Both, stripping will get all the paint off without having to be so gentle, but then you need to sand the binding pigment that soaks into the wood. Time is the key,...you will need some.

Hey that's a nice project you have there just the kind that I love. Get yourself some paint stripper and go to it, sanding you will take a chance of sanding too much of the veneer off.

Good luck and please post some pictures of your progress.

One day i got really tired of stripped hardware, so i went out and got myself a tap and die kit for about $100. I tap all the hardware myself when needed in under 2 minutes. It saves sooo much time and frustration plus you save $$$$$ while keeping the original parts on the drum.

Thanks guys. Any recommendations on what kind of strip to use and how to do it most effectively?

Essentially what I want to do is get these down to the original maple, then stain them a darker mahogany color. I wondered if a liquid stripper would discolor the shells? I was going to sand, but I am worried about taking off too much wood.

You could always just wrap them. That's what I did with my rocker kit.

They look lovely! Unfortunately I'm not looking to spend any big money refinishing these - it will be a player's kit with no badges (well, I might make some of my own custom badges), and the cheapest I've ever found decent drum wrap (real drum wrap, not the ebay sparkle stuff or the upholstery vinyl) it's at least $300-$400 to buy enough to wrap a kit. I'm hoping to get by with a more natural finish.

The wrap I used is very cost effective. It's call vinyl fabric. Only thing is, there isn't a clear coat or protective coating over the glitter. It's still pretty durable though.

Here is a how to video I did as well: [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1HBiJJjZ6c"]How to Wrap Drums the Cheap and Easy Way - Step by Step - Wrapping Drum Shells - YouTube[/ame]

Nice kit you have there.. I have 2 thirds of the same drums and they sound great. When i got them they were wrapped in white cortex that had turned cream yellow over the years, so that had to go. When i sanded the shell i used 220 grit, sanding very lightly towards the direction of the grain. When you see the bare shells, you will notice they are "patched" with an extra maple veneer piece to hide the imperfections that the Rockers/II were known for having. When i finished sanding the shell, I had to continue only on the patch itself, because it protrudes slightly than the rest of the ply, as it would have looked uneven with the rest of the shell, and it doesn't make for a nice paint or stain job. I'd recommend wrapping them after sanding. Here's a pic of my kit, with an extra orphaned Classic Maple tom from the early 80's, either the last of the Chicago, or first of the Monroe badge, i can't be too sure. Funny thing is, i'm actually selling them and have a potential buyer who's coming to check them out today ! I'm downsizing and can't take it with me to my new condo. It was either that kit, or my Yamaha Tour (8000) series in natural finish. I went with the kit which suits my current musical situation. As much as i hate to admit it, the Yamaha blows my Ludwig out of the water, but i somehow think i may end up having buyer's remorse.crying2-07. The wrap i used was from a local company that wrapped exclusively for a few of Ringo Starr's Ludwig kits. Mine has the same wrap as his from his 2011 studio kit..

Here are a few pics of my kit, and Ringo's..Good luck with the resto project and keep us posted !

Cheers,

Rob

I recommend 5F5, it is water soluble, no too much fumes, and easy clean up.