|
Close Window When Done
By Ned Ingberman
(Modern Drummer magazine has featured this article
with color photographs in a two-part series in the "Shop Talk" column of the
1995 March and April issues.)
As the momentum of interest in vintage drums grows more and more, so
has the need for knowledge about them. Over the past 7 years, we have
inspected thousands of vintage drums and have developed techniques and
processes on how to do this effectively. We wanted you to benefit from
our experience and have put this system into a written format for you
to use. Please keep in mind that although this article is comprehensive
in its approach, it does not cover every possible inspection point that
exists. It has two parts: an Inspection Checklist and Instructional
Text. The checklist is a step by step format that keeps you organized
and also serves as a record for your inspection findings. The Instructional
Text covers basic information on how to do an inspection. Also, it elaborates
on those points in the inspection checklist that need clarification
and/or instruction. Both of these parts, the checklist and text, are
a complete system and together, will yield the best results. We hope
that this system will not only serve as a tool to guide you through
a successful inspection, but in the course of using it, it will also
give you basic insights into the mechanics of how a drum works, especially
the vintage ones. Before we get started on the actual inspection process
we have outlined some important points about preparation and basic guidelines
and procedures.
PREPARATION
Before you begin an inspection, the following things will be needed:
LIGHT: Sufficient light will be needed so that all aspects of the interior as
well as the exterior of the drum can be seen clearly and easily. Daytime is better than
night-time for inspecting, due to the advantage of having full-spectrum, natural sunlight.
TOOLS: Have the right tools ready in case you need them.
Most of the time your trusty tuning key will be enough. You might also need a screwdriver,
tape measure, and an adjustable crescent wrench. If the drum you are inspecting has a film
of dirt, grit, or light rust, some spray cleaner, paper towels, and superfine (0000) steel
wool may also be needed to test-clean selected areas of the drum. (Test cleaning is
described in more detail in the "Guidelines and Procedures" section.)
PEN & CHECKLIST: With the variety
and number of details to cover in an inspection, a checklist will help
ensure that your inspection is organized and thorough. Also, the information
you gather with the list will be valuable as part of an overall profile
of the drum - whether you want to buy, sell, trade, or just get better
acquainted with a drum in your own collection. Provided is our Vintage
Drum Inspection Checklist. It has been designed to accommodate single
drums as well as sets up to 4 pieces. Please feel free to print and
use it.
GENERAL GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES
Before we proceed to the actual inspection, here are a few important
guidelines and procedures to follow in your overall approach. For best results, we
strongly recommend following these pointers:
- Have Enough Time. Set aside enough time so that you'll be able to do a
thorough and accurate inspection. Frequent interruptions or rushing through the inspection
could greatly effect your accuracy and also result in something important being
overlooked.
- Be Systematic. This means focusing your attention
on only one checkpoint item at a time. Also, if you are inspecting
an entire drum set, inspect only one drum at a time. For example,
while you're inspecting the lug casings of a drum, it's better not
to scan the condition of the finish at the same time. Taking in too
much too fast could end up with hit or miss results. But, if it does
happen that while you're focusing on a particular checkpoint you
happen to notice a potential defect in a different checkpoint area
of the drum, just make a mental or written note of it, then continue
on with your original focus of attention. Later on in your
inspection,when it's time to cover that other checkpoint,
investigate it more deeply. An exception to following this
"checkpoint completion system" is when you're doing an
inspection as a potential buyer/trader.You'll want to detect early
in the inspection process any serious defects that could change your
decision to acquire the drum(s). In this case, you would interrupt
your focus at any point during the inspection process in order to
further investigate a potentially serious problem. One last tip for
prudence's sake: even if a drum appears
to be in "mint" condition, always run it through a complete inspection process!
- Evaluate Four Ways. Inspecting a vintage drum
means evaluating it in 4 ways described below: (Please note: not
every one of these evaluation points will be applicable to all of
the categories in the inspection checklist.)
- Cosmetic--Are there scratches, scuffs,
gouges, stains, defacement or other visual signs of surface wear
and tear? If the drum is dirty, a test clean is needed. Test
cleaning is done for 2 reasons:
To determine what discoloration, stains, or rust,
if any, is permanent.
To remove any film of dirt and grit that could camouflage
corrosion, de-chroming, de-nickeling, pitting, gouges, scuffs,
scratches, or cracks, etc. Removing the film could possibly
uncover defects that would otherwise be hidden from view.
(Please note: spray cleaners usually contain very strong
detergents and should not be used on Ludwig Vistalite drums,
wood finishes, Black Beauties or other lacquered metal drums.)
