wsabol
Gold Member
I got this snare online a few months ago and finaly got around to restoring and replacing parts.
Early 1970's Gretsch Chrome over Brass. Killer instrument, but very finicky, at least the one I got. I got it from a popluar online store which provided a sound file and pictures. The snare looked and sounded fine. But when I got it in the mail I realized that it had a premuffled heads and the internal muffler was very engaged - masking some major roundness problems and more... I first realized this when I tried to put new heads on and I couldn't even get the old ones off! Not to mention the strainer/butt plate screws were stripped, the internal muffler was hardly attached to the shell at all, the snares themselves were scrap, missing tension rods washers, etc..
I thought about returning it, but these are relatively hard to find in playable condition, I got a good price for it, and I know a restoration wasn't going to be too hard, just time consuming.
The snare beds are really deep and manufactured in a way that makes it near impossible to get the shell round and have the head fit easily. Its a common problem with these drums, so I did my best, but it didn't stress too hard, the batter side was my main concern. After several times trying and giving up, I finally got the batter side round and flat (yay!). I replaced the snare wires and cut them down to 16 strands (per the original), went to Home Depot and paid $2 for new screws, and washers, and ta-da!
Here she is. Super sexy - so Zig. I love it.
Early 1970's Gretsch Chrome over Brass. Killer instrument, but very finicky, at least the one I got. I got it from a popluar online store which provided a sound file and pictures. The snare looked and sounded fine. But when I got it in the mail I realized that it had a premuffled heads and the internal muffler was very engaged - masking some major roundness problems and more... I first realized this when I tried to put new heads on and I couldn't even get the old ones off! Not to mention the strainer/butt plate screws were stripped, the internal muffler was hardly attached to the shell at all, the snares themselves were scrap, missing tension rods washers, etc..
I thought about returning it, but these are relatively hard to find in playable condition, I got a good price for it, and I know a restoration wasn't going to be too hard, just time consuming.
The snare beds are really deep and manufactured in a way that makes it near impossible to get the shell round and have the head fit easily. Its a common problem with these drums, so I did my best, but it didn't stress too hard, the batter side was my main concern. After several times trying and giving up, I finally got the batter side round and flat (yay!). I replaced the snare wires and cut them down to 16 strands (per the original), went to Home Depot and paid $2 for new screws, and washers, and ta-da!
Here she is. Super sexy - so Zig. I love it.