Acetone is the active ingredient in most nail polish removers. The hardware store variety from the paint aisle is usually a good deal more potent than the watered down nail polish remover. If it's a coated head the acetone will remove the coating right along with the logo (usually leaving a clear spot on the head) but it has always worked well for me on smooth white or clear heads.

okay, so I should look for straight acetone instead of nail polish remover? I was able to remove the logo from a previous head with nail polish remover, but the coating stayed on. It's a front head, so I'd like the logo gone but would prefer the coating not too look terrible.

How about painting over the logo with some white out or some kilz primer? Never done it but just thought if the idea.

Yes, I'd try straight acetone. I suppose some nail polish removers may have more acetone concentration than others. I too have removed the Remo logo from a smooth white Ambassador with nail polish remover, but the last couple of heads I worked on required straight acetone to remove the logos.

Incidentally, I have had success removing logos from Aquarian Modern Vintage heads.

Now if only there was a way to remove the logos on Remo Fiberskyn heads.

I tried to remove a 22" Remo Coated Ambassador logo a years back, with acetone, and it made a mess. Hardly got it off at all. Then scrubbing removed the coating.

Tried once more on a 16" last week. This time I used a bit more acetone. I blobbed it on and then pretty much right back off. Left very little logo and did not ruin the coating. This was also a Remo Coated Ambassador. I finished it off with a Magic Eraser and now no trace of the logo and coating intact. The head was one I bought new about 14 years ago!

Mike

On my 26" I rotated the coated ambassador so the logo was at the bottom, directly behind the hoop mounted anchor, then put a piece of white gaffer tape over the top. You honestly wouldn't notice it unless it was pointed out, the shiny chrome anchor in front of it is the only thing your eye is drawn to.

Probably doesn't really answer your question but if you're seriously trying to replicate the original head on your kit go the acetone route. If it's a coated head and you lose the coating in that area you could always spray some etch primer or something similar that's white, has a bit of 'grit' to it and will still to the mylar.

I've heard, but never tried it, that rubber cement thinner will also work. I know there is a magic substance that some use that will remove the logo but leave the coating alone but I don't know what it is (those that do don't seem to be forthcoming about it). Naptha is another possibility, not as intense as acetone but stronger than alcohol. Lacquer thinner is probably the strongest stuff you can buy easily (short of aircraft stripper) but is almost certain to effect any coating.

I have been able to get logos off fiberskyn heads with acetone although a ghost image usually remains. The logo smears from the solvent and some of it gets down into the little nooks and crannies of the head surface where you can't get it out.

If you do accidentally damage a coated head you can spray paint it to replace the missing coating but it's not a perfect solution (better than throwing away a new head though).

Finally, acetone (definitely) and lacquer thinner (maybe) will "eat" into vintage pearl wraps so be careful when using it around drums. Best to have the head off the drum when doing anything involving harsh chemicals.

I once used Goof Off to remove the logo from my powerstroke 3 coated reso head and it came right off with no problem..

Wiped clean as though it never existed..

I just dug up an old Ludwig kick drum head that had tape and some other yellow stuff all over it, inside and out. But it had a hole cut in it so I wanted to experiment with using a port hole. This head was smooth on the outside but coated on the inside. Using lacquer thinner and a putty knife I removed all of the tape residue and yellow stuff. I was a lot of work and I actually dumped the thinner right on the head. The white coating did come off but not very easily. After all the coating was off I sprayed the inside with some white lacquer primer and she looks real nice now, and the lacquer paint job made a natural muffler, the kick sounds great with it.

Now this is lacquer thinner I get from a supplier, the stuff on the shelf at big box stores might be a little hotter. Worth a try, going about it like Mike did.

Good luck to ya!