We recommend using Windex or Meguiar's Plastic Cleaner #17 for
cleaning Vistalites and plastic finishes (available in
automotive supply stores); for wood finishes, Parker's Wood
Finish Creme; and for Black Beauties or other lacquered metal
drums, mild dishwashing soap with water.
- Structural/Functional--Is anything in need of repairs? Are any parts
missing? Are all mechanical parts working properly?
- Originality--Is it in original condition, or has it been modified,
altered or changed in part, or whole by anything non-original? We realize that the
checkpoints for originality might pose a problem to those of you who are newcomers to
vintage drums who might not have the experience needed to determine what is or isn't
original. Our recommendation is to become as familiar with vintage drums as you can -
study the photographs in our catalog, collaborate with other collectors and read
educational literature on the subject.
- Acoustical--Does the drum resonate properly? How is the overall tone
quality?
INSPECTION
SECTION 1
TWO MINUTE OVERVIEW:
Before you start, make sure the drum is fully
assembled. If instead, it is disassembled, there
could be reasons why; such as an out of round shell that does not
allow the head(s) from fitting on, defective, damaged or wrong
hardware that does not align, fit or work properly. (i.e.slipping or
jammed up mounts or snare strainers, stripped threads, non-aligning
parts, etc.) Any one of these problems could prevent the complete
assembly and operation of a drum. So reassembling the drum is in
itself a test to flush out any of the above mentioned problems that
might exist, and is also a prerequisite to the visual and acoustical
inspections that follow.
Visual: This step is necessary only when you do not
own the drum being inspected and are evaluating it for potential purchase or trade.
The purpose of this test is to quickly visually detect the most obvious serious defect, if
any, that could alter your decision to acquire the drum. This could save you time in doing
any further and unnecessary inspecting. Take one minute to scan the entire exterior
surface of the drum, checking for missing or unoriginal parts, damage, defacement, or
excessive wear and tear.
Acoustical: This is a simple and basic test to help
detect minor and potentially major functional problems. If for any reason, this test can
not be done at the beginning of the inspection, be sure it is done at some point before
the inspection is completed.
To begin, first loosen the muffler of the drum (if there is a muffler) to a complete
"off" position--this will enable the head of the drum to resonate freely. Next,
play several quarter notes at a medium volume and tempo, listening carefully to the tone
quality of the drum. Are there bad or dissonant harmonics, lack of body and resonance,
choking, or flatness? If so, these ailments can often be corrected by simply tuning the
heads or replacing one or both of them if they've stretched. Should neither of these
remedies work and/or there is difficulty in tuning the head, this could indicate problems
of a more serious nature; such as defective bearing edges (see Section 3 "Bearing
Edges"), an out of round shell (see Section 4 "Shell and Finish"), or a
badly warped rim (see Section 2 "Rims"). One last word about the acoustical
test, it should not be relied upon alone as a conclusive indicator of the overall
structural or functional integrity of a drum. Regardless of how good a drum sounds, it is
still necessary to give it a thorough inspection. Also, this brief test is not meant to
substitute for an in depth acoustical evaluation. In the context of this article, details
of how to do such an evaluation will not be covered. However, it may be helpful here to
point out a few things that an in depth acoustical evaluation involves, e.g.--
experimentation with differing head types, weights and combinations of different tuning
techniques, different rims, and performance of the drum in a variety of acoustical
environments.
SECTION 2
RIMS:
A badly warped rim can cause
difficulty in tuning the drum, dissonant overtones or lack of
resonance. Check for warpage by placing the rim on a perfectly flat
surface and following the same procedure (excluding the touch test)
used for inspecting bearing edge evenness. (see Section 3
--"Bearing Edges--(Eveness)". Next, check for out of
roundness. Fit a drumhead inside of the rim to see if there is an
equal amount of space between the rim and the entire perimeter of
the head. If there is not, try centering the head to even out the
space. If there is still unevenness, the rim is out of round. Check
also for bent areas. This is done by positioning the rim
directly in front of you, as if holding a steering wheel. With the
top (rim shot) edge of the rim facing you, choose any point on this
edge and align it with your eye level. Starting from this point,
follow the edge in a full circle around the rim, making sure as you
do, to keep at eye level whatever point you're looking at. As you do
this process watch for areas that are bent inward or outward.
SEE SECTION 2 OF THE INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR ADDITIONAL POINTS.
