Replies

1. 
   hans_nothen | Jul 23, 1999 09:17am | #1

   *
   hi guys me again, i decided to actually go with a gloss laquered finish instead of the aforementioned satin finish. so if you want to point me in the right direction with that stuff....thanks. hans->

1. 
   Jeff_Jewitt | Jul 26, 1999 09:01pm | #2

   *Stewart MacDonald Guitar shop supplies has all the stains and topcoats you need.Drums are traditionally finished like guitars - using dye based stains and lacquer for the topcoats to achieve a deep finish that lets the grain show through.Stew-Mac used to have a subsidary company that sold drum finishing supplies only -- they may be able to steer you to whom they sold the business to or an equivalent1-800-848-2273 -- Stew-Mac or http://www.stewartmacdonald.com (I think)Jeff Jewitt

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   Charles_Kellogg | Aug 11, 1999 03:05pm | #3

   *Hans,Might want to reconsider finishing the interior of your drum shell. Hardwood already reflects sound vibrations quite well, adding any kind of finish to the interior would make your drum sound more like a plastic one. I'm not sure what qualities of sound are prefered in Western drums, but I know in Japanese drums, finish is only added to the interior of huge (about 6' diameter) drums that really need the extra punch of a reflective interior surface to shape the sound. Charles

1. 
   Jeffrey_Kahan | Sep 03, 1999 11:15am | #4

   *Don't reconsider finishing the inside of the drums. You need to seal the wood to the greatest extent possible. Unlike the taiko drums mentioned in Mr. Kellogg's posting, you will likely outfit your drums with metal hardware and plastic heads. If you were using calf-skin heads and cat-gut tensioning you might hear the difference from finishing the inside of your drums, but I seriously doubt it (especially at the volumes good taiko groups play!!). With plastic heads, there's no chance at all -- they have all the subtlety of freight trains.The critical question with drums, and especially those with plastic heads, is the roundness of the shell. Once the shell goes out of round, tuning becomes an adventure -- and rarely a successful one if you're looking for a pleasant set of overtones. As a result, anything you can do to stabilize the shells dimensionally -- including finishing them inside and out -- will keep the kit sounding its best. Calfskin heads are not quite as sensitive to these problems, because they have a natural elasticity that plastic is utterly lacking. As a result, when the drums go slightly out of round, the skin heads can take up some of the slack -- the plastic just sits there and starts sounding awful.If you're concerned about sound, hardware and rims will be much more important than finish, assuming you finish both sides. If you doubt that, consider Hinger snare drums, which have been manufactured out of every substance on earth, including cast iron. The drums sound great, but none of them have much hardware hanging off of them (same for Leedy and high end Yamaha, Pearl and DW).Jeff