The best of mornings to all of you, ladies and gentlemen!
I've just recieved my newest project drum and I'm jumping with joy (or else I'd have to be asking mysef why on earth had I bought such a filthy piece of junk).
[IMG]http://img10.rajce.idnes.cz/d1002/7/7235/7235962_904718f7f979cb26a3fefb9618bcc4b2/images/IMG_2901.jpg?ver=2[/IMG]
Behold an Amati snare, a rare old model with a 3ply shell, WMP wrap, nickel-plated stick-chopper rims and a brass badge! I've only seen one or two of these until now.
While newer 60s 6ply models with chrome hardware and plastic lettered logo are fairly common, this is a rare beast. It requires quite a lot of maintenance, but I can't wait to see it all cleaned up. As you can see, lotsa screws are missing. I'll have to replace them with chrome ones, but well, what can I do. Also, one of the lugs is cracked. I'm not very likely to find another one as those lugs are older models with no floating parts, but hopefully it can be fixed somehow. Strainer lever arm is newer, chrome-plated, but even if it was made from solid gold, I'd hate it, as this strainer mechanism, while being extremely simple, is also incredibly hard to set up and tune properly. Rims are bent and rusty, but I am sure they will work.
Either strainer mechanism and muffler or the badge are mounted upside down. I might know the truth from snare beds, but I doubt this drum has any. No big deal, tho, as I can turn all the hardware around the way I want it to be.
[IMG]http://img10.rajce.idnes.cz/d1002/7/7235/7235962_904718f7f979cb26a3fefb9618bcc4b2/images/IMG_2902.jpg?ver=2[/IMG]
[IMG]http://img10.rajce.idnes.cz/d1002/7/7235/7235962_904718f7f979cb26a3fefb9618bcc4b2/images/IMG_2903.jpg?ver=2[/IMG]
[IMG]http://img10.rajce.idnes.cz/d1002/7/7235/7235962_904718f7f979cb26a3fefb9618bcc4b2/images/IMG_2905.jpg?ver=2[/IMG]
Oh hey and two more cool things. Unlike newer models, this drum is actually date-stamped. Seems to have been made in september, 1960. Could be one of the last few ones of his kind. I've never seen another Amati in WMP. AND... don't you think the shell could be birch? Re-rings are obviusly beech, which I thought is the only wood Amati ever used, but the shell seems to be too light to be beech.
[IMG]http://img10.rajce.idnes.cz/d1002/7/7235/7235962_904718f7f979cb26a3fefb9618bcc4b2/images/IMG_2904.jpg?ver=2[/IMG]
This will take a lot of work to get running and results are uncertain, but I'm thrilled to have this piece of history in my clutches.
[IMG]http://img10.rajce.idnes.cz/d1002/7/7235/7235962_904718f7f979cb26a3fefb9618bcc4b2/images/IMG_2906.jpg?ver=2[/IMG]