Large shells and rewrap

[gn86]

Damn it!
Ive got a 12" ludwig shell that used to be lacquered.. Thing is, it's larger than the "normal" 12"-inchers.. The head just about fit.. Ive removed the paint with paint remover but there's still not nearly enough space for the heads when Ive rewraped it..

what to do? I'd prefer not to cut off the wrap from where the heads would be.. Shall I try to sand it down a bit or is that too hard to get right? Someone must have ran into this before.. give me some tips if you've got any.
thanks

[deadhead]

Check out the Aquarian American Vintage serieas heads, made slightly larger to fit over wraps. I believe Remo is also making a similar line now, not sure what they are called though.

[gn86]

that's a possible solution. Thanks for the tip. Thing is though, I play in a rockband and I was probably gonna use emperors for the toms.. I don't know about the american vintage, but wouldn't they sound too jazzy? or are they comparable with the remo ambassador?

[deadhead]

that's a possible solution. Thanks for the tip. Thing is though, I play in a rockband and I was probably gonna use emperors for the toms.. I don't know about the american vintage, but wouldn't they sound too jazzy? or are they comparable with the remo ambassador?

Actually, yes probably, they are designed to feel and sound like old calf skin, so probably not the modern sound you are looking for. Another solution would be to leave a small strip unwrapped at the top and bottom edge of the shell so that the head doesn't have to go over the wrap. The new Gretsch USA drums are wraped like that.

http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/playpercussion/Picture007.jpg?t=1257197559

[Jaye]

Yeah that's a bummer actually:( You can a) go wth a very thin wrap such as a metallic solid or b) just refinish the drums natural wood finish :confused: A warning - sometimes the Aquarian American Vintage do it & sometimes NOT - have had situations where l invested in them only to find they still weren't markedly wider than regular ol' coateds - BTW l don't think that Gretsch detail is an intended solution to this issue nor do l think cutting back the wrap is a good solution because you'd seriously have to leave almost a half-inch reveal there

[section2]

This probably wouldn't be the way to go if you're looking for a modern rock sound, but if you're really stuck you can try tucking your own calf heads. There are some good posts on the forum re: how to do it and where to source the materials, and the advantage here is that you can basically custom-fit the heads to your drums.

I've also heard that Ludwig heads are a bit more forgiving than Remos. You might try a set of heavy Ludwigs and see if they fit.

[gn86]

thanks for all replies.
this is a hard one..
first off.. stripping the shells and leaving them natural wouldnt look good, trust me.. that's out of question.. metallics on a keystone badge era ludwig? no.. and.. well.. I've already ordered some sparkle wrap :P
and to top this off, aquarian doesn't have any retailers in sweden anymore.. Ive checked out german stores and the vintage american's doesn't seem to be avaible there either..
I think the best solution would be to cut the wrap.. although I would hate that.

[Ludwig-dude]

If you can get Ludwig's weathermaster heads, this should fix your proble. I have a late 80's Ludwig kit that I re-wrapped and have issues with the heads fitting on the toms, the 12 is the worst offender. Regular Aquarian anything won't fit no matter what i do, the American Vintage are still tight, but at least they will go on the shell, and Remos are a bit better but still tight. The Ludwig Weathermasters use a thinner collar and do fit without problems, no binding. You can get them in clear, silver dot, and coated. If you are using single ply heads, like an ambassador, use the heavy weight designated heads. (mediums are the same as diplomats and are too thin and dent very easily) If you are looking for an emperor style head, they do have them in 2-ply heavy, but are harder to get.

[gn86]

If you can get Ludwig's weathermaster heads, this should fix your proble. I have a late 80's Ludwig kit that I re-wrapped and have issues with the heads fitting on the toms, the 12 is the worst offender. Regular Aquarian anything won't fit no matter what i do, the American Vintage are still tight, but at least they will go on the shell, and Remos are a bit better but still tight. The Ludwig Weathermasters use a thinner collar and do fit without problems, no binding. You can get them in clear, silver dot, and coated. If you are using single ply heads, like an ambassador, use the heavy weight designated heads. (mediums are the same as diplomats and are too thin and dent very easily) If you are looking for an emperor style head, they do have them in 2-ply heavy, but are harder to get.

Thanks alot for the tip. Ive got a couple of those that came with the drums, those heads are probably from the 60's
They are really hard to find here in Sweden, or in europe in general.. if anyone know how to get them, let me know.