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Restoring 66' Ludwig Club Dates

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I recently acquired a project kit from my buddy MickM. It's a 1966 Club Date kit, 12", 14", 20", and it has been (badly) re-wrapped. The last owner, (not Mick, he just 'flipped the kit' to me,) had stripped the drums, put on a fakey Psych-Red wrap and only tacked it at the seams. The wrap will come right off with little effort. Don't get me wrong, it's a cool wrap, just not the 'original' and a bad copy at that. By itself, it's really not that bad. I'm not used to seeing heavy sparkles in Psych-Red wrap.

I have four (count-em,) grandchildren. My sons' son, James is 13 years old and he has been taking drum lessons for a couple of years. Two X-mas's ago, I put together -from parts- a 60's jazzfest that had been stripped and I put a finish on the natural wood. Excellent sounding snare drum. I think now would be a good time to lay a drum kit on him! So, he'll be getting this kit after I rework it for him. I'd like to restore 'a little' market value to the kit by putting on a snazzy traditional wrap. I'm thinking either; Red Glass Glitter, or Merlot, -the new burgundy sparkle,- or something uber-cool like, Black Glass Glitter.

I have already recruited the assistance of my daughter-in-law, who will send me the J-fest I made for him so I can wrap all the shells at the same time. I guess at that point, the cat will be out of the bag and we'll have to tell him why we shanghaied his snare drum. lol

The hardware on the kit is Nickel over brass, it's all there and all original. It just needs some serious detailing. Here are some 'Before' shots of the kit. If you guys have any cool wrap suggestions, I'm open and still considering what finish will go on them.

[IMG]http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n632/PurdieShuffle/c1_zpsa3ccd848.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n632/PurdieShuffle/c3_zpscc08c8e1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n632/PurdieShuffle/c2_zps6a0d6dcb.jpg[/IMG]

John

Too many great drums to list here!

http://www.walbergandauge.com/VintageVenue.htm
Posted on 11 years ago
#1
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Awesome project. Sounds like you are an awesome Grandpa!

Posted on 11 years ago
#2
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Good call on rewrapping the kit. That's a very questionable copy the previous owner (or two ago) chose.

I am very partial to the crushed glass wraps. Red would be my first choice. The Merlot might be a bit 'highbrow' for a youngun.

What Would You Do
Posted on 11 years ago
#3
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'Trying to be' (an awesome grandpa.) :p I want them to remember me and have good memories of me when they're all grown.

Yep! Good one. I love projects like this one. Very gratifying when it's all done and you get to compare 'before and after' photos.

John

Too many great drums to list here!

http://www.walbergandauge.com/VintageVenue.htm
Posted on 11 years ago
#4
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John,

GREAT find and project! I haven't had my hands on a Club Date kit for over a year now, and I'd sure like to do one again!

I've seen that wrap before -- one of the distributers offers it as "exclusive." I thought their sample (on their website) looked bad. Can't remember who it was, and don't care either...

Well enough said on the wrap. I do have some odds-and-ends spare Club Date parts in nickel, so if anything you got is too rusty, let me know. I know I've got some of both sizes of lugs, claws, T-handles, and maybe even the disappearing spur/cymbal holders. I'm sure we could work out something.

I wrapped a SD in that new Merlot once just a few weeks back... and was really impressed! But I agree with RS, it might not be what a 13 year old would want! Shoot, if the cat's going to be out of the bag anyway, maybe let him choose the wrap!?

Oh, and BTW -- when I was that age I sure wish one of my Grandpa's was like you!!

Bill

Bill
Cherryvale, Ks
"Redrums - Ks" on FB and Reverb
(also "billnvick" on eBay)
Posted on 11 years ago
#5
Posts: 1427 Threads: 66
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I don't know if it is an option, but the green glass glitter is one of my favorites. It should look great with nickel hardware and (for the grandson) black resonant heads...

A modern spin on a classic kit.

Cobalt Blue Yamaha Recording Custom 20b-22b-8-10-12-13-15-16f-18f
Red Ripple '70's Yamaha D-20 20b-12-14f
Piano Black Yamaha Recording Custom Be-Bop kit 18b-10-14f
Snares:
Yamaha COS SDM5; Yamaha Cobalt Blue RC 5-1/2x14; Gretsch round badge WMP; 1972 Ludwig Acrolite; 1978 Ludwig Super Sensitive; Cobalt Blue one-off Montineri; Yamaha Musashi 6.5X13 Oak; cheap 3.5X13 brass piccolo
Posted on 11 years ago
#6
Posts: 6170 Threads: 255
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i'm with jim. my first thought was green sparkle. i would certainly consider what his favorite color is. and yep, kids love the black heads or even the corey miller tattoo design heads if he is in to that sorta thing.

dad ordered me my first Christmas schwinn back in the day. he ordered red. it never arrived. he got me a green metallic just so i would have one for Christmas day. well, i hate red! green is my favorite color. you never know if you don't ask.

great project here john. keep us posted on what you need..

i must say, that if that wrap thats on there was adhered properly, i dig it on there!

my three year old grandson went into my drum room on saturday. he looked at blue vistalites,wmp, galaxy and black lacquer. he then looked at my sky blue pearls and said "those are cool pa paw!".

mike

Posted on 11 years ago
#7
Posts: 5550 Threads: 576
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i just started a resto on a pink champagne club need a ft bad

April 2nd 1969 scarfed pink champagne holly wood and 65/66 downbeat snare, and , supra same year very minty kit old pies
66/67 downbeat with canister
Super 400 small round knob
1967 super classic obp





once the brass ceases to glitter, and the drum looses its luster, and the stage remains dark, all you have left is the timbre of family.
Posted on 11 years ago
#8
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I like green sparkle too! I'll give it some serious consideration. I also like the black heads combination with the green. I just want him to 'light up' when he sees them.

Jag - this kit came with a 14". Those 50's/60's 14"'s are some of my favorite sounding floor toms. Hope you find one.

John

Too many great drums to list here!

http://www.walbergandauge.com/VintageVenue.htm
Posted on 11 years ago
#9
Posts: 1427 Threads: 66
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well if he likes green he'll certainly light up!

If he hates Green, that might be a problem...Hmmmm

Cobalt Blue Yamaha Recording Custom 20b-22b-8-10-12-13-15-16f-18f
Red Ripple '70's Yamaha D-20 20b-12-14f
Piano Black Yamaha Recording Custom Be-Bop kit 18b-10-14f
Snares:
Yamaha COS SDM5; Yamaha Cobalt Blue RC 5-1/2x14; Gretsch round badge WMP; 1972 Ludwig Acrolite; 1978 Ludwig Super Sensitive; Cobalt Blue one-off Montineri; Yamaha Musashi 6.5X13 Oak; cheap 3.5X13 brass piccolo
Posted on 11 years ago
#10
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