Gretsch Round Badge questions

[kellyj]

You guys have been a great source of inspiration, knowledge and encouragement.

I' moving on soon to a new project and want to do it right. You have previously given me advice on this but I'm genuinely stuck..

I have these really nice Gretsch round badge shells, 20,16,13 and all hardware, original "Broadkaster" heads, even the early 60's cymbal stand sold with the kit!

I think I have the original early '60s shellac finish on these. I would like to make it a "walnut" finish which is period Gretsch factory production.

Options:

1) Go with paint/laquer remover. Strip off old finish, sand, re-stain in walnut, then apply a nice Tung oil finish.

2) Apply walnut paper-backed veneer, tung oil finish.

The first option would be more "Gretsch-like". The socond option would be real wood.


~K

[drumbum3131]

Do you know the years of the drums?

[Ludwig-dude]

I'd go with option 1. More work, yes, but worth the end results since Gretsch prices are still on the rediculous side if you ever decided to sell them.

[drumbum3131]

My vote is option one. Couldn't you just bring it to a wood working place and tell them exactly what you wanted. I'm sure they have the tools to do it.

[kellyj]

That's probably the best thing to do, go to a wood shop where they can strip off the old finish completely.

The drums appear to be mid 60's. They are six-ply jasper shells with serial numbers in the five figure range with round-head straight slot screws which apparently dates them to the mid '60's, according to the gretsch history web site I'm quooting from below.

"Unlike Gretsch's equally-famous guitar line, the drum serial numbers offer little clue to the actual dates of manufacture. However, here is a reasonably reliable dating-system for RB drums by serial number: four or less digits = early-'60s; five digits = mid-'60s, and six digits = late-'60s. (Late-'60s drums usually have internal hex-head shaped screws rather than the earlier round-head style.)"

~K

[Jaye]

Yeah, do 1).

I gotta say...I have NOW seen enuff of these lacquered Gretsch shells in that very color to conclude that that finish WAS factory...and man....I have never seen one which looks anywhere near GOOD.

A really bad factory job...perplexing....

[kellyj]

Thanks Jaye,

Yup, the consensus here is for option one.
It really is a crappy factory finish...go figure, everything else is top notch, shells, die-cast hoops, etc. I think finishing was the corner Gretsch cut at the time.

The natural wood finish work they do now and since the eighties seems to be great. I recently looked at an eighties USA kit and the finish was gorgeous.

~K

[Jaye]

I dunno...it's baffling, no ?....maybe it was that '70's-Plywood-Kitchen-Cabinet-Door kind of aesthetic which was popular back then (along with the Avocado colored Fridges and Ranges...?)

[M Stephan]

According to Gretsch expert John Sheridan, with whom I've had the pleasure of many conversations and emails, natural maple shells were NOT available on Gretsch drums until the Stop Sign era - except by special order.

Judging by the photos, your shells were "butchered" after they left the factory. Obviously, the real collectable value is gone, so anything you do to them at this point is somewhat moot.

CAUTION: Removing the stain risks sanding thru the outer ply!

However, if you don't get too carried away with sanding, I would recommend a natural finish. Trouble is there maybe to little of the outer ply left at this point, so that even with gentle sanding, you risk sanding into the second ply, and spoiling the shell, more or less.

hope this helps.

Michael

[mcjnic]

Ok. I'm going to ask. Why are you refinishing them? They don't look too bad to me. They look like typical rough Gretsch finish drums of that time. Did I miss it? What's wrong with them that you want to sand away?