I think the term Veneer is more appropriate. Same sort of thing but with a layer of wood instead of plastic.

I'm sorry - I fall in the category of disliking the "fake" wood grain printed wraps - of one material or another. I think the uniqueness is that it is trying to pass off as wood, when it is not. Non-wood wraps (other wraps) do not try to pass as something it is not. It is just a color, as opposed to simulating wood. Consider that (some) Glass Glitter wrap has actual crushed pieces of (actual glass?) in it. That's pretty cool - much more so than simulated printed wood grain.

Now....that said - a stained wood shell showing off the real wood that the shell is made of - that is a completely different story! Some extremely beautiful drums there!

It reminds me of the whole COW thing. In my brainstorming of snare building, it becomes very difficult to decide what color to wrap it in. If you wrap it to match a kit of yours, then it does not go well with your other kits. Hey, how about Chrome? Chrome goes with anything! Then the idea of a chrome snare, that is actually made of wood - just drives me crazy! It reminds me of marching band drums and it just turns me way off. Not always logical, but COWs just don't do it for me, especially on drums other than snare drums.

I tend to just golden up the snare shell a bit and clear-coat it. Natural, pretty wood, with a nice glossy finish. That would "go" with all my kits better than a (misleading) COW.

............in - my - humble - opinion.

That's all well and good, but being the proud owner of a walnut cortex kit, I'd rather gig with it then a stained wood shell kit. The wrap can take a punch and looks great on stage.

Everyone's different. I don't hate 'em. I think the Ludwigs are pretty cool. I like their 70s vibe and I'd take a butcher block over any black or white cortex finish. I've had a lacquered kit and don't want another one.

Chicago Music Exchange has some nice new butcher block Ludwigs.

https://reverb.com/item/1564337-ludwig-classic-maple-13-16-18-24-4pc-kit-butcher-block

That'd be a cool kit for an Americana band.

Wood grain plastic wrap..

I was a wee laddie in the 1970's. It seemed everything was covered in that crap or looked like it. People paneled the insides of their houses with it. It was a fad. It scarred and traumatized me. 40 years later I can almost stand the sight of it. But if there is something covered in it near a woman wearing all denim, poof-y hair and too much blue eye shadow you will find me on the ground convulsing in the fetal position.

An aside:

I worked at a guitar company that rhymes with 'Gibson' for 7 years. Black was a favorite color of management. It covered ugly wood grain. When the deal to make guitars with logos from a company that rhymes with 'Harley Davidson' came in management rejoiced! All the piles of maple with ugly grain now had a purpose... with great profit!

The wood paneling reminds me of a better time.

I was never really excited about any of the wood cortex wraps until I got a set. I have a set of Ludwigs in the maple cortex. Love the look of them and like JR mentioned, the finish is super durable.

Mike

I love that finish, I didn't realize Ludwig had reissued them. Maybe mahogany and walnut will make a comeback as well.

How can you not love this finish, it's so retro 70's, just like the mod orange was for the 60's.