Vintage drum heads — play or save?

[f15c]

Hi there,
I recently acquired a Ludwig pre-serial Club Date kit in 22/15/13 sizes with matching Jazz Festival Snare (snare date stamped 1963). As far as I can tell, all drums have the original Weather Master heads (the style with the sticker logo at top)—all show signs of wear but in playable condition. They seem cranked high to me on all sides, everything pretty high pitched at the moment (for my liking). Might be perfect for jazz, I don’t know.

In order to get the sound I like (lower pitch/fat), and to preserve original parts for the long run, I’m inclined to pull all the original heads and store them, and install new heads for playing. But thought I’d check with the experts here to ask what you would do.

I realize it’s all about personal preference, so maybe I’m more asking what others think about the sound and quality of those original heads—are they considered to be “good?” Or junk? Worth saving in case I want to resell the kit some day? Any comments welcome, thank you!

[Marty Black]

I'm no expert, but if you are going to play this kit, I'd change out the heads for something new. Save the originals for when you eventually sell it. I once had a 1958 Ludwig kit with the early "PlayOn" plastic heads. They actually sounded OK - just OK, but I never played that kit.

For what it's worth, a very experienced drummer friend recommended this technique for determining if an old head is still good....Hold it up by the metal collar and just tap the center with your finger. Just a tap. If you hear a note, a tone, the head is still good. If you hear only a finger hitting a thin sheet of plastic, discard the head.

I would think that original 1963 heads that have been cranked tight for jazz for decades, would not only be brittle and stale, but stretched and not easily tuned down to a nice tone.

I'm a collector and a player, so I'd save the original heads (for when you sell it), but put on Remo Ambassadors or something else modern of your choosing, and enjoy the sound that a classic kit can offer! (I've enjoyed Remo and Aquarians, and Evans for the bass drum on classic Ludwig kits.)

Regards, mb

[O-Lugs]

I agree with Marty's good advice.

[DrumBob]

Change the heads and save them. They'll probably sound better with fresh heads anyway.

I just noticed this is my "first post." The explanation is, my account was deleted by accident a while back during a security breach (or something like that), so the system now sees me as a newbie. Ugh. It is what it is.

[jaghog]

Can I buy old heads

[leedybdp]

My recent purchase of a 1968 Slingerland drum set came with new heads all around. The original heads (or the heads that were on the drums when the store acquired them) are all in boxes from the new heads. That's where they will stay in my drum room.

[LudwigGuy]

Get new heads but keep the old ones.

[grantro]

+1 for saving the vintage heads...

When the drums I purchase come with vintage or original heads, I remove them and replace with modern heads...Like the others have stated, I save and put them in the cardboard boxes that the new heads come in...

Cheers

[jaghog]

Play them best ones to use .

[f15c]

Thank you all — appreciate your comments and recommendations!