I have bought several vintage snares lately and have noticed that really none of them when laid on a known flat surface with the head off are flat, some have a 1/16 gap in places some have 3/16 in places. Just wondering what is the norm for mid 60's drums as far as flatness goes?
If you received a drum after purchasing it, how far out would it have to be for you to say something about it. Or was this the norm for the day? Buy the way these are all nice looking drums with no structural damage.
It's kind of expected that these drums aren't perfect--that's what gives them their individual "character". Unless the seller specified that the particular drum you were buying was completely flat and true (which would be pretty rare), there is no reason to seek your money back. This goes with the territory. Some vintage drums/cymbals are complete dogs. A "factory perfect NOS" drum won't be a perfect drum by today's precision-machined standards...
ludwig26
Is this true of both top and bottom for the snares you own?
I have to pretty much agree with what is posted above. The older the drum, the more out of spec it is likely to be. 1/16th is acceptable to me, anything more where I take it to the slab to flatten it out and retouch the edges. I have the tools to bring it to flat and matching bearing edges isn't a big deal with a good router table and the right bits.
As long as you can get the sound you want out of it, I would leave it. If you can't, time to play wood shop.
The one I am most concerned about, the top is out in places around 3/16 of an inch on just the top, the bottom is not bad at all. Understand I am not complaining I am just trying to find out what was the norm for these drums. The snare I gig with most is an early 60's student model Slingerland and I have never checked it. It feels great to play and sounds good to. I did a search on the forum and did not find too much on the subject so I'm thinking not many people worry about it. If the bottom is better than the top and the drum is not damaged, wich it is not, they must have just been this way new.
You were probably going to own just one. Two, at the most.
Expectations, you would LEARN to tune.
If you couldnt, you got rid of it.
I have to pretty much agree with what is posted above. The older the drum, the more out of spec it is likely to be. 1/16th is acceptable to me, anything more where I take it to the slab to flatten it out and retouch the edges. I have the tools to bring it to flat and matching bearing edges isn't a big deal with a good router table and the right bits. As long as you can get the sound you want out of it, I would leave it. If you can't, time to play wood shop.
I don't mess with edges on American vintage snares and/or other drums. If it is something I can't live with, I sell it and buy another. Far too few unadulterated vintage drums are left to this world and I for one won't go so far as to alter any more drums. Someone will like the drum and I can always find another one. Wood shop time kills value for vintage drums.
Yeah I wont mess with the edges, they tune up nice and I love there sound. I have not been in the vintage game long and the only way to learn is ask questions, buy drums and ask more questions. This forum is a treasure trove of knowledge.
Yeah I wont mess with the edges, they tune up nice and I love there sound. I have not been in the vintage game long and the only way to learn is ask questions, buy drums and ask more questions. This forum is a treasure trove of knowledge.
Yep, I have to beat the snare side head onto my 40s radio king....
Outta round, but sounds great !!!!
I think I need to clear up something about my earlier post.
I would never "mess" with any vintage drum.
If you flatten out a wobbly edge and MATCH the existing bearing edge to make the drum function as it should, that is restoration.
Would I touch the edges on a collector grade kit? Very unlikely unless I was specifically asked to do so. If it was unnecessary I would try to talk the client out of it.
HOWEVER, taking a player's drum and making it function as new, using the correct factory parts will only affect the value negligibly, if at all.
Are you saying an original drum with messed up edges is worth more than a fully functioning clean drum with minimal restoration to the edges?
Maybe to a museum, not to a drummer.
