As the MIJ i just completed is my only point of reference, I'm certainly not an expert, but I love the results...so here's my:2Cents:
Drum prep
Lightly sand & laquer(2 or 3 coats) the drum interiors to seal and promote projection, per jonnistix. Definitely effective!
Heads
(jonnistix recommended the z100 and they are not only cheap, $9.50/14" & $12.25/12", but they sound warm and wonderful)
Toms:
Batter- Aquarian single ply texture coated (z100 coating)
Res- original Remo Soundmaster single ply coated
Bass:
Batter- Remo Encore single ply clear
Res- Remo Ambassador
Snare:
Batter- aquarian texture coated
Res- Remo ambassador snare clear
Muffling:
Bass- 3" felt strips, verticle orientation, off center, both heads. Moon Gel on batter for xtra muffling at night.
14" Tom- moon gel
12" Tom- none
Snare- internal muffler, moon gel if needed
(Moon gels, though space age rather than vintage, provide better quality and more precise muffling than anything else I've used. They can be cut in 1/2 or smaller for different levels of muffling am
Nd different size heads)
Tuning
Tips from the drum tech at my local drum shop that work really well, though not very scientific. Always tune res side first then match the batter side.
1. Crimp around the sides of any coated head to separate any stuck coating from the rings before mounting.
2. Make sure the head is centered in the hoop before putting on t rods
3. Finger tighten t rods until just tight all around.
4. 1 full rotation of the t rods with your drum key, tightening opposite rods and moving around the drum side to side. This is the star tuning pattern...I'm sure there are other names.
5. Push down VERY firmly with the palm of your hand in the center of the head to stretch before tightening further. Use two hands together on the bass heads.
6. 1/2 turn on each t rod in the star pattern I mentioned above, then tap the center for your tone, but you should be close to the sweet spot for the drum. Continue with 1/8 - 1/4 turns around the drum if the tone is still wobbly.
7. Tap your drum key ~1.5-2" in from each rod to find the "best" sounding tension. I found these sing best tuned slightly loosed than my PDP kit. Use the star tuning pattern to match the tone on the rest of the t rods.
8. Muffle as desired and smack some skin!
Snare tuning is similar, but I was told to tune the res side higher than the batter head, and to de-tune the 2 rods adjacent to the snare wires 1/4 turn on both sides of the drum, to maximize the depth and fullness of the snare voice. This tip works for me.
Good luck and happy drumming!
Brian
BTW, for what it's worth, there is no way I could afford an American made vintage kit even in crappy condition, but I get a VERY authentic vintage sound on my affordable MIJ kit. Love to own a '68 Ludwig kit someday, but no hurry. Maybe another MIJ when I win the lottery. ~B