Finally decided to get the old Tama Superstars out of mothballs

[tcsenter]

Oh man, those are some old parts! I used to have a 7-piece set of Ludwig Rockers (double chrome) from the early 80s, sold them after high school. I have a photo somewhere packed away haven't seen it in 20 years.

 

[stormkroe]

If you ever have a chance, listen to some peavey radial-pro 1000's (from around 1999 or 2000, Bobby Rock had an awesome set). Full floating heads, sustain for days.
Once, the music store manager put a marching snare head on the radial pro snare and tightened it all the way to marching tune. This would implode a normal snare but the peavey somehow had no problem. It sounded awesome.

 

[MongGrel]

Heads should be here in a few hours, so I can start making this thing real soon.

Even have the wife looking for some Grosgrain ribbon for me on the way home so I can try that with the snares, that or I'll try the mylar out that comes with em.

*edit* wifey comes through again.

 

[BudAshes]

Why doesn't the person in the first photo have a face?

 

[MongGrel]

Why doesn't the person in the first photo have a face?

Better ?

 

[Nograts]

Better ?

Bro... I don't know how to tell you this. You seem to have married a cat. D:

Edit: also too much hot sauce, AGAIN.

 

[MongGrel]

Time to go to work, get over here snare drum.

Bro... I don't know how to tell you this. You seem to have married a cat. D:

Yes, I have.

 

[MongGrel]

Cleaning a steel snare drum shell must be a lot like toaster sex

 

[MongGrel]

The heads on this shell are freakish, haven't even put the snares on yet.

Have them tuned up way high on tenor and sounds great, just a slight short ring to it.

Probably going to detune it a lot, it's way high.

 

[MongGrel]

If you ever have a chance, listen to some peavey radial-pro 1000's (from around 1999 or 2000, Bobby Rock had an awesome set). Full floating heads, sustain for days.
Once, the music store manager put a marching snare head on the radial pro snare and tightened it all the way to marching tune. This would implode a normal snare but the peavey somehow had no problem. It sounded awesome.

I don't have it cranked up that far, but I think I've created a small piccolo marching share almost.

Gonna have to back it down some, it sounds great and no ring, but its tuned too high for the set for me.

I'll let it break in a bit and back it off.

I'm impressed with that Evans HD Dry head though. everything actually once I started playing with it.

 

[MongGrel]

Bit of GrosGrain ribbon to hold the snares on there and Problem 2 solved

I might leave it where it is at the moment, it sounds a lot like the Spin Doctors snare atm.

It's a pretty good sound on it.

Still need to detune it a bit, but it's close to that but a bit higher.

Spin Doctors - Two Princes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsdy_rct6uo

 

[MongGrel]

It's getting there.

I'm going to get a pair of these in the future and cut the handles off and maybe epoxy some metal shafts in em for dual bass drum beaters in the future, just because I think I'd like it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A06YA0/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002D0DWK/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Could make them a bit longer than normal and a bit above center, with a long throw and light weight.

That would make some really unusual bass drum beaters on a set to mess with.

Would be about the same as buying two wood beaters, but will involve some mods



Would look pretty cool too

Need to pick up some brass washers for the top snare head too, I had the nylon washers that drum came with so torqued at first it pretty much flattened a few out and split two washers. Was pushing that HD Dry hard trying it out. The nylons just deform too much in general, going to replace both sides with brass.

Minor setback.

Retuned it anyways and sounds good again.

Screw it I got em, get the floor tom Muff'l in and it's done.

One a side note, I really like the Bamboo Tala Wands better than any bundled stick I've ever used.

Gonna go a bit R&D and go mad scientist on the bass drum mallets.

 

[MongGrel]

Some things I can only drool at I guess, always wanted to get the right snare for it.

http://www.amazon.com/Tama-Annivers..._sbs_MI_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0RRX9D6EBEVGYKH7FT3B

Not spending $400 on one when I have a good sounding one anyways, just for looks.

http://www.amazon.com/Tama-Annivers..._sbs_MI_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0R00X2FJ3JRTSWT0NA36

Or $500 for the skinny

I'd probably like the deeper one better anyways.