SECTION 3
SHELLS-BEARING EDGES:
Evenness--Evenness
of both bearing edge surfaces is critical in order for the heads of
the drum to make complete and firm contact with the shell. The best
way to verify evenness is first remove the heads and rims. Then
place the drum with the bearing edge resting against a perfectly
flat surface - a plate of glass or a perfectly flat tabletop works
well for this. Slowly rotate the drum from right to left (or visa
versa), watching for space between the bearing edge and the flat
surface it's resting on. (Placing a bright light inside of the drum
will facilitate this.) If a perfectly flat inspection surface is not
available, then position the bearing edge at your eye level. Looking
horizontally across the plane of the bearing edge, slowly rotate the
drum one quarter of a turn left and then right. As you do this,
watch for any high or low spots on the edge. As part of the bearing
edge inspection, it is also recommended to use your sense of touch--
feeling the bearing edge with your fingertips for any unevenness. It
is important to note that a very slight degree of unevenness in the
surface of a bearing edge is not uncommon, and does not usually
effect the performance of a drum to any significant degree.
Cracks, alterations, damage, etc.
- Next, check the edges as well as reinforcement hoops for
delamination and hair line cracks. Also, check for recutting or
evidence of patch up jobs as well as for gouges, nicks, and
dark-gray or blackened areas. These dark areas could mean dry rot of
the wood. Test any suspicious looking spot for softness or
sponginess by applying light pressure to it. Although dry rot is
very uncommon, we have on occasion run into it.
SECTION 4
SHELLS & FINISH:
Out of round and oversized shells -
A small degree of out of roundness in wood shelled vintage drums is
common and acoustically acceptable as long as it does not impair the
proper fit of the drum head. Some snug fitting heads, such as Remo,
will not easily fit many out of round and oversized shells. Other
larger "float-style" heads such as Evans, Aquarian, and
Premier will fit. (Please note: the only Premier head that we are
currently aware of that can be used for this purpose is the 14"
size. It is also the largest oversized head for a 14" drum.)
While some drummers find the use of oversized heads to be a suitable
solution, other drummers don't want their head brand to be limited
by the size and shape of a drum's shell. If you are one of these
drummers, then you will surely want to know if the shell is out of
round or oversized. An out of round or oversized shell is in most
cases, not visually obvious and can go undetected by all but the
most trained eye. Therefore, we recommend using the following
procedure:
The Head Fit Test--As just
mentioned, Remo brand heads fit more snugly and do not easily (or at
all) accommodate out of round or oversized shells. For this reason a
Remo head is an ideal tool to use for this test. The process is
simple: while removing the head from the shell and then placing it
back on to the shell, observe how much force is needed. If the shell
is round and not oversized, the head will go on and off with little
effort. If on the other hand you have to tug, squeeze, push, or
pull, or are unable to get the head back on, then the shell is out
of round or oversized and would require an oversized head. If you
are a drummer who does not want to be limited to using only
oversized heads, then this drum will not suit your needs. However,
if you don't mind having to use oversized heads, then test fit the
drum to confirm that one will fit. Use the same procedure as
previously described. If the oversized head is difficult to get on
or does not fit at all, this means the shell is too out of round to
be compensated for by the head and the shell will need to undergo
professional restoration. (Please note: we have rarely seen cases
where an oversized head did not fit an oversized shell.) For
the remaining checkpoints in this section, we recommend that you first go through all of
the check points focusing only on the exterior of the shell. After having completed all
the points, then go back and do them for the interior of the shell.
Exterior--Check for scratches, scuffs, and gouges.
An effective way to do this is by angling the drum so that the
finish catches the light and reflects it to your eyes. This will
highlight flaws in the finish, and make them easier to detect. For
metal shell drums, also check for dings, dents, rust, and
pitting. Next, check for stains, fading, and discoloration.
Natural wood finish drums showing stained or discolored areas should
be checked for sponginess or softness of the wood. This is done by
applying direct pressure to the area(s) in question. If the shell is
soft or spongy, this indicates weak and deteriorated wood, probably
caused by water, exposure to excessive moisture, or in rare
occasions, dry rot. Next look for evidence
of previous repairs or alterations having been done;
i.e.patched in plastic, wood filler, touched up lacquer, gluing,
extra holes drilled, etc. The next step is to check the finish for air bubbles, ungluing, chips, and cracks.
