Vintage Gretsch re wrap

onedevilsst

Senior Member
Hi all, not posted on here for a while, but I have a quandary;

I have a Gretsch USA in cherry gloss, 22, 12, 13, and 16.

A while back I did some wheeling and dealing and obtained an 18, and 14 shells, wrapped in black nitron. All vintage.
The 18 has been rebuilt, slowly, using genuine vintage parts, the 14 is in the course of being converted to a floor (using the rims system, no extra drilling)

However, none of it matches, I have the one kit in gloss, with requisite surface scratches, and two drums in old tatty wrap.

Originally, I intended to colour match the floors, but no one can do it without charging a fortune, and I haven't taken the wrap off, but I suspect that the grain will be ugly, as per rumours I found on other sites.

Is it 'morally' wrong for me to attack the problem from another angle and re wrap the whole lot? Or does it not matter, really, and I'm making a big deal of nowt?

Your advices are greatly anticipated.
 
If the cherry gloss drums are in great shape I would consider something other than a standard drum wrap, like fabric material, something that's not going to get glue on the shells.

Or if you do wrap with plastic use a lesser (not the good stuff) double sided tape. From an ethical standpoint, as long as the cherry finish is not affected there's nothing wrong with wrapping IMO.
 
I never thought of not damaging the lacquer......

U make a good point. Would the wrap tape be the best option, then?
 
I never thought of not damaging the lacquer......

U make a good point. Would the wrap tape be the best option, then?



If you're going to wrap, use double sided tape at the seam, lugs will hold the wrap on the shell. You need to use a thicker wrap to get a fair finish doing it this way. JAMMIN SAM has the thicker stuff.

The good DS tape is actually too good, hard to get off.

As long as the cherry finish is preserved, there's no crime.

Keep in mind the GRETSCH USA's are a nitrocellulose lacquer finish, the classic instrument finish, one that ages... its a rarity and why that drum line costs so much. You want to preserve that, not muck it up with contact cement.
 
After all these years being a Gretsch geek, I didn't know they were designed to age!!!!

Cheers for your advice, looks like its all systems go, then.
 
I would unwrap the new 14 18 toms and have them match the cherry ones, whose finish i woudl conserve (also there are 4 of them).

Lost of sanding but it can work, otherwise re-wrap the whole lot. I've restaiend drums adn it works ok.
 
I would unwrap the new 14 18 toms and have them match the cherry ones, whose finish i woudl conserve (also there are 4 of them).

Lost of sanding but it can work, otherwise re-wrap the whole lot. I've restaiend drums adn it works ok.

This was my first thought, I do love the colour, but its the colour matching, and then getting the right lacquer. I'm generally a 'can do' kinda fella, but I worry this will be one step beyond my capabilities, and with high stakes, too!
 
Ok, but if you stain and it doesn't work/match, you can sand and try again. A stain can be sanded off. With your other 4 cherry drums, once you take their original lacquer and stain off, thats it, they are USA's that are non-original. Also I can tell you, getting all that protective coating off of factory- lacquered drums can be a fair amount if work. The lacquer is very durable.

Its all cosmetic anyway, I'm sure being Gretsch USA they sound awesome.
 
Back
Top