So my new (1920's) Universal snare has dents in the shell. One at the strainer and one at the butt. No huge surprise. Seems like these old metal drums all have these dents.

I suspect that the dents are affecting the sound of the snare though so I'm thinking of finding a way to get them fixed. I also think one of the dents has brought the snare side out of round as the bottom head fits very tightly.

So, for you guys with experience in this kind of thing: 1. Am I crazy or might the dents be affecting the sound? 2. Any tips on getting dents repaired in a metal shell? I'd try to do it myself with a rubber mallet but the dents are kind of up under the bearing edge so it's tricky. I'm in the Boston area so if anyone has a specific craftsman to recommend in this area, that'd be great.

Here's a pic of the strainer-side dent: [img]http://www.freeimagehosting.net/t/lsgus.jpg[/img]

Thanks,

John