The latter 3 items most often occur at the seams and edges of the
finish. Cracks found in other areas of the shell and especially at
points bordering the hardware, need to be checked carefully for
softness and sponginess (as described above). Damage such as this is
usually caused by forceful impact which when severe enough, can
penetrate and crack all underlying plies of the shell. Check the
interior of the shell for any evidence of this. Concerning
Ludwig clear Vistalite acrylic shells - cracks can occur
underneath the hardware, and need to be checked by looking from the
inside of the shell outward. Next, check for caved
in or bulged out areas of the shell. This problem is found
more often than not, at the points where the hardware components are
mounted to the shell of the drum. To help spot these areas, turn the
drum so that the head sides of the drum are on your left and right.
Then position the drum so that the top horizontal crest of the
shell's curvature is at eye level. Next, slowly rotate the drum,
keeping your eyes fixed on the crest point. From this angle you will
be able to see any deviations in flatness of the surface of the
shell. Watch especially for lug casings that angle into and/or away
from the shell. This type of shell disfigurement can be due to one
or more reasons - including excessive tightening of tension rods,
exposure to moisture/water, or damage due to forceful impact. Test
any caved or bulged area for softness or sponginess. The next step
is to check
the finish for originality. Signs of a plastic wrap finish
being unoriginal are: imprecise sizing or cutting of the plastic;
unburnished edges; uncured (tacky) glue residue at the seam or
edges; evidence of the nameplate missing or having been removed and
reinstalled; extra holes in the shell that can be seen from the
inside of the shell only; the age of the finish looks much newer
than the rest of the drum; unevenness of the surface of the finish,
(i.e.bumps or depressed spots caused by pieces of the exterior ply
of the shell breaking off when the original finish was removed).
Signs of a lacquer finish being unoriginal are graininess,
inconsistent coloring and or texture, streaking, lumping or other
signs of sloppiness.
INTERIOR As mentioned before, use
the same inspection points as you did for inspecting the exterior of
the shell. In case you see washers that are larger than normal,
remove them to find out if they are covering up widened or extra
holes or other shell damage. One last point, if the internal
bolts,washers, etc., are painted over, it's a telltale sign that the
interior finish of the drum is unoriginal.
SECTION 5
TENSION RODS, (& WASHERS) CLAWS,
CLIPS:
With the exception of inspecting
tension rods for thread damage and bends, the points in this section
(see inspection checklist) are simple to perform, needing no
explanation. A practical time to test the threads of both rods and
lugs and also the straightness of the T-rods, is when you're
removing the heads to inspect the bearing edges--(as mentioned
earlier in this article). Here is how to do these checks: First,
before you begin to loosen the rods, tighten each one slightly
enough to feel the firm even grip of the threads. There should
be no binding or slipping.(Please note: in the case of a small
amount of binding, a drop of oil is sometimes all that is needed.)
After slightly tightening the rods, loosen them and observe again
for binding/slipping. If there is either problem, do a visual check
to see if the rod is bent (if it is, it will wobble as you turn it),
and for stripped or nicked threads (these can sometimes be visually
imperceptible). If you can't detect anything in your visual
inspection, you'll need to go through a process of elimination to
determine the cause of the problem. This is done by installing the
questionable T-rod in a different lug (one that you know is OK) to
see if it still slips or binds. If it does, then you know the
problem is the rod. On the other hand, if the rod functions
normally, then you know that the lug is the problem. Because the
functioning of the rods and lugs are so interrelated, the thread
test for the rods simultaneously accomplishes the same test for the
lugs. If not replaced, binding rods and lugs can damage one another.
A word of caution about bent tension rods--they should be replaced
or repaired before being used again. We have seen many cracked tube
lugs and stripped lug casings due to bent T-rods! SEE section 5 of
INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR ADDITIONAL POINTS.
SECTION 6
LUG CASINGS:
In this section of the inspection
checklist the only point needing any explanation is the one on
defective threads. Please refer to Section 5-- "Tension Rods,
etc",since it has already been covered in that section. SEE
section 6 of INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR ADDITIONAL POINTS.
SECTION 7
INTERIOR HARDWARE:
Inspect all of the metal hardware mounted to the inside of
the drum shell (see inspection checklist for points). Exclude the interior components of
the muffler which are covered in the next section. Previously, we discussed an important
point about oversized washers. If for any reason, you missed this part, please refer back
to it--see Section 4 "Shells and Finish (Interior)".
SECTION 8
MUFFLERS:
As you go through the points in this section (see
inspection checklist), be sure to inspect both inside and outside components of
the muffler. Test the adjustment knob (or arm, if it's an arm-style muffler) to see if the
internal dampening pad engages and disengages fully from the drum head. Also, as
you turn the knob, observe for binding or slipping, and for any wobbling
motion. Although most vintage drums have only one muffler, some have two. In that
case, be sure to check both.
