This is how this project started: a trio of moderately neglected blue-sparkle drums including a snare, a 12" tom and a 14" floor tom with missing heads and a lot of missing parts. This is the kind of challenge I search for on Ebay. Time to turn these throw-aways back into a playable drum set.
This floor tom also has a double-felt, Gretsch-style muffler assembly whereas the 12" tom does not, another sign it was not an original part of this "kit." The assembly was in horrific shape and had to be completely removed, but I had a perfect replacement in my stash of Tone Control Assemblies that I keep on hand for just such an occasion.
After a thorough cleaning and polishing of every inch of the wrap, the chrome-plated metal hardware and even the twenty-four lug mounting screws, I re-assembled the drum using new washers and lockwashers. This was for my own satisfaction, as the lug screws are inside the shell and not even visible. But I know they're in there, they're clean and all the washers are new.
Final touches included new rubber feet for the legs and of course new heads top and bottom. This part of the project is complete. On to the snare drum.
Here I had another case of a MIJ snare drum with a broken throw lever. I have said before that this is quite common, and have written in detail how to overcome this obstacle. Note: You might notice in the auction photo above that the snare drum is turned so that the strainer assembly does not show. This is one thing you have to watch out for when shopping on-line. Unintentionally or not, some sellers will conveniently "forget" to mention details such as a broken, non-functioning strainer, so you have to be careful and thorough in your examination of the drum being offered, and be able to spot things like this. In this case I didn't really care because I have a sufficient trick to get around this problem (see previous post).
One nice touch that really makes a vintage drum "pop" again is making sure the badge is shined up meticulously. In this photo the freshly polished grommet hole and gold lettering on the badge are bright and noticeable, whereas before they were dark and tarnished. Little improvements like this make a big difference. Now the badge is clean and legible, almost as if I had replaced it with a brand new one.
This photo below reveals the 12" tom is still under construction. It still needs rims and new heads, but at least here the shiny, clean lug screws and new washers can be seen, just so nobody will think I'm lying about all that. Given the tendency of the Japanese to employ screws with odd, non-standard threads, it is always better to use the existing than attempt to track down replacements. Although it is extremely time-consuming, tedious and murder on the fingertips to polish 92 individual metal screw heads by hand, it is always cheaper to restore than replace, and though some might call me crazy for going to all that trouble, it does make the screws look like brand new replacements rather than the dull-grey, oxidized antiques that they were before.
And here again is a fine example of how old badges can look like new after a good polishing.
As soon as the new rims and heads arrive this tom will be finished, but what about a bass drum? These drums can't form a kit without a kick. So here is what I have found:
This is a 20" Blue Sparkle Ideal that I bought to be part of this assemblage. Notice the "Ideal" badge is pretty much identical to the "U.S. Mercury" badges above, and the lugs are Slingerland copies as well. I only need five more lugs to finish this part of the project, along with hoops, heads, claws, T-rods, spurs, a cymbal mount and a consolette rail mount that will fit the footprint already on the shell. So.....yeah.....I have a ways to go on this drum but I am confident that it can be done.
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*****01/02/17 - UPDATE*****
I have now tracked down and installed some more hardware on the bass drum. I have all the lugs I need plus I have the correct cymbal mount and consolette tom mount needed to bring this drum back to its original condition. I also have all the T's and claws, but I am still waiting on the new hoops and heads.
This project is really starting to look good now! Almost done!
*****01/06/17 - UPDATE*****
Now things are really starting to come together. Hoops and heads for the 12 and the bass drum have been put on, so now I can see how this kit is going to look when it is all set up. The "kick side" of the bass drum still needs four T-rods because four of the ones I rounded up were too short, but the U.S. Mercury logo on the front side looks really good. I also like the L-rod cymbal holder that I found to fit the shell mount. It's a "MIJ" and it only cost me ten bucks. I had to clean it up and "tweak" it a little with new washers and felts and so forth, but I think it turned out great.
Just four more T-rods and I'll be through.....
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