I posted a similar question several months back.

Having started my own restoration I am thinking part of the answer is in the marketplace.

For example, if you find an uncirculated MS-66 Morgan silver dollar that has never been touched, you don't take it out to the shop and put a buffing wheel to it unless you want to lose the collectible value (and you are nuts).

Custom car "restorers" can rip just about everything out of an old car and start over because that is what some collectors value. Beat up old cars don't bring much these days unless someone does a custom restore on them.

If you want to maintain a vintage set in a scratched up and dented condition with no thought of the set's market value, then you leave the set alone. If collectors want all the scratches, nicks, dents, and whathaveyou's then the value of set would best be maintained by doing nothing except cleaning.

Personally, I like to see the chrome glisten, the finish shine, and the set to be in as original condition as possible without all the blemishes. Conversely, I do tend to salivate at some of the recovers and restores.

From looking on ebay, it looks like some collectors go both ways on this issue of restoration. In some cases, it looks like collectors are buying the heavily blemished stuff but I am wondering if they intend to restore. In other cases, I see rather hefty prices paid for recovers and restores already done. I am surprised by the upward prices of the restores and recovers. In this case, vintage value looks like maybe it comes from eye appeal and vintage sound rather than from just the vintage sound alone.

That's a great response!

I watch The Antiques Roadshow and when it comes to old wood furniture, it's a big no-no to refinish anything. With brass stuff, it's the patina that can only be gained through time that becomes part of the value.

You're right....with vintage cars it's another story.Chewie:

It's also the way that an object is to be used. When it comes to drums, some are for display. I remember there was a champagne sparkle Rogers set that came up fpr sale one time. Apparently, it had been ordered by someone who just wanted a nice looking kit to display as decoration and had never even been touched from that time onward. There wasn't even a scuff on any of the heads where someone, out of curiosity, might have tapped.

What is one to do about something like that? Should the original heads be taken off (even though they probably left the factory that way and have remained untouched ever since) and the drums played? Should they continue to be for display only, because of their exceptional condition and thus their rareness? If you take the Antiques Roadshow stance on things then you don't touch them. It would be like breaking the ancient seal or something.flower

I have mixed feelings about restoring some drums because in some cases the scratches are like "beauty marks". They might be interpreted as scars of battle and especially so if they come from a set of drums that has been played by a well-known "celebrity" drummer. I wouldn't fix up a kit that was all scratched and beat up if I knew it used to belong to Baby Dodds! Those scratches, etc. can in some cases, be considered as a patina.

If someone were to uncover an old Billy Gladstone snare drum somewhere and it was all intact except that most of the original paint had flaked off it, would it be advisable to take it to a paint shop and have it re-painted?

See what I mean? These are the dilemmas of collecting and/or restoring!

Let?s test how all these different considerations works in a specific case:

In this misserable picture you see a 1962 Ludwig kit, sizes 13", 16", 20" and 14" x 5" (probably) Supraphonic 400.

- Restore or not?

If you leave a drum sit there with no preventive maintnence long enough you will be in the restoration phase. Lugs sieze, wood molds because of moisture in the air, etc etc etc. When a drum gets in bad enough shape it only make sense to restore it kind of like a car. Im not saying when the WMP gets to be yellow rewrap it. Im saying that if the drum is falling apart sometimes you just need to do it. I personaly would love to have a all original set with no mods or changes done to over a restore. But I have no problem playing a restored set.

The problem I have most is those that take a restored kit or a pieced together set and call it original. Or the "Ringo Kit" makers out there on ebay that put together sometimes not even all the same shells rewrap them and call them a ringo kit.

Ok first the evaluation.

Looks like original hoops all around.

Looks like all original heads gone.

Looks like original wrap.

Looks like drum originally had a rail consolette.

At first blush, shells look solid.

Not a barn find.

I would...

Clean and remove stickers from the wrap.

Glue any lifting in wrap. Glue any separation in the shells.

Clean plating.

Re-head.

Install original rail consolette and tom mount if missing.

Consider vintage pure sound wires for the Supra....fix repair any mechanical issues with the snare mechanism.

Play.

Is that a resto?.....guess it depends on your definition.

I would not....

recut edges

rechrome/replate

or rewrap based on what I see there.

I would rather have original than perfect in this case.

If wrap, plating or edges were totally screwed then....different story.

To me if any one of these were needed....we're talking restoration and no longer can the drums be considered original.

Is this a trick question? Was it owned by a famous drummer?

Yeah, I would cean it up for sure!

How about this scenario:

You have two 60's era kits in completely original condition. One of them is a 22/13/16 (Super Classic) and the other one is a 20/12/14 (Downbeat). The Super Classic is mint-immaculate condition. The Downbeat is in excellent condition, too...but has a few minor scratches here and there.

Would it be reasonable to trade the better-condition, unscratched lugs from the Super Classic to the Downbeat -since the Downbeat is currently the more valuable configuration? Or, would it be better to keep them in their original state?

Mister T

Hmmmm trick question.....

I don't see a problem unless you mislead someone and advertise it as an original unmolested set. On the other hand....nobody might ever notice.

Let your conscience be your guide.

No Sir, it?s not a trick questian.

The kit belongs to an old - unfamous - jazdrummer, who just stopped playng because of some hesrt trouble.

I?m just trying to help him get a fair price.

The reason why I bring it up in this forum, is that i?m in doubt if it will increase the value if i shine it up.

Yours Carsten M

For example I?d like to restore the bassdrum hoops --- would that be considerred a plus, or a minus??

By the way, if you have any idea of a realistic price for such a kit, please tell me.

Yours Carsten M