Expert: Chris Fonck - 8/26/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I have posted a thread on vintagedrumforum.com
concerning bearing edges on a new set of ludwigs.

here is the link: http://vintagedrumforum.com/showthread.php?t=7989

Although most people here say i should leave the bearing edges alone, I've also had a few other people saying getting them re-cut will improve the sound. (I don't mind if the collectibilty goes down) Do you have a strong opinion on the matter?

Thanks very much,
George

ANSWER: George, thanks for the question.  I don't have a strong opinion on this, but I do have one in general.  I have worked on several older Ludwigs and have found many rounded and beat up bearing edges.  While I think an older Ludwig drum in good condition sounds good, I also feel the sound can be improved on many older Ludwigs that have beat up or worn bearing edges.  

If it is a drum that I would want to play on (and not be concerned with the collectability), I would not hesitate to recut bearing edges or snare beds to improve the sound.  I have done this on several Ludwig and Slingerland drums with good success.  Some of those old drums have a dull, flat sound that is hard to tune, and recutting the edges to a double 45 or an inner 45 and rounded outside really makes the drums sing.

I know that is not a popular choice among Ludwig fans, but I would want to make a playable kit sound as good as possible, and these drums have a great sound with a sharper bearing edge.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.
Thanks,
Chris

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks very much Chris.
I have a couple more questions: If i indeed did choose to get the drums re-cut would you expect the old edge to be entirely cut of before the new edges are cut? Or would you ask for the edges to be 'trued'?

http://vintagedrumforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7624&d=1244922080

If you look at my drums the bearing edges are huge and if this is entirely taken off and re-cut the depth of the drum will considerably change. Is this what would happen??
Also, I have a friend that is a carpenter (with obviously no experience with cutting drums up) and i've found instructional videos on how to cut bearing edges. Do you think i should get him to do the cutting? Or would you send them to a professional?
And what condition would you say these edges are? If you had these drums and you intended to play them would you cut the edges?

What condition
Thanks once again

Answer
Thanks for the follow-up.  If I were to have those recut, I would find someone with experience at it.  The issue i find with older Ludwigs and Slingerlands is the inner hoop.  The thickness on those is not consistent when they cross over seams on the shells (which you can see in your picture).  When you recut those, you have to go over them by hand to fix any spots where the router didn't cut well because of that.  

You don't have to entirely cut off the edges to reshape.  I have cut these drums using a 45 degree router bit, taking off a small amount each time.  It may take 2 or 3 passes around the drum, adjusting my depth very slightly until I obtain a sharp edge.  Then I adjust my router depth again and cut the outer 45 degree.  The inner 45 should cover about 3/4 of the thickness of the edge, with the outer 45 cutting the remaining 1/4 of the thickness of the edge.  Hard to explain without pictures.

The choice to recut your edges is entirely yours, and should be based on whether you want to change the sound quality of the drums, and if you want to go through the expense.  I don't have any rare vintage Ludwigs in which I would worry about effecting the value of the drum by recutting the edges, so I would never hesitate to recut what I have owned.  Definitely find someone who has done it before though...sorry but I wouldn't use a carpenter unless I showed him the edge of a modern drum and asked him if he was certain he could duplicate that sharp edge on the Ludwigs.

Hope it works out whatever you choose to do!

Thanks,
Chris