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Easy and inexpensive way to keep Supras from de-tuning-or any other drum

Posts: 1685 Threads: 529

Greetings,

As has been reported, vintage Ludwig Supraphonics have been known to have tension rod de-tuning issues. Mine is certainly one of them. After examining all of the lug lock and de-tuning prevention devices out there, I came up with my own, and I think it's the simplest and most affordable way of doing it. I'm almost wondering why no one came up with this before (or why it's not more widely known or practiced).

Standard tension rods on nearly every drum is 12/24" thread. The only exceptions are some vintage European drums, or any DW/PDP drum. Anyway, I thought, why not just get a regular hex nut to lock down the tension rod?

I ordered a bag of 12-24" threaded nuts and a bag of #12 washers from boltdepot.com for less than $10. Here is the process I followed:

1. Remove the tension rod from the lug

2. Place the tension rod through the hoop (but not into the threaded insert) and thread on the 12-24" nut and get it started. Then slide a washer on to the end of the tension rod, and then thread it into the insert like normal.

3. When the drum is tensioned to your liking, hold the tension rod firmly with a drum key (but don't turn it) and give the nut a quick tighten with pliers or an wrench.

I'm doing some recording this weekend, so we'll see how effective it is. I imagine this will work well, because they are now very snug. I'm not sure I even need the washer below the nut, but I thought it would help keep it in place and save any possible damage to the threaded insert. I thought about possibly getting "reversed" or "left handed" threaded nuts to really make them "locking", but I think these will work just fine. Nylon inserts "lock" nuts would have been too difficult to manage, and may wear out over time.

I just wanted to share this idea with everyone. I'll report back after a full weekend of hitting it!

V

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Posted on 7 years ago
#1
Posts: 6432 Threads: 290

Great idea! Let us know how it works, all thought I cant see why it wouldn't.


Thank you!
Jeff C

"Enjoy every sandwich" Warren Zevon
Posted on 7 years ago
#2
Posts: 629 Threads: 45

Great idea. The badge is a 1st generation blue/olive. Does it have a date stamp?

Posted on 7 years ago
#3
Posts: 262 Threads: 52

Ludwig used to sell a nice (in my opinion) lock, they were knurled discs.

Whenever you use a tool to tighten drum stuff you have to be very careful, it's waaaay too easy to over-tighten things.

Posted on 7 years ago
#4
Posts: 1685 Threads: 529

From Mo Tonkie

Great idea. The badge is a 1st generation blue/olive. Does it have a date stamp?

It does, but it is smeared. All I can make out is "June". I have been informed, by some of you nice folks here on this forum, that a pointy B/O badge with no serial number should put it around 1970.

Posted on 7 years ago
#5
Posts: 1685 Threads: 529

From frantic freddie

Whenever you use a tool to tighten drum stuff you have to be very careful, it's waaaay too easy to over-tighten things.

I know. I am very careful. I just give it a little tug to keep it from sneaking loose.

Posted on 7 years ago
#6
Posts: 3467 Threads: 116

It will work fine but that hex nut needs to be only little more than finger tight.

I used a hex nut on my Dyna-sonic for around 10 years.

Only on the one lug though (where my left hand stick would hit the rim) .. It always would work loose until I tried out the hex nut idea.. and it did hold fast.

Cheers

John

(and I did not use the lower washer)

'77 Slingerland 51N,Super Rock 24,18,14,13.. COW 8,10 Concert toms
'69 Slingerland Hollywood Ace
'75 Rogers Dynasonic 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'77-78 Slingerland 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'78-79 Slingerland 5 1/4 x14 8 lug COB
'79 Biman 5 1/4, Acrolite
'82 Slingerland 5 1/4 x 14. Festival COS
'84 Tama MasterCraft Superstar 6.5 x 14, 10 lug Rosewood
'98 Slingerland (Music YO) 6" 10 Lug Maple.. NOS
Zildjian, Sabian , UFIP & Paiste mix.
Posted on 7 years ago
#7
Posts: 1880 Threads: 292

Ha ! I did the same thing a couple of years ago, and it worked great !Yes Sir Although i find that the only rod that was getting out of tune was the spot where my stick landed on the rim, which was the 3rd bottom lug from the left. So i just left that single one on, and removed the rest. unnecessary extra weight, and they do eventually get kinda loose, so i thought that one was enough.

Posted on 7 years ago
#8
Posts: 811 Threads: 9

The "tension rod locknuts" are still shown in the Ludwig Parts catalog (P-2429-1), however it doesn't mean they are still available. They used to come on the Coliseum back in the day, and the replacement part was packaged as a set of 12.

Posted on 7 years ago
#9
Posts: 518 Threads: 70

Some Rogers drums used to come standard with knurled locking nuts, see this pic:

[IMG]https://images.reverb.com/image/upload/s--FtJSX1lM--/a_exif,c_limit,e_unsharp_mask:80,f_auto,fl_progressive,g_south,h_620,q_90,w_620/v1486395439/tcwrefxpikgenbcuqyvf.jpg[/IMG]

I wonder if weight issues or the slowing down of the tuning/head-changing process had more to do with the limited success of the approach?

12/14/20 Mahogany INDe Bop Cocktail Hybrid

Late 50s Black Nitron 3 Ply Gretsch 13/16/20 w/ Max Roach Snare
Posted on 7 years ago
#10
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