I have done both to the same sized drum.

The glued has much better solid sound.

3M Fastbond contact cement for wrap-- that's the product closest to what drum companies use. Tape only adds another unnecessary layer of material. Use double-sided tape only for badge re-installation.

Really? I just talked to a guy who does this for a living and he said the only advantage to glue over tape is that the glue will hold better, but there is no difference in sound.

I've been wondering this same thing honestly... I can't see the tape method muffling things but still curious

With glue, the wrap becomes a part of the shell, another layer so to speak. With the tape method, the wrap is held tight against the shell only at the seam and the lugs. That means that there's an air gap (however small) between the wrap and the shell and that's bound to affect the sound of the drum, plus the wrap is free to expand & contract more with temp changes, encouraging cracking of the wrap.

Look at it another way: what would you think of a drum shell that had one of the layers held by highbond tape?

The big advantage to tape is that it's quicker and easier than glue.

If you want to do it fast, tape it. If you want to do it right, glue it.

Just my $.02. :)

+1. Glue is the way to go.

I have always used a combination of cat urine and Dora the Explorer band-aids (double sided). If you find yourself short on either one, ... go with glue.

A tape wrap job, no matter who does it, is the sign of an amateur. It also makes the wrap more prone to shrinking, bubbling, wrinkling or cracking. Glue is the only way to insure a solid, stable finish.

After paying so much money for the pearl plastic, why would ANYONE want to use tape anyway?

[COLOR="Green"]I don't particularly believe that a tape job would have any discernible effect on the tone of the shell, really.

With that said....I always use glue, and then high-bond tape the overlap. Because for some reason, around these parts, the glued overlap oftentimes starts coming up after a while...so I think for localized bonding, the high-bond tape is superior (again, at least in this climate).

Other than that, I cannot see ever using tape (it may gain you quick and easy gratification...but a year or two down the line, that wrap just ain't gonna look all that good anymore).[/COLOR]