I would go with your plan to cut and affix this to another head. Seems the best option. I think with the proper adhesive the expanding and contracting won't be an issue.

Bonding it to mylar head might work well, and save a good skin head. It might be worthwhile to call Remo tech support for info on which one of their heads and bonding agents would work. In any case I'd want to be sure the adhesive would not bleed through and disfigure the painting. Contact cement might be worth a try.

My thoughts too... (especially if you are thinking period correct backlighting) .

You don't want any cross grain hide pattern to show through... and a border around the edge should tidy up the torn section... For sure, and whatever, the head should be salvaged... Also, IMO, a Mylar head adhesion will have less tonal variation than a thicker Calfskin..

Cheers

John

I remembered this thread on DFO for repairing ripped calf heads. Post #8 is very interesting and would be the first choice I'd try to save the complete head. Done right you should be able to use it as intended as a reso head.

http://www.drumforum.org/index.php?/topic/57076-calf-head-repair/

Thank you guys for the great input.

Preserving the correct look with backlighting is something I am definitely taking into consideration since the bass drum does have it's original blinking lights inside.

It does seem like a modern head would make a better base for it, but if I went the route of gluing it to another head, it would have to be another calfskin for me so that I can preserve the correct look with the wood hoops showing.

FFR, I read that thread.. very interesting about patching. I'm thinking it would be pretty challenging to get the patch pressed down while drying given the awkwardness of the area where the head is ripped. But it is certainly an option that I will be keeping in mind.

I would check the dimensions of the bass drum versus the modern day head size equivalent. I put a modern head on an old bass drum like yours and had to buy a new hoop to accommodate. The original hoop was too small for the modern head.

One idea to preserve the current opacity of the painted head would be to cut out the middle of the new "carrier" head, leaving an inch or two around the outside, and glue the painted head to that.

Just a thought...

Mitch

This is true, the drum is a 26", but the heads are actually 25.5"... fortunately the newer good condition head is a 25.5 as well. Modern mylar/plastic heads on the other hand would be a trick to come by.

That is a very interesting thought indeed!... Good thinking.. I am definitely going to consider that idea.

Cool. It would also preserve some resonance in the...reso. If you go this route, you should probably glue the painted head on there with the carrier head under tension, otherwise the join might fail when you do tension it up...

Mitch