HERE IS ONE SNARE I DID NOT BUY

From the looks of all the snare drums that I buy and clean up, one might think that I simply snatch up everything that goes up for auction on Ebay.  This is not actually true.  I usually am fairly picky with what drums I select to purchase and restore.  Today's post will feature one particular snare drum that I did not buy so that I may demonstrate what I look for when examining a possible candidate for restoration.

Here is a typical auction photo carrying the headline "VINTAGE JAPANESE SNARE DRUM" or something very similar.  I stop to look, especially if the price is under $100.  Initially I see an average-looking, blue-sparkle, 5x14" wood snare.  After checking to make sure they haven't over-padded the shipping cost to compensate for the low selling price, I start going through the additional photos the seller has provided.  If there are no other photos, I know I am taking a terrible risk buying what I cannot see, so further interest in the item is unlikely.

Here the seller gives me an inside view of the drum.  "What a dumb picture!" one might think, but this is actually very helpful.  Here I can see the vertically-striped pattern of the wood grain, which immediately informs me that this is indeed a vintage Japanese snare drum constructed out of thin, Luan wood.

The next photo gives me a close-up view of one of the lugs.  Hmmmm, nice.  From this single image I can deduce several things.  This is a "stencil drum" fashioned to look like a Slingerland.  The chrome on the lug, the swivel nuts, the tension rods and the rims looks to be in pretty-good condition with no rust or pitting from this angle.  The blue-sparkle wrap looks appropriate for its age and.....WAIT A MINUTE.  Did you spot it before I did?  Yes, on the right-hand edge of this photo there appears to be a small hole.  What is that?!  The first major red flag goes up.  Something is missing.....

.....and Ouch!  There it is.  The next photo reveals that the Tone Control Assembly is missing.  Not just the knob, not just a screw.  The whole assembly has been removed.  Unless you're like me and have several spare Tone Control Assemblies lying around the house, this discovery is bad news.  But not as bad as this:

Yikes!  If you can't tell from the mechanism pictured here, you should be able to tell from the numerous gaping holes surrounding it that this is not the original Strainer Assembly.  No.  Not even close.  This is a modern, heavy-duty Pearl Strainer Assembly that has been foolishly "Frankensteined" on to this vintage drum by abandoning the existing holes and simply drilling new ones.  Although this may seem like a reasonable method of repairing, updating and repurposing this old drum, it is well-known and viciously-understood in the vintage drum community that what this person has done is rendered this poor old drum completely worthless.

Just as you would never replace the motor in your classic 1967 Chevrolet Camaro with any old modern engine that you can make fit, YOU NEVER do the equivalent to the parts on a vintage drum.  I know this new Pearl strainer may look better, work better and last longer, but it drastically decreases the value of this vintage drum.  It's all about maintaining or restoring the original, not improving it.  That's just how it is.  And now that new holes have been drilled in the shell, it's too late for me to go out and find the correct strainer for this drum.  The shell has been "swiss-cheesed," and that's a terrible, terrible thing.

Plus from this angle I can see that the top rim is quite pitted and rusty.  Rims can be replaced fairly easy but with all the other issues this drum already has, why should I get involved?  I have better opportunities that involve less headaches.

Sorry seller, but I'm moving on.....
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PS - The funny thing is, this drum sold rather quickly to some poor, unfortunate soul.  Oh well.