#USED VINTAGE DRUM SETS HOW TO#
#USED VINTAGE DRUM SETS SERIES#

I prefer a diaper as it is less likely to scratch it.вЂќДrum restorer Jeremy Peake uses Mr Sheen, which is also a degreaser, for lacquered and wrap finishes. I spray the Pledge onto a diaper and then apply that to the surface to clean the shell. Tom Willhelm (Daniel AdairвЂ™s tech), agrees: вЂњI use Pledge furniture polish on both lacquer and wrapped shells. The most popular products with our experts are car wax, Windex, Mr Sheen and Pledge furniture polish. What do our experts use? Shells, continued. For most drummers with relatively new/modern drums, simply buffing with a soft cloth will work wonders, maybe with the addition of a mild cleaner/polisher. It should also be noted that there are many drummers who avoid using any cleaning products unless absolutely necessary. A popular alternative is nappies as theyвЂ™re made to be ultra-soft. Semi-synthetic fabrics with nylon, polyester, etc, can scratch a glassy smooth lacquered finish. The cloth used for cleaning shells and chrome should be as soft as possible so as not to scratch the surface (eg: a cotton T-shirt). Then use a wax-free polish to buff up, whether itвЂ™s a wrap or lacquer finish, and wipe off any residue.вЂќ вЂњWhenever using a liquid always do a test area in case it reacts. You can also use T-Cut on a lacquer finish, itвЂ™s not as vicious as people make out, but always do a test bit hidden away somewhere, opposite the badge say, at the back usually under a lug or mounting bracket that has been taken off. вЂњSome people say only ever put it onto the cloth, but I sometimes put it straight onto the wrap. On a wrap, T-Cut wonвЂ™t take the top layer off because itвЂ™s plastic, so it is quite safe. Yard: вЂњIf the shell has a wrap and is in poor condition IвЂ™ll give it a bit of T-Cut to start with to clean some of the grime off. T-Cut applied to cloth is carefully used to restore a wrapped shell. Here I use an old baked bean tin (clean it out first) - a bit of recycling! Write the name on the can with a Sharpie pen: вЂLudwig 13x9-inch tom, Silver Sparkle.вЂ™ Now you know everything is safe.вЂќ Prev of 10 Next Prev of 10 Next I use a cordless drill in reverse to take off the lugs - 6mm metric on modern drums or 1вЃ„4-inch bit for vintage drums. вЂњTo clean a drum right up we would normally take the drum completely to pieces. Check the inside to make sure there are no cracks. вЂњIf the interior is painted you can wipe it with a slightly damp cloth and cleaning agent. The drum may have quite a bit of dust and fluff inside and on the bearing edges which can be simply brushed off with a soft paint brush. вЂњI use it because itвЂ™s easier than a small key,вЂќ he says. To take off the heads, Yard uses a marching drum key, which has a long lever. Use a cordless drill to take off the lugs. Prev of 10 Next Prev of 10 NextД¬lockwise from top left: 1. But you can follow the same procedure with any age of drum - and a newer drum most likely wonвЂ™t need the more abrasive treatments. We got the man himself to show us how he goes about thoroughly cleaning up a single drum, and since YardвЂ™s stock is mostly vintage, the drum in question is a 1970s 13x9-inch Ludwig tom.Д«eing old, this drum required some pretty heavy-duty cleaning. Rhythm visited the workshop of Yard Gavrilovic who, as well as being Steve GaddвЂ™s long-serving tech, runs Vintage DrumYard in Clacton-On-Sea, Essex, where he restores, supplies and customises drum equipment. ItвЂ™s easy these days to take photographs, so if you have any worries about the way something is put together, keep a pictorial record. Best keep them in a labelled container, perhaps with a lid. If you remove the nut boxes (lugs) then you must take care not to lose any tiny parts. In this first part, weвЂ™ll begin with the drums.

#USED VINTAGE DRUM SETS SERIES#

We are not concerned here with restoration of your drums - that will follow in a future series of articles in Rhythm.

#USED VINTAGE DRUM SETS HOW TO#

In this series from Rhythm Magazine we will be looking at how to maintain and clean your drums, your cymbals and your hardware. This will certainly involve removing the heads and you may bravely go all the way, removing the lugs in order to get your shells and chromed parts as clean as new. Then weвЂ™ll drag our drums into the kitchen or the shed and give them a proper вЂMOTвЂ™. And for most of us an occasional wipe-over with a clean cloth is all thatвЂ™s needed for day-to-day maintenance.Д®very now and then, though - maybe once a year - we feel our kit needs some serious TLC.

Some drummers like to keep their kit in sparkling condition at all times others prefer the funkier approach, preferring to leave well alone, particularly their cymbals. It does, though, consist of hundreds of small items, each of which you need to keep an eye on and maintain properly functioning and squeak-free. Your acoustic drum kit is a pretty straightforward instrument.

Used vintage drum sets