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Bass Drum Restore Conundrum!(get it..drum)

Posts: 802 Threads: 149

Fellas, need your help!!! Please read the below and tell me what YOU would do:

So....I am assembling an all 1960s Gretsch set in classic old blue sparkle.

I have a nice 20 inch bass shell, already covered in blue sparkle wrap. Wrap is one of the "2 piece" jobs, with the seperate piece on the bottom, but that was gretsch factory issue, so, its ok.

Heres the problem:

Along the line, some genius installed a Ludwig tom tom mount on the shell. So he drilled the large hole for the center post and the 4 little holes for the mount. So my nice Blue Sparkle shell has this ugly set of extra holes dead center, which will just not do. I have, and will use , the original Gretsch Rail consolette mount which is going back on the shell, to the left of the ugly extra holes.

The way I see it, I have several options:

1) Rip off the existing Blue Sparkle wrap, fill the holes with dowels and wood filler, sand the bare shell, and rewrap in one large piece of new Blue Sparkle wrap. This way is the most work and will take several days.

2) Remove only the top piece of the wrap, fill the holes, then rewrap the top with new Blue Sparkle wrap. Faster and would look very nice.

3) Cut a diamond shaped "patch" of Blue Sparkle wrap, fill the holes, and glue the patch over the filled holes. Very fast, and the drum would retain the older look of the original wrap. Down side.....the patch would be fairly visible.

4) Get a metal tom tom mount plate (like on the Gretsch toms) and cover the holes. (it just so happens, that a Gretsch mounting plate fits perfectly)

Downside...might look wierd?

5) Cut out the affected area of the old wrap, fill the holes, then glue a patch that fits right into the cutout to make it less visisble (no "rise" since its not over any old wrap) Down side.....hard to do correctly. Upside- should look ok.

6) Get a metal plate that fits over the hole and screw a cymbal mount (I have one already) to it, allowing for a cymbal to be mounted on the bass drum, in the middle and at an angle, just like the old 50s and 60s guys did.

*****I'm really thinking of doing this. The shell already has the holes in in.

NOTE: Down the line, I may very well want to sell this set and buy a Trixon Telstar, which is the set I have always wanted. So, maybe that affects what I should do NOW with the bass drum from the point of resale value.

So guys.....whats your take? All the other drums are in great, nice original shape.

Please take a minute and let me know your thoughts,

Thanks!

Retro

Posted on 13 years ago
#1
Posts: 189 Threads: 35

i like number 5... I have had success with that.

-64 Ludwig Black Oyster Classic kit 22,13,16
-65 Leedy BDP 22,13,16
-65 Ludwig WMP Clubdate 20,12,14
-66 Ludwig Red sparkle Downbeat
-60's Gretsch RB Green Glass 22,13,16
Lots of cymbals, snares and orphans, old and newish
Posted on 13 years ago
#2
Posts: 2197 Threads: 202

I have done #6 on a few occasions,without the cymbal mount.My current Rockstar set has a delete plate made of stainless bent to the correct curve,exactly the same footprint as the old tom mount with some thin felt underneath.This will be a totally honest "repair",not hiding any patches in the drum.I don't think any new covering is going to match exactly.

Posted on 13 years ago
#3
Posts: 802 Threads: 149

Yes, I know what you mean. The patch will, I guess, always look like a patch while a metal plate might sort of sneak its way in as part of the drum.

But the other side of that , is that Vintage Drummers will know the metal plate doesnt belong on a 60s Gretsch bass. So I guess its 6 of one and half dozen of the other. But...your comments are well taken, a plate might be the best thing to do.

Maybe a brass plate to look like a badge?

Posted on 13 years ago
#4
Posts: 2212 Threads: 95

Do the plate without the cymbal mount. It is what it is, you will probably be the only one who will know its there when you are gigging it.

Posted on 13 years ago
#5
Posts: 373 Threads: 56

I vote for #6 too. It covers up the whole without making any permanent changes. Plus, if you actually use the cymbal mount, it has a practical purpose. This is the least extreme option, so that the next owner can decide what they want to do (if you sell it).

Posted on 13 years ago
#6
Posts: 802 Threads: 149

Update:

As a trial, I took the shiny metal diamond plate off my 13 inch tom and installed it over the holes on the bass drum to see what it would look like.

Amazingly enough, it looks pretty good.....the diamond plate shape matches the cymbal mount off to the right, and the chrome all fits together. Not bad!!

Posted on 13 years ago
#7
Posts: 526 Threads: 60

If you do re-wrap the drum, it will still be a two-piece wrap. Wrap is made in 24x54" sheets, so any drum with a diameter of 18" or larger will always need to be wrapped with two sheets. As you mentioned, this is how they come from the factory anyway, so it's not a big deal.

As for the other solutions, I like the cymbal mount idea as a stopgap measure.

Kits:
1950s Gretsch Name Band in Midnight Blue Pearl (13/16/22/14sn)
1965/66 Ludwig Club Dates rewrapped in Black Diamond Pearl (12/15/20)
Posted on 13 years ago
#8
Posts: 4715 Threads: 299

From section2

If you do re-wrap the drum, it will still be a two-piece wrap. Wrap is made in 24x54" sheets, so any drum with a diameter of 18" or larger will always need to be wrapped with two sheets. As you mentioned, this is how they come from the factory anyway, so it's not a big deal.As for the other solutions, I like the cymbal mount idea as a stopgap measure.

What he said! Any drum over 16" requires a two piece install, except for a very few modern colors, and ol' blue ain't one of 'em. Other than that, #5 is a best idea sorta thang. You can use some small samples and/or drops from JamminSams or Precision or Drummaker. Since Sams and Precision do a lot of in-house work, they likely have drops on the floor and would love to help a brutha out. Give 'em a call, you never know, they might send you some freebies. Sams samples are almost big enough, so likely the production room drops will be big enough. Just be really careful with the color match, it could look like this: (couldn't locate the b/s repair I did. It looks a bit better than the WMP, but you get the idea, only on a larger scale, so the diamond plate or other type of plate cover would be best for a Gretsch. If it were MIJ, meh..who cares but us?) And since it is a Gretsch, re-wrap kills it's little value, about as much, maybe even more than the extra holies.

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Posted on 13 years ago
#9
Posts: 802 Threads: 149

2nd update:

Ok, I've decided to just install the Gretsch plate. I got brand new, shiny one with the chrome bolts last night from the music center. It looks MUCH better than I thought it ever would, also.

I'm happy! No ones ever going to think there were holes there.

I will keep on the lookout for an "unmolested" 20 inch Gretsch shell with Blue Sparkle wrap, and the next time one turns up, I'll grab it and transfer all the hardware over to it. But for now, this really does look good and I'll continue with the rebuild. I will post pics in a couple of weeks when all done.

Thanks to ALL!

Posted on 13 years ago
#10
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