Refish 1970's Ludwig octa-plus?

bearblastbeats

Senior Member
I was going through my fathers storage shed the other day and I came across his 1970's ludwig octa-plus.

Now, he didn't take care of the kit at all and it really is in poor condition. We have no intent of actually selling the gear since we want to just keep it in the family. It has a marine pearl wrap that is rusted and pealing off as well as some of the shells being warped, some cracked and splitting.

I was thinking of removing the wrap and refinishing just the 13 rack, floor tom and bass to use and leave the others alone.

Do you guys feel this would be a bad idea to mess with the originality of the kit or since it's in such poor condition that refinishing it and making it playable would be a good project to give the kit new life..

Please give me some feed back
 

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Fix it up, and use it as a players kit. Keep it in the family.
 
the heads are new from when my dad was gigging a couple of years back. but since he wanted to match the concert toms he removed the heads and hoops from the floor tom and 13" rack tom and bass drum.

I'm going to remove the wrap and all the hardware and then refinish it with a nice satin maple finish and buy all new lugs, rods, screws and hoops.

i want to make it almost look like this kit here:
http://www.gretschdrums.com/pics/itempics/ACFHpoNwt.jpg

but be a vintage luddie instead.

It'll be a great fathers day gift I think..
 
I think it is beautiful already! I love it.
I would be crying if my son gave me one of those (when i grow up)
I would play them all evening and leave out all the rest..
 
but be a vintage luddie instead.

It'll be a great fathers day gift I think..

Wow, You're a great son. I don't have any kids but I hope they turn out as nice as you. You dad'll love that kit and it'll mean EVEN more to him because you restored it yourself. How are the bearing edges on the kit?
 
@bert
The wrap is literally pealing off the kit, its cracked, warped and in really REALLY poor condition. I brought it to my "guy" at the shop and he laughed at it and said "through a match on it and use it for firewood". thats how bad this thing is beat.

@red
Some of the edges are to bad, but there are splits, cracks and the plys are de-laminating. I'm taking this down to bear shell and over-hauling the entire kit with all new lugs, rods hardware and the whole nine yards. I'll keep the original lugs, rods and other hardware though, but just not have it on the set.
 
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