This thread is mostly for people who are considering taking on their first vintage drum restoration project. There is a lot you need to know and to think about before taking on such a project. Otherwise, you could lose your shirt on it, get really frustrated and then chances are good that the kit will end up collecting dust in a corner. Money down the drain. If your knowledge of vintage drums is weak or lacking, you might want to consider educating yourself before taking on a vintage drum project. Before anything else, you need a good working knowledge of drums and how they are constructed.
In order to help insure success, you’ll need the following:
1. Basic tool, wood-working and painting/finishing skills:
I was fortunate in that when I was in my 20’s I held down assorted and sundry jobs in order to support my young family. For instance, I worked for a year with a cabinetmaker. On that job I learned basic woodworking skills, how to operate power-tools and shop safety. I also worked for six months with a professional painting outfit. I learned how to prep paint jobs, how to work with different materials and how to properly apply them, all -basic skills- that have made my drum restoration projects successful. If you do not possess 'some' experience working with wood, basic (household,) power tools, metal (hoops) and a little knowledge of painting/finishing, (you don't need to be an expert,) then maybe vintage drum restoration isn’t the best choice for you.
2. Know how to buy:
Choosing a kit worthy of restoration is not as easy as it looks. I’ll just list some things to look for and some things to look out for that will help you to decide whether to buy or pass on any given kit. First, the list of stuff to pass on immediately.
Do Not Buy if any of the following is present:
a. Damaged shells. Cracks, warping, or really bad drilling blowouts in the wood.
b. Drums are Out-of-round: I always have a tape measure in my pocket when I go to look at a potential project kit. Simply measure across the shell at different points along the rim and compare numbers. Any drum shell that is more than 1/8th inch out of round is an immediate Pass/No Sale.
c. Signs of; water damage, mold, mildew, or fungus. Self explanatory, if you see granular black crap, or nasty organic-looking stains growing inside the shell… walk away from the deal at warp speed.
d. Badly incomplete kits: i.e.; too much missing hardware, lugs, hoops, mounts etc.
e. Drums are ‘missing’ from the set: Sometimes you can get away with buying a partial kit if it’s rare enough. However, finding matching floor toms or snare drums can end up being expensive and more often than not, it takes forever to find the missing drum in the first place. When it comes to project kits, I want them to be ‘all there’ in terms of components at time of purchase.
f. Too many holes! Some holes, ok, they can be filled, but too many holes and the value and integrity of the shell has been compromised. Pass if there are just -way too many- holes in any shells.
When to buy/pull the trigger
a. If the kit is ‘all there:’ If all of the drums ‘are there’ at time of purchase, and the drums themselves are ‘sound’ then it’s well worth considering for your project.
b. The price is ‘right’: Intuition will tell you this bullet point should be ‘a’ on the list, but if the prospective project kit is incomplete, you won’t make it to this step! Right price is such an individual, case by case basis issue that I will not elaborate on it here. Just as a rule of thumb, and to help you gauge the price you should pay, you do not want to pay more than a 1/3 rd. to ½ the price of a good (equivalent brand and era) player kit, for your project kit.
c. The parts are all, or mostly there: This is key when trying to figure out final cost. Parts, especially vintage parts, can be very hard to find and expensive. Example: If the project kit costs say, $350. for four drums; snare, rack tom, floor tom and bass drum. There are several lugs or mount parts missing that will cost you another $250. Because it is a project kit, it’ll likely need to be rewrapped, another $250. in wrap alone and that price only applies if you wrap the drums yourself. We’re already up to $850 and we haven’t figured in a new set of heads all around and maybe a pedal and some stands to compliment the drums. We’re at $1000. And… it didn’t take a lot to get us here. If a player grade kit from the same company and era of manufacture sells for $700. to $850. at ebay, then you’re much better off waiting for a nice player to come along. If you ‘must have’ the prospective project kit, then you need to know that although it will be a great ‘keeper’, you’ll never in a million years recoup your investment on a resale. That said, refurbished project kits are the best, you can gig them worry-free and have a great sounding set of drums to play.
d. The work needed to put the drums ‘right’ is do-able: Don’t allow things like; loose re-rings, or wrap that is lifted at the seam, stop you from buying the kit. It is the repair of precisely these kinds of ‘age issues’ that fixing up an old kit is all about. The proper fixing/correction of such issues is where you derive the most satisfaction and sense of accomplishment from ‘a job well-done’ at the end of the project. Plus, you get ‘bragging rights’ if you do a good job.
Really, the most important thing to remember is simply to use your own common sense and better judgments when considering a kit for a restoration project. I’ve been restoring, refurbishing and customizing drum kits for 25 years. It has been fun, gratifying work and even ‘at times’ lucrative. Money is not why I do it though. I do it because I –love- doing it. I love drums and I love playing great sounding drums.
If you can add, then you can figure out how much the final cost of your project kit will be. Be sure to run the numbers though before plunking down a penny on a kit that needs work. If you’re not certain, then use ebay to look up the prices things like vintage parts have sold for recently. After you have those numbers in hand… do the math! If it’s a good deal and a do-able project, go for it.
I hope some of the guys who have experience with restoring vintage kits will chime in on this post and add their comments and helpful hints. Mostly, I hope the thread helps some guys who may have been considering doing a project kit to be better prepared. Like I said, it’s a fun and very gratifying hobby/pass-time.
The floor is open for your input gentlemen…
John
