Why is “White Marine Pearl” so popular?

The oldest photos of drum sets seem to always have that similar wrap.
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TK-421 said:
Hmmm, all of my kits—all 3 to be exact—are black. And Gretsch. That puts the two of us at odds. And there ain't room for the two of us. So looks like we're fixin' for a showdown. High noon tomorrow!

Mad Dog Tanner's my name, and shootin' lily-livered white kit drummers is my game. Yee-haw!

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(Clearly I've been watching too much Back to the Future lately)
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Back to the Future 3 makes me sad.

I never liked that one.
 
I've always liked the WMP and the vintage WMP Ludwig has currently. a few years back I bought a used Ludwig in champagne sparkle. shortly after that a newer set of Classic Maples in vintage WMP with a 1 up/2 down configuration went up for sale, which at the time (and might still be) was my dream set up/finish. I should have just bought it and sold the champagne sparkle set right then and there, but I didn't. I ended up selling it about a year or so later. I think if I were to ever sell any of my current kits I'd probably go for a WMP of some sort. I currently love the Vintage Bronze Mist Ludwig has in their lineup though and will keep an eye out down the road if anyone lists a used one for sale.
 
Push pull stroke said:
Super. What makes drummers especially gifted at visual stuff? I mean, leisure suits were big in the 70s. I even had a tiny one, there’s a pic of me at age 2 with one on. Why aren’t we all wearing them now?
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Although I love WMP, (my Ludwig’s are vintage WMP), I have to admit that some of the drummers I mentioned had that sketchy 60’s-70’s fashion sense, but I will admit I like the big suits of the 40’s...
 
Jbravo said:
Although I love WMP, (my Ludwig’s are vintage WMP), I have to admit that some of the drummers I mentioned had that sketchy 60’s-70’s fashion sense, but I will admit I like the big suits of the 40’s...
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Yeah, 40s fashion and hair looked great, both men’s and women’s fashion/hair. And 70s fashion/hair looked great on women, except for the polyester stuff. But men’s 70s fashion/hair....gah. Awful
 
Rotarded said:
The yellowing of WMP has always reminded me of "smokers teeth". I just never could find a way to like it.
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That look is quite intentional. It's why WMP is sometimes referred to as Nicotine White Marine Pearl. I see it as a tribute to the long-gone days of smoke-laden, cocktail-soaked lounges, a time defined by quirk and character rather than by sterility.

One of my uncles had a WMP billiard cue. I have a sentimental attachment to the finish for that reason as well.
 
C.M. Jones said:
That look is quite intentional. It's why WMP is sometimes referred to as Nicotine White Marine Pearl. I see it as a tribute to the long-gone days of smoke-laden, cocktail-soaked lounges, a time defined by quirk and character rather than by sterility.

One of my uncles had a WMP billiard cue. I have a sentimental attachment to the finish for that reason as well.
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I spent the good part of the late 70's through the early 2000's in Bar's, Pool Halls, and Concert Venues, both as a Billiards player (4-5 nights a week) and as a Drummer/Spectator (Concert or Gigs) once a weekish. I get much of "history" of the finish as well.

What I don't get is the pre-aged look that is being put on new drums. Then again, I don't quite get the whole "relic" sh!t on new guitars either. I like my stuff to look as close to original (or "new" as it were) as possible.
 
Rotarded said:
I spent the good part of the late 70's through the early 2000's in Bar's, Pool Halls, and Concert Venues, both as a Billiards player (4-5 nights a week) and as a Drummer/Spectator (Concert or Gigs) once a weekish. I get much of "history" of the finish as well.

What I don't get is the pre-aged look that is being put on new drums. Then again, I don't quite get the whole "relic" sh!t on new guitars either. I like my stuff to look as close to original (or "new" as it were) as possible.
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I hear you. WMP isn't for everyone. But not all WMP looks the same. Some finishes are a lot whiter and cleaner than others. I agree that the exceedingly yellowed tone can be a bit too much.
 
Rotarded said:
I spent the good part of the late 70's through the early 2000's in Bar's, Pool Halls, and Concert Venues, both as a Billiards player (4-5 nights a week) and as a Drummer/Spectator (Concert or Gigs) once a weekish. I get much of "history" of the finish as well.

What I don't get is the pre-aged look that is being put on new drums. Then again, I don't quite get the whole "relic" sh!t on new guitars either. I like my stuff to look as close to original (or "new" as it were) as possible.
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Few things worse than fake 'vintage' in my book.
 
Darth Vater said:
Let me first say that I'm totally anti-wrap. It just says "cheap" to me.
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Rotarded said:
The yellowing of WMP has always reminded me of "smokers teeth". I just never could find a way to like it.
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Then I have the cheapest, ugliest drums in existence. It's not even WMP, but rather white Cortex wrap and it has yellowed over time. I used to call it "nicotine white", but someone said it's "ivory". When I painted a few new shells to match, the color scan came back as Atrium White, so I'm going with that now. At least it's consistent throughout so it looks intentional. In it's current (permanent) setting, it actually looks a little "classier" than plain white, so I'm okay with it.
 
J-W said:
Then I have the cheapest, ugliest drums in existence. It's not even WMP, but rather white Cortex wrap and it has yellowed over time. I used to call it "nicotine white", but someone said it's "ivory". When I painted a few new shells to match, the color scan came back as Atrium White, so I'm going with that now. At least it's consistent throughout so it looks intentional. In it's current (permanent) setting, it actually looks a little "classier" than plain white, so I'm okay with it.
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I'm not trying to put anybody's kits down. I just hate wraps for my own stuff. I've had some bad experiences with wraps and satin finishes. Seams coming unglued, heads not fitting over the top of the wrap, discolorations etc etc. Hey, if it works for ya, Bless ya. I'll bet there's uglier drums than yours out there. Let's see some pics.
 
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