Re-chroming drums?

[notCardio]

I'm not a drummer, so go easy on me!

A friend of mine has a chrome finish drum set that I'd like to buy, but it's old and he didn't exactly take the best care of the finish, so now it's kind of pitted etc. I have heard that drums can be re-chromed, but does anybody know for sure? And does anyone know how expensive a proposition this is? It's a HUGE freakin' set!

And before you suggest that I just buy a new set instead, I want THAT set. I've always wanted it, and now it has sentimental (or in my case, semi-mental) value.

Thanks.

 

[wimat]

You can have drums replated if they're all metal. But a chrome finish drumset, as I imagine, would need to have the wrap removed and replaced. Unless they're metal drums?

 

[Tim Brown]

If they are older Chrome drums, like a Ludwig or Slingerland, the finish on them, is a sheet of metal that is Chrome plated. This is no longer done. The modern "Chrome" sets use a sheet of Mirror Chromed plastic, and it scratches and dents fairly easily.

You could have the drums wrapped in Chrome Formica (which is a metal layer over top of a wooden backing layer), but you will have to cut the formica off enough so that the heads will slide on the shell, so you would need at least 1/2" of shell exposed on each end.


I played a set of Chrome Slingerlands for about 5 years, and man - those suckers were so heavy it wasn't funny. The shells were about 1/2" thick, plus the wrap in sheet metal. They sounded good, but were a pain to move.




Tim

 

[notCardio]

Yup, they're old Slingerlands

circa 1973, I believe. It's a double-bass set, roughly the equivalent of a Ludwig Octa-Plus, if you're familiar with those. So, can it be done? I figured most of the local music shops here would discourage me (make that 'lie to me') about the possibility in an effort to sell me a new set, since they wouldn't make any money off the repair. Can drums be 're-wrapped'?

Thanks guys

 

[Tim Brown]

Yes drums can be re-wrapped, but the reality is - it's not worth the price. Anything that you wrap them in, is going to be inferior to what is already on them.

I would say get some metal polish and a buffer, and buff them ,and don't worry about any scratches or stuff like that, for the most part the audience won't see it anyway.

Tim