Hi Guys,
A while back I picked up my first vintage kit - a '73 or '74 Ludwig silver sparkle! I've always wanted a Ludwig kit, so I was absolutely thrilled. The kit sounds great, aside from the rack tom. However, now that I've taken it apart and examined it a bit, even my untrained eye can see that it needs some work.
I know virtually nothing about restoring drums, so I'm hoping to get your informed opinions on how best to approach this. The biggest issue is the rack tom, which I couldn't get to sound right. When I took the heads off, I noticed that the plies have split, so I assume it needs to be filled and clamped back together. The bearing edge is also not level and the drum could be slightly out of round. I tried embedding images in the post, but got broken links, so I've included the URL's. Sorry for the inconvenience! :(
Rack tom:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10218351@N00/5479809566/in/set-72157626020257547/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10218351@N00/5479807898/in/set-72157626020257547/
The floor tom sounds great, but also has some splitting and the wrap on the floor tom has started to separate:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10218351@N00/5479808740/in/set-72157626020257547/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10218351@N00/5479807602/in/set-72157626020257547/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10218351@N00/5479208383/in/set-72157626020257547/
Also, one bass drum hoop needs to be replaced:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10218351@N00/5479208947/in/set-72157626020257547/
How bad does the damage look to the shells look? Is this something I could reasonably attempt to mend myself or would I be better off taking it to a pro? Any idea how much something like this might cost to fix?
Does anyone know of a good source for replacement bass drum hoops? I found this place in the UK, but would prefer to order from someone in the states.
Thanks so much for your help!