Do People "Relic" Drum Kits?

You did a beautiful job on these, Jim. And it pretty much solves the problem of having to match wraps! What was your exact process?
Thank you.
Pretty easy process. Removed the wrap. Actually while removing the wrap I damaged the mahogany outer veneer in a few spots. (This was perfect for the relic look). Sand off any remaining glue. Plug the holes for the tom mount and spurs. (I installed new modern spurs) Add a few scratches and dings. Use thinned black acrylic paint on a rag. Use very thin black paint and use very little of it. Darken where the lugs go, near where the hoops go and darken the scratches. Add a very very slight bit of thin red acrylic wash in places. Clear coat with semi gloss.

Repeat for all drum shells, let dry, reassemble and play. Buy the way I think these old Slingerland drums sound better without the wrap. A more open sound with more sustain.

.
 
just buy them without wrap, after a bit of use and drunken abuse . Done..
 
Several years ago Gretsch introduced a variety of drums that were designed to look like they have been on the road for decades.

They didn't last long.
 
Easy. Get any satin or semi gloss finish and gig them regularly. Both of those scratch just looking at them. If you want to keep your shell pack looking nice get a high gloss lacquer or a wrap. Preferably the former.
 
Let's wait for those sellers with massive brass necks passing off bass drums with "Tom Rash" and left side tom toms with those wonderful horizontal "Hi Hat Rash" marks as being desirable.
 
Thank you.
Pretty easy process. Removed the wrap. Actually while removing the wrap I damaged the mahogany outer veneer in a few spots. (This was perfect for the relic look). Sand off any remaining glue. Plug the holes for the tom mount and spurs. (I installed new modern spurs) Add a few scratches and dings. Use thinned black acrylic paint on a rag. Use very thin black paint and use very little of it. Darken where the lugs go, near where the hoops go and darken the scratches. Add a very very slight bit of thin red acrylic wash in places. Clear coat with semi gloss.

Repeat for all drum shells, let dry, reassemble and play. Buy the way I think these old Slingerland drums sound better without the wrap. A more open sound with more sustain.

.
Mrs. P fell in love with these drums when I showed her the pictures. I think some painting and sealing is in my future...
 
i have an old premier 35 - very similar to a ludwig 400; chrome over aluminium. the shell is pretty badly pitted and i have often thought of re-chroming it, or even taking the chrome off and polishing the raw aluminium shell. but any time i've mentioned it to another drummer they shriek and clutch their pearls in horror at the prospect of wrecking its authenticity.
as our guitar cousins are wont to say - shut up and play the damn things.
 
i have an old premier 35 - very similar to a ludwig 400; chrome over aluminium. the shell is pretty badly pitted and i have often thought of re-chroming it, or even taking the chrome off and polishing the raw aluminium shell. but any time i've mentioned it to another drummer they shriek and clutch their pearls in horror at the prospect of wrecking its authenticity.
as our guitar cousins are wont to say - shut up and play the damn things.
As a Premier owner and player, I say go for it. It's your drum, you do what you want with that finish. Honestly, I like the idea of polishing the aluminum and it would be cheaper/easier than re-chroming.
 
Sheesh aren't there still enough barn/attic finds and pawn shop scarred-up drums around without having to take new kits and giving them the K. Moon treatment?

Some folks have tried burying fresh cymbals in dirt attempting to give them and aged sound quality.
Yes true. That is way I'd go if I want to collect just to collect. But if I want to use them for gigging I'd want perhaps more reliability than exploding Rogers B&B lugs, failing Ludwig snare throws, wonky Slingerland tom rack, slotted Sonor tension rods, Premier pre-int sizes, etc.

About cymbals: I agree 100%. My very thin riveted 16" ride/ crash is a Zildjian that's older than me by a decade or more (I'm 65). Lots of patina and age. My hats are New Beats from 60's. They look rough too. But I have a 21" very thin ride that's brand new. I don't clean it, or do the opposite and add fake age by burying it in my backyard. Sounds perfect for my needs. Looks fine. I'm not sure the dirt would really change anything other than make a lotta dust at a gig. Might be a cool special effect kinda like smoke, though lol :cool:
 
I do like buying equipment that has been well played. Though, if I buy new I generally go for stuff that will look good after it has weathered. EG well constructed and free from tacky addons. Wood and metal weather pretty well for example, but paint chips, plastic wrap fades...
 
I think it’s mostly a matter of good taste. Maybe you can add a bit of wear but if you put fake fingerprints on a cymbal you’ve jumped the shark.
 
In opposite world, I was sad to see this Gretsch restored. I thought it looked great aged and was probably a museum piece based on who played it over the years. Maybe that major road rash on the tom could have been helped a bit but other than that I wouldn’t have touched it…

 
I bought my Gretsch Catalina Club as a cheap throw around kit, maybe even sand down all the chrome and shell. But the finish was too nice and so I chickened out. That's not the relic thing necessarily, but there's something there about not altering the natural path of an inanimate object. After all, who's so sure we don't come back as inanimate objects as punishment a second time through? Wouldn't want someone applying sandpaper to my elbow and I couldn't do anything about it but just sit there.
 
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