Help needed

Hi Folks

I have a problem with the finish on the kit and wondered if anyone had any ideas?
I have a Ludwig Silver Sparkle Kit, some of which dates from 1976 and the rest around 2000, the 1976 part is fine however the more recently purchased (and built for me by Ludwig) has started to change colour, the sparkle is going a yellowish colour and is clearly different from when new.
I can't tell if it's the top film or coming through from maybe the glue underneath.
the older finish is absolutely fine and a clear as it was when first made.
Does anyone have any ideas here? can it be removed without resorting to re-covering? has anyone had this happen to them?
Normally I would expect the older part of the kit to fade or lose it's finish first but in this case the toms that were purchased from two different retailers but both ordered directly from Ludwig have altered.

Any help apprieciated

Togg

Are these drums exposed to sunlight?UV rays will effect the wrap and it will start to fade and or turn colors.Post some photos if you can.

Steve B

Hi

I have taken some pics but it doesn't really come out clearly enough to see the difference, anyway in answer to your question no, they are left in protection racket cases most of the time, it appears to be the film covering the wrap that is yellowing, I have spoken to several drum restoring experts who say the wrap for Ludwig has been made by the same company for years but it may have changed quality over that time, it is unlikely it is coming through from the underside as the wrap is fairly thick.
They don't know why it has happened and have suggested T cut and white spirit to remove but it has no effect, I think basically I am stuck with it, eventually they will all be about the same with the exception of the bass drum which bizzarly from 1976 is the clearest of the lot!

Just a quick post to see if anyone has any further ideas here, I have contacted Ludwig but so far silence...

The yellowing of the wrap is very noticable against the pure silver wrap, the new bass drum leaps out compared to the toms purchased in 2001-2003 or thereabouts.

On a floor tom bought is around 2005 I guess the end of the wrap where the two sides meet is very golden yellow compared to the other end, might be able to get a good picture of that.

Once again, no sunlight or temp issues, they are kept in protection racket cases in a room with a constant temp around 20 degrees.

They seem to be turning yellow in strips around the drum, some drums are very evenly yellow and some go in noticable stripes down the drum.

Anyone got any ideas of how to clean it off if indeed it's possible, have tried a little T cut but no luck so far but only tried a little just in case.

I can only imagine it's either because of the sun - my yamaha kit changed colour a few months after purchasing brand new, OR if you smoke near it?

Other than that i have no idea but would be interested to see what they say

I have emailed the MD at Ludwig who by the way make it nearly impossible to contact them... we shall see, I don't smoke and they are only in sunlight for a handful of hour a year...we rehearse in a room deep in a complex where there in almost no direct sunlight and I store them in protection racket cases when not in use... really weird

Hopefully Pic attacted, this is not a trick of the light the larger Toms have slowly turned yellow, check out the difference between the chrome hardware and the wrap, these toms we purchased around 2003-5 I think. You can's see it here but the floor toms have stripes of yellow on them now

Slightly difficult to see but here is the floor tom...

I have no advice to offer other than it's typical for plastics to vary considerably in their composition from batch to batch, year to year, depending on the specification issued by the customer (Ludwig). If you don't get a reply from Ludwig, I wouldn't be too surprised, as they probably don't have a meaningful answer. That said, good customer service standards should apply, & you should at least get a response.

Hi Guys,

Did you ever have any luck with Ludwig on this?

I've got a kit from around the same time that is going the same way..

Regards,

Martin

None of this, Its sunlight, theory explains why the older drum, that must by default, have been exposed to more sunlight, has not changed colour like the newer items?

No reply from ludwig yet but I have my local dealer on the case as well, and they have contacted the distributor in the UK

No it's not sunlight, they are stored in cases I rehearse in a studio so no direct sunlight, they only time they see sunlight is if we play in a venue with direct sunlight shining on the kit which from memory hasn't happened since about 1992... so no not sunlight, smoking, none of us smoke, and the temp in the storage room is a constant 20 degrees