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Will restoration ever become "taboo"?

Posts: 5173 Threads: 188

Question #1: Will the restoration of certain drums eventually become something that actually decreases their value?

For example: Say that you have a civil war snare drum -and its been hidden under a pile of hay out in an old barn for X amount of years since the end of the war. It's in original but "weathered" condition. The provenance is that it was hidden there during a battle and so it's covered in history.

Question #2: Do you "erase" that history by restoring it to a more clean and pristine condition?

Okay...IF you agreed that a drum like that should remain "as-found", then would you also agree/predict that the same thing might apply to other drums in future collections?

Example #2: Say you travel to Liverpool on a vacation someday and while on a nice bicycle ride through town, you spot a drum set through a shoppe Storm Trooper window and it's a beat-up Premier kit with all the trimmings. You stop in...a little bell attached to the door rings as you enter and you inquire about the drums. The nice old lady tells you that they once belonged to a nice young man with a shaggy haircut who she recalls was known as Ringo-somebody...and that they have been collecting dust in the attic ever since. She shows you some old photographs of the lads at play...You buy the drums on the spot -she throws in the pictures, too....They are the real-deal -but in bad shape with various gobs of tape, etc. You are elated to have them, nonetheless.

Question #3: Do you dust off all that dirt and grime that Ringo obviously created with his own hands?

Anecdote...I love to watch the Antiques Roadshow when it comes on. I love to see the old craftsmanship of stuff from "back in the day". Oftentimes, a piece of antique furniture will show up on that show and the owner has taken a great deal of time to clean it up for the show. When the appraiser sees that it has been cleaned, he states that the value has been diminished by the cleaning...sometimes by an incredible amount.:mad:

Question #4: Under what conditions (if any) do you feel that drums should/should not be restored?

"God is dead." -Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead." -God
Posted on 16 years ago
#1
Posts: 1971 Threads: 249

I would think that in the examples you presented that leaving them as they are would certainly be most appropriate...

You're probably not going to play the civil war drum..

You're probably not going to gig on Lil'Rick Starkey's Premieres..

However.. if you pick up an old set of Blue Sparkle Slingerland's, in disrepair, covered in light blue contact paper that belonged to somebody's dad and they want them out of the garage... or some filthy ragged out Slingy Green Satin Flames at a garage sale.

You gotta clean'em up, put'em back together and play'em.band2

Their existing condition is of no historical significance....

My tough call right now is an old bass drum I just picked up that has calf heads, I found one is signed by a Jerry P. Landis.. Paul Simon began his career as Jerry Landis.. what do you do with that head? Does anybody care about it? It's a beauty head, backbone and hips clearly visible right down the middle... I guess I'll just play it. Yes Sir

:2Cents:

Not a Guru... just interested..
Posted on 16 years ago
#2
Posts: 122 Threads: 12

Hey! I've got a copy of Jerry Landis doing "The Lone Teen Ranger"! I would post about the drum head on Paul Simon's official forum. Maybe he'll want it and you can sell it for a quick grand! Hell, sell it to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame or The Hard Rock and buy yourself that kit you've always wanted.

Matt

My tough call right now is an old bass drum I just picked up that has calf heads, I found one is signed by a Jerry P. Landis.. Paul Simon began his career as Jerry Landis.. what do you do with that head? Does anybody care about it? It's a beauty head, backbone and hips clearly visible right down the middle... I guess I'll just play it. Yes Sir

Ludwig-Zildjian-Aquarian
Posted on 16 years ago
#3
Posts: 1971 Threads: 249

Hmmm.. I went, I tried, I failed.. not much going on Jerry's eeeeerrrr Paul's site.CryBaby

Not a Guru... just interested..
Posted on 16 years ago
#4
Posts: 1971 Threads: 249

Skyway, Cleveland and Cabin Club, Cleveland... and some guy named Jerry P. Landis on a sweet hide head.

Play it or save it? It's on the batter side.

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Not a Guru... just interested..
Posted on 16 years ago
#5
Posts: 109 Threads: 17

Save the head!!! As for the original questions, I agree that certain drums mentioned in the examples, should be left in "as found" condition. I prefer the "weathered" look on older drums. Personally, I'd pay more for the drums not restored and complete. If they are, like was stated, "in disrepair" well, then it's something to work on and make your own, but still something I probably wouldn't be interested in or wouldn't pay as much for. Just my :2Cents:

Posted on 16 years ago
#6
Posts: 122 Threads: 12

Jim,

Of course it may not be Paul Simon, and just the same name. Was Pal Simon ever a drummer? I'm starting to wonder about it.

If the head is in good shape and playable, would you risk breaking it if you played it?

Matt

Ludwig-Zildjian-Aquarian
Posted on 16 years ago
#7
Posts: 1971 Threads: 249

Mat..

I'm guessing it's not Paul Simon's sig... although I did see that he did some very early recording in Cleveland. Just kind of fun to wonder if it could be... back in the day if you had a couple Simon and Garfunkle records or 8 tracks the girls were attracted to your sensitive side....Yes Sir

I've never played on hide heads... just seems like 99% of old drums on ebay have a busted hide head... the heads as old as I am.. and I'm not holding up that well either.Violin

Not a Guru... just interested..
Posted on 16 years ago
#8
Posts: 10 Threads: 0

Restoring drums well turns a bad drum into a restored drum. No one would take an original 57 Chevy Belair 2door ac air that was MINT with 10k miles and restore it. Its done when there is a distressed drum that needs to be restored generally.

Posted on 16 years ago
#9
Posts: 37 Threads: 6

Well, interesting discussion!

Isn?t it so, that there`s different values, depending on for what reason you actually picked up the drum?

- Do you want to gather things for building up a drum museeum, or just a privat collection?

- Do you like to play instruments that has a story to tell, and do you like to get to know them - and their story - through the restoring process?

- Do you want to buy things cheep, restore them, and sell them at a higher price?

Speaking for myself, I think that a drum that can?t be played, dosn?t have any value at all - not even if it was Paul Simons. Where against a good drum that has had its kicks as a "tool" belonging to any travelling drummer, should be brought back to - as close as possible - original condition --- and be played with respect.

I don?t know how it is in the rest of the world, but here in denmark restoring and selling vintage drums, is NOT a way of making a living --- but it is great fun, and at the time, the trend among even very young drummers, is that they prefere - and respect the "historical value" of vintage drums --- and I think that?s great:

- Restore the stuff with respect, and play it with respect. That`s the way the constructers at Slingerland, Ludwig and all the others would have loved it --- also if you pass it on to your kids, instead of letting them play cheap japanese/chinese ****.

Yours

Carsten M

Posted on 16 years ago
#10
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