extra venting to my M Birch snare, more out of curiosity than anything else.

http://www.arrowheadguitars.co.uk/pics/mapexvent.jpg


It does seem to have dried things up a little compared to before, though that might be my imagination

It certainly sits nicely with the kit, and is a pleasantly subtle change to the main snare, so I'm happy - count how many weekends until I drill more holes to see what happens then :O)