Wow. Boy are you opening up a boxing ring.

My take...

If the wrap is done professionally, there is no sound difference.

Now, prepare for the fights. Some are passionate in thier conviction. They are convinced one way or the other.

I agree. If the wrap job is done correctly, it should be fine.

For one thing, the outer diameter of the shell increases with a wrap and (unless you really put on a million layers of lacquer) a lacquered shell would likely "float" the head a little bit better, in that, it would have a comparatively smaller outer diameter than a wrapped shell. Some vintage shells from certain eras were made, raw, to the prescribed diameter and then when the wrap was added, the outer diameter increased enough to make fitting some brands of drumheads more difficult.

I think lacquer is a fussy finish to keep scratch-free. I MUCH prefer wrapped drums for "working" drums. Lacquer drums are gorgeous, but I keep mine in my home studio -only!

:2Cents:

it would be to much trouble, let me know where the set is and I will take care of them....hahaha.......wish you luck in what ever you decide.

1) He has already stated "the drums have a destroyed wrap", so rewrapping is not going to affect the fitting of heads, unless you go to a thicker replacement wrap. And since the original is already a mess, how much can it really depreciate the value? Ludwigs will be more affected by the rewrap because of the way the wrap is roled into the plies, but if it trashed, it is trashed. Old wrap gotta go.

2) A good, professional job is going to be expensive, but likely will not, in the long run, keep them from appreciating, if the job is done with skill.

3) I agree that a lacquer job is gorgeous, yet it is very hard to tote about and keep in good shape, unless you aren't concerned about the pitfalls of knocking about. Keep those cases close at hand....

4) See number one. The original is destroyed, so why would anyone think this particular kit will be de-valued by re-wrapping? A kit with torn up wrap is not going to be worth much anyway, so the purists have no leg-mounts to stand on in this ring....Hurting

thanks for the replies!

i am not really bothered with originality/value

i am only considering the sound.

thanks

If done right, no diff. For the record...if the drums you manage to take in were at first lacquered, you may have an issue with wrapping them. I've learned from this forum (and stubbornly by my own experience) that SOME drums are built with a larger circumference when a wrap was not used. At times, you won't have a choice. It's not all makes and not all drums, but they are out there, and when you get one, it will bite you. ...and it hurts.

Ultimately, head choice, bearing edges and tuning all have more effect than a thin layer of wrap, but wrap and glue have different acoustical/resonant properties than wood, and adding these materials changes the mass, resonance and sustain of the shell. The amount of tonal change perceived can be minimal, but it is at least slightly different. I would really like to hear precisely done recordings of a bare shell and the same shell then wrapped, both tap tone and tuned exactly the same with the same hardware and heads. If I ever have a shell with wrap I am going to remove, I'll do such a comparison, but for now, I don't have any shells in need of wrap removal.

If the wrap is destroyed then the sound of change dropping on the table when you eventually sell it, will be more satisfying to you.

If the wrap was good, then the sound of change dropping on the table when you eventually sell it, will leave you with regrets, and you shall lay awake at night fearing the wrath of ..... The Drum Gods.

If it is a good rewrap, you wont change the sound. If it is a bad rewrap, the sound might be the least thing you change.

I've read that the wrapping method you choose makes a big difference. The people at Precision Drum Company are contact cement devotees: they claim it bonds the wrap to the shell, allowing everything to vibrate freely. By contrast, they argue that hi-bond tape doesn't bond the wrap to the shell; instead, it smothers the shell and cuts down on the resonance. I don't know if that's true, but I use contact cement anyway -- it's easy, and it creates a serious bond.

I've never tried tape, so I can't say how true the Precision argument is.