Vintage Corner: my last Remo pad post for awhile, promise!

It was pointed out to me that I haven't shown the internals of the vintage Remo tunable pad.

For those who want to tear into one, here’s a blow-up.

The oldest tunable Remo pads are made of wood and have a metal rim. Be careful when disassembling these sixty-year-old pads, as the wood may be degraded and the foam beneath the head may be disintegrating into particles. Consider working outside if weather permits, wearing a painters mask, or both.

After you carefully unscrew and remove the bolts, set them aside and lift the rim off, followed by the head. The metal retaining ring inside may come off with the head, and if it does you’ll need to gently and carefully pry it loose with a thin flathead screwdriver.

When you lay everything out, you’ll see the construction is relatively primitive.

Take the outer rim, the inner retaining rim and the plastic head and gently wash with warm, 

lightly soapy water and let dry.

While those parts dry, turn your attention to the baseplate.

The earliest tunable pads use a tilt panel made of compressed fiberboard this is not terribly robust, attached by three wood screws to the underside of the primary baseplate. If you carefully remove these wood screws, you’ll see that two of them tilt the bottom panel away from the primary baseplate by means of two rubber washers. I find that these tend to stay in place when I unscrew the tilt panel because age and compression have set them against the wood and fiberboard pieces for so long. If they fall off, don’t lose them! You’ll need to reinsert them when you screw the tilt panel back on. 

Inspect the tilt panel and the main baseplate for wood damage. If there is significant cracking, you can often apply a spot of Elmer’s wood glue and let this dry to stabilize the crack. When reassembling, do not force the wood screws past the point of tightness or you’ll strip the soft wood/fiber.

Because the third screw attaches without a rubber washer, I like to add a very small bushing of thinner rubber or leather to stabilize this point further and prevent the tuning bolt from “bottoming” out and possibly damaging the tilt panel when the pad is reassembled. In a pinch, a small circle of yoga mat works fine. You can use the wood screw to start the hole in the bushing.

(Note: the second generation of these tunable pads, circa 1969 through the late 1970s, used a hard plastic primary base and rim, and a tilt panel made of metal that attaches the same way. You will need to be just as careful when refurbishing these pads because the wood screw can easily strip the plastic if overtightened. By the early to mid 1980s, these were being phased out in favor of a pad that used a softer plastic and no tilt panel because most beginning drummers were being taught matched grip instead of traditional grip.)

If the foam inside the pad is crumbling you should replace it. Getting replacement from from Remo is basically impossible these days, so I usually substitute a firmer pad cut from an old ensolite camping pad. If it’s not quite thick enough, you can lay down a primary layer of thinner yoga mat, or even padded material from a mailing envelope, before adding the ensolite pad. This will give the pad a little bit of resistance that adds some freshness back to the feel and rebound. The ensolite material is closed-cell and much denser than the stock foam. Use the inner metal retaining ring as a tracing outline for any layer you want to add.

If the original foam is intact go ahead and use it again. If you want, you can still add a thin layer of yoga mat or mailing a envelope underneath, though the sound will be different than with a pad made from ensolite.

Remo used a silver paper sticker with their logo on it to seal the ends of the metal outer rim, and that