 

[MongGrel]

I'm actually liking this thing now, it's become playable again.

Fixed the floor tom ringer, chopped those wood bass drum sticks down for beaters, tuned things up a bit, etc.

How's that for some odd ball beaters guys, I just need to adjust em a bit, they come back and smack me in the shin slightly atm, but I can fix that too.

Took em into work today, sawed the handles off em and sanded fast at lunch,then stuck em in a big lathe and drilled a 1/4 inch hole about 6 inches deep in the shaft, then rammed the shafts off the old beaters into them. Didn't even need epoxy, I was half afraid I was going to break them just getting the rods inserted pounding them in with a rubber mallet, but it worked out well and nothing split and they seem to be all happy. Nice and solid and everything below the head on the bass sticks has a metal rod in it.

You can get some interesting rebound off that bass drum with those things, will be playing around with em obviously.

Sounds good, just need to get my frigging chops back now, but they are starting to.

Just on a side note, these aren't the most fantastic cymbals in the world, but looked up the things last night and about $850 worth of Sabian TOSCO/B20's on there even used, old school, I looked for em on E-Bay even used for grins and giggles, they sound much better than they look.

Have a weird mix of Italian/Canadian alternate Zildjians on there.

Now I just have to stop being stiff and get some muscle control back

 

[stormkroe]

Looks like those new kick mallet sticks are gonna hit high, how does that sound compared to center?

 

[MongGrel]

Looks like those new kick mallet sticks are gonna hit high, how does that sound compared to center?

Better actually, personally, one of the things I was trying out.

I just need to adjust a bit so the rebound doesn't hit me in the shin, but I actually like the sound better, is much more tonal being off center.

The rebound off them is pretty fantastic also, just still working on stuff atm of course

Going to adjust them closer to the head, I do not think I need the long throw.

Actually, I think I have another idea in mind, but I'll have to machine up a part.

It pretty much is having two more sticks on you're feet, rather than mallets.

Even being off playing for awhile, the response from them is pretty fantastic.

Hitting high evens them out a lot also, instead of one being offset.

 

[phucheneh]

Still need to detune it a bit, but it's close to that but a bit higher.

Spin Doctors - Two Princes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsdy_rct6uo

Today I learned that The Spin Doctors were fronted by a time-traveling Bam Margera.

 

[MongGrel]

 

[MongGrel]

Hell I'm happy, played a bit of Zappa and it matches the drums there the way it's tuned up.

I still need my chops but it sounds good.

 

[MongGrel]

Redacted.

 

[MongGrel]

Ludwig was ahead of me I suppose.

Derp.

Once I started to look at the old things up close, they have tapped holes to move the shoulder bolts on the spring cams all ready.

Had never had to play with it before, so hadn't noticed.

Moved em both up one hole, they are great as is

Might try a couple heavier springs on them for a finishing touch.

Yep, I'll give em a go.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002F4YBE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[MongGrel]

Well it does need one more touch.

I was thinking of picking up a piece of remnant carpet for a mat as things sliding around a bit, of course, I didn't want that old blue stuff from the back room and ditching that.

But think I'll just pick up a 3/4" 4X8 sheet of decent Birch plywood or something, chamfer the edges a bit, and stain it to match the laminate or the set and put the spikes back out on everything, could even start screwing some stop blocks down to it then.

Plywood is about as cheap and any rug almost I've seen, and could just make a platform, more or less.

Sick of chasing things now and then all ready when they slide a bit.

 

[MongGrel]

Wow these springs are heavy, but haven't used em much.

Have another set I grabbed cheap just to rip the rings off, hadn't noticed my others were almost worn through.

I actually like them, it's a matter of adjusting them right now I guess.

 

[Humpy]

So we're not doing the drumming video thing anymore?

 

[MongGrel]

So we're not doing the drumming video thing anymore?

I never have myself.

Have never put up a video anywhere I guess of anything.

Maybe one of these days....