SECTION 9
NAMEPLATE & GROMMET:
If a nameplate has been removed and reinstalled evidence
of this can usually be found on the inside of the shell. Signs of this are a general
chewed up appearance (nicked, cut, bent) to the edge of the grommet or the shell
surrounding the grommet. SEE section 9 of INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR ADDITIONAL POINTS.
SECTION 10
DRUM SET:
An often overlooked inspection point
concerning vintage kits is the compatibility of color on
the exterior finish of the drums. Since most collectors strongly
prefer each individual drum in a set to match reasonably well with
the others, this inspection is an important one. Check all of the
drums in the set to see if there is any difference in the shade of
color from one drum to the other. If the bass rims are the inlay
style, include the strip of inlay in your inspection. Variations in
the shade of color are in most cases due to ultraviolet
discoloration or manufacturer's production variations. Also check
that the interior sealing finish of the shells is the same
color on all the drums, i.e.not a mismatch of white, clear lacquer,
gray, etc.,and that the drums in the set are all from the original group,
i.e.no drums have been added on later. Serial numbers on the drums
should be within a reasonable range if the drums are a matched set -
check for this as well.
SECTION 11
SNARE DRUM--WIRES:
Check for bent or missing strands of wires. Also, if the
entire set of wires is completely missing, it will need to be installed in order to test
the strainer and butt-end in section 12 that follows. Please note: The check for
originality of wires has not been included as part of this checkpoint due to the wide
acceptance of non-original wires by collectors.
SECTION 12
SNARE STRAINER & BUTT-END:
Of all the hardware components on the shell of a snare
drum, the snare strainer gets the most use. For this reason it needs to be inspected with
extra care. First, check the functioning of the strainer by tightening and loosening the
strainer dial all the way in both directions. As you do this observe for binding and
slipping. Also watch for a wobbling motion of the dial (and its connecting shaft). If the
drum has an adjustable style butt-end, test it the same way as the strainer dial. Also be
sure the butt holds firmly at the connection point for the wires. Next, test the strainer
to see if the throw off arm securely locks and completely releases without binding or
slipping. Also, check the snare wires to be sure they completely disengage from the bottom
head when the throw off arm is in the "off" position. Some older model strainers
from the 1920's and earlier have inherent design flaws that do not allow the wires to
completely disengage. In these cases the problem is not due to damage or natural wear and
tear and cannot be remedied, as far as we know, without altering the originality of the
strainer.
SECTION 13
MOUNTS & LINKAGE, LEGS, ETC.
The way to properly test mount and
linkage holding power is to set up the drum(s). All mount nuts,
thumb screws and connecting linkage should tighten securely without
slipping or binding. Further test their holding power by increasing
the bearing pressure on them. Do this by either pushing, pulling,
lifting, pressing, twisting or turning the drum and/or linkage or
leg. Which of these stress tests or combination of them you will use
will be determined by the actual configuration of the mounting
system. SEE section 13 of INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR ADDITION POINTS.
SECTION 14
HEADS: (See Inspection Checklist)
Please note: The check for originality of heads has not
been included as part of this checkpoint due to the wide acceptance of non-original heads
by collectors.
SECTION 15
GENERAL INFORMATION:
We recommend using the following
grading system to summarize the overall condition of the drum or
drumset:
MINT - Looks like brand new, no
evidence of any wear.
EXC/MINT - Excellent to Mint condition. Looks
almost new, shows only slight evidence of usage.
EXC - Excellent. Shows light wear but taken very
good care of.
VG/EXC - Very Good to Excellent . Less than normal
wear.
VG - Very Good. Shows normal amount of wear for
its age.
Gd/VG - Good to Very Good. A little more wear than
usual.
GOOD - Still in decent condition but shows more
than normal amount of wear.
FAIR - Rough condition, but usable.
SECTION 16
COMMENTS:
Use this section of the inspection sheet to record all
pertinent details of your inspection.
ABOUT QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
With our small staff, we realize
that we would be unable to respond to the number of technical
questions our readers might have as a result of this article. After
giving this some thought, we found an ideal solution. For years we
have known Don Walker, a long time collector and player of vintage
drums, and a good friend. Don also owns and operates a drum
restoration/repair business. We asked him if he would be interested
in helping us and he said "Yes!" Don is well qualified to
answer your questions and will be happy to hear from you. Mail a
self-addressed stamped envelope along with your question to:
Don Walker's Custom Drums
13 Exner Place
Longmont, CO 80501
|