Looks like an easy fix. Butt side is fine. Just remove that plate from the bottom of the strainer. get some 14" wires and there should be lots of holes on the bottom of the strainer to tie the wires on to.

David

I tried removing that plate and it turns out its basically riveted in there. I tried ripping it off but its connected on both sides with pieces that are wider than the hole they originally went through. I don't know why in the world the guy before me would have basically installed it permanently. My friend mentioned grinding down the rivets on the back side but I wonder if there is anything else that would work? Has anyone seen anything like this?

http://www.filepub.com/public/view/full/7832

http://www.filepub.com/public/view/full/7833

Wow.. somebody was serious about keeping the plate on there. Well.. you could drill the rivets out on a drill press... or use a hand drill.. if you do drill it yourself be very VERY careful that it doesn't spin on you when the bit starts to cut or the band might be looking for a drummer whose fingers are in one piece.

You'll need to clamp it... I would clamp it in a vise on either end of that add on bar that way you don't put any pressure on the orginal throw-off.

Somebody out there in a shop that does any kind of metal working could take that off for you in a minute..using the correct set up to do it.. pull out the phone book and let a pro take it off.. looks like a semi-pro put it on.

Hmmm that's wild!!

Get a carbon steel drill bit that corresponds to the size of the holes in the actual throwoff foot and carefully (in a drill press if you have access to one) drill out the riveted pieces. It's the safest and cleanest way, in my opinion. Even a hand drill would work fine -just be careful and work slowly with a sharp new bit.

I have never seen that before and I imagine it was some kind of creative act -maybe to facilitate a wider snare wire set...? I really couldn't say for sure.

Jim,

I guess we both concluded the same thing at about the same time. You beat me this time! ;)

Sir... I considered your affirmation a great compliment.Yes Sir

Thanks a lot for all of the help guys, what a strange set up indeed. Fortunately, this friend of mine, his father is a pretty good handy man with a good set of tools so I'll probably get him to help me out the way you all directed.

The set of snares that were on the snare that came with it were really weird and screwed through all of those holes on those chromed chunks of metal I posted earlier. They were those thick straight snares that honestly, sounded terrible. Makes me start to wonder if he jacked around with anything else on the snare... It's a 68 and it has the circular piece of metal that tightens the muffler is that correct?

Once again thanks guys.

I would guess the rotary style knob is correct for the drum. '68 was kind of a "crossover" year.

I can't explain the snare experiment other than to say that some people "got ideas"! ;)