Make my white drums white again

[ob1thx1138]

I am working with my sons marching drum line and we have been replacing the heads and cleaning up the drums for the coming shows this season. We have aproximately 7 year old Pearl Championship Maple drums with the standard white wrap covering. Over the years the white has turned yellow and we have tried everything I can think of including super solvent, purple power, windex, 409, etc.... and nothing will take the yellow off of these drums, do any of you have a suggestion?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

[zarblap]

doubt if you can do anything, it's natural fading from the sun. covers might look ok, I had one in the past that went completely yellow

[ob1thx1138]

doubt if you can do anything, it's natural fading from the sun. covers might look ok, I had one in the past that went completely yellow

Have you ever recovered drums? Not sure what I would use, but I think it could be done.

[K-Swiss]

have them repainted?

[TAFL]

Contact paper. Pull the hardware off, carefully apply the contact paper, and reassemble.

[MikeN]

I used peel / stick vinyl that I found on Ebay - *very* easy to apply (I did a set of toms in about 45 minutes).

Mike

[SkyDog]

The white wraps used by drum manufacturers turn yellow over time and with exposure to UV light. Unfortunately, it's not a reversible process -- once they turn yellow, there's no turning 'em back to white. You need to recover the drums. You can do it on the cheap using something like sign vinyl or contact paper, or you can go all the way and replace the original wrap. A bunch of places carry the stuff you'd need. Drummaker.com and jamminsam.com are two web shops that carry drum wrap. Dynasty uses WilsonArt laminates. Or if you've got someone willing to do the work, you can remove the old wrap and stain/lacquer the drums.

[ob1thx1138]

The white wraps used by drum manufacturers turn yellow over time and with exposure to UV light. Unfortunately, it's not a reversible process -- once they turn yellow, there's no turning 'em back to white. You need to recover the drums. You can do it on the cheap using something like sign vinyl or contact paper, or you can go all the way and replace the original wrap. A bunch of places carry the stuff you'd need. Drummaker.com and jamminsam.com are two web shops that carry drum wrap. Dynasty uses WilsonArt laminates. Or if you've got someone willing to do the work, you can remove the old wrap and stain/lacquer the drums.

wow thanks a lot for the great info everyone. Now I have some options to discuss with my fellow instructors. thanks again for the great info.

[chuckerst]

yes it CAN be reversed-I have done it with a Ludwig White Marine Pearl kit that was completely yellowed-I used the Retrobrite solution (actually the Salon Care 40 volume creme from a beauty shop that is the same formula!