Yeah, trouble is, what if you have a players kit, or a nice old MIJ kit that isn't worth the cost of a proper re-wrap? That stuff is expensive, and even a nicely re-wrapped vintage kit isn't worth nearly what the original would be. I've yet to be able to justify this expense myself. I have tried the Sparkle brite and it can look sharp, but is not easy to work with, nor durable as far as wear and tear, and of course there is the buckling issue. I for one, would welcome any suggestions for alternative, less expensive re-wrap options. Anyone?
I am going to try using Sparkel Vinyl from Mendel's on a project kit that fits a similar circumstance. That is, of course, if I ever have time to finish them!
http://www.mendels.com/fabrics12.shtml
This is the vinyl that would be used for retro bar stools, tuck and roll applications like Kustom or Plush amps, that sort of thing. They will send you samples for free and the ones I received looked really good. It is more subtle than the type of "flash" you would get from a glass glitter as the flakes are very small, but it looks good.
There is a thread over on the Pearl Forum about a guy using it to restore a Pear Export kit. He has LOTS of suggestions about dealing with it. I certainly would not consider this for a quality kit, but in situations where spending $200+ on wrap is not justifiable, you should give this a shot. I did some calculations at one point and I seem to recall a standard 4 piece kit would cost around $45 in this material. One thing is for sure; you would not have the double seams on drums over 18".
Good luck!
