Old drums for the new year

[Mike]

Another LP project...

OK, I recently got this at least 25-year-old LP set consisting of an 11" quinto and a 12.2"-sized (!?)
tumba with badges that say "Garfield, NJ". Awkward combo, but fine drums. (I have got a
11.5"Valje which I will use as segundo)
They were in not too good shape, so I thought they deserved better and started some resto between the years...

[Mike]

After mending two minor cracks, stripping off the old and withered lacquer with a sharp knife
and sanding down the shells, I found the wood (Siam oak) in amazingly good condition, given the age of the drums.

Three layers of matte floorboard lacquer brought out the original grain.

Now, with some polishing of the hardware and bending the rims and skin wire in shape again
these two were ready to take some fine L&H mule skins:

So it only takes some patience to wait for the skins to dry - that is always the hardest part -
and then these drums are ready to rumble again, in the refurbished rehearsal room of my band in 2010!

Prospero ano a todos!

[Congadelica]

Mike ,
Those babies look great , your arsenal is growing .

[willie55]

they look great, a mule skin question, anything done differently from mounting the rawhide skins, soak time, drying time...

[Mike]

Mike ,
Those babies look great , your arsenal is growing .

Thanks 4 the compliment. You are right, hermano, but I also sold two Afro congas

they look great, a mule skin question, anything done differently from mounting the rawhide skins, soak time, drying time...

Soaking time was almost 5 hours, mounting them a pure pleasure. Michael from L&H really has some superb mule skins.
Drying time, well, it is just as long as any medium to thick skin needs.

I will tell you later how they sound - probably next year

[bongosnotbombs]

Nice work Mike! Should go well with your LP Valje.

[Mike]

Nice work Mike! Should go well with your LP Valje.

Yes, right, and wow! I played those three now that the skins have dried,
and you get a really mellow sound out of those tubs, not to
forget the nice crisp slaps.
I have the feeling that the skins actually do not need much time to break in!

[willie55]

just got these on Ebay buy now for 255, LPs project. will post work in progress when i get it started

[KING CONGA]

just got these on Ebay buy now for 255, LPs project. will post work in progress when i get it started

Great buy. Congratulations. by the way, how are the cueros on those drums?

[willie55]

they posted that they had a tear in them, so i will be putting on new ones, i seen on other post that mule skin is not recommeded for fiberglass drums, so what type of remo, or lp handpicked?

[Mike]

they posted that they had a tear in them, so i will be putting on new ones, i seen on other post that mule skin is not recommeded for fiberglass drums, so what type of remo, or lp handpicked?

You´d better stick with thick cow skin - brings out the best vintage sound
out of those glass beauties!

[Jibaro]

they posted that they had a tear in them, so i will be putting on new ones, i seen on other post that mule skin is not recommeded for fiberglass drums, so what type of remo, or lp handpicked?

Remo sounds great on fiberglass.



BTW, they should have made the stripes thicker - there're only three red stripes on the PR Flag and they make it look like five.

[willie55]

will the PR flag remo fit on them with the regular rim, because that is what i am thinking of getting, if they will fit

[Bongobilly]

Nice work on those conga's.

[KING CONGA]

what type of remo, or lp handpicked?

My personal advise would be not to go with either but rather choose a good steer cuero. I’m reminded of my trip to Arizona, when I visited onile, he has a beautiful set of fiberglass patatos with natural skins, not the mediocre handpicked, the sound was excellent plus the fiberglass already helped the projection, beautifully projected traditional sound.