BLACK VISTALITE BASS DRUM FINISHED

I have finished restoring my Ludwig 22-inch Black Vistalite bass drum that I purchased on Ebay from a guy in Alabama.  This thing is now clearly a thing of beauty.  The chrome sparkles and pops, the acrylic shell is smooth and shiny, and a brand new head bearing the Ludwig logo completes this tedious but satisfying process.

Not really noticeable in the photographs are the little details that were part of this project: tension rod washers that were missing, numerous scuff marks on the wooden hoops that required repainting, and rotted-out rubber caps on the spurs that were replaced with new ones.

On the kick side I have chosen an Evans EMAD drumhead.  I like these Evans heads because the muffling/dampening apparatus is all contained on the outside of the head (thus the acronym for "Externally Mounted Adjustable Dampening").  This allows me to leave the inside of the drum empty and still produce an awesome bass drum boom.  The "adjustable" dampening ring is actually two foam pieces, one of which can be removed or replaced without taking the drum apart, so increasing or decreasing the amount of muffling is relatively easy.

I'm big on appearances, so I can't stand the sight of a raggedy pillow or filthy foam stuffed inside a drum.  And don't get me started on duct tape, felt strips, old blankets or other horrible things people stick all over or shove into their drums to muffle them up.  These Evans heads are a much better way to go to acheive a good sound and maintain a nice, clean look.

Well now that the bass drum is done, I can start on the floor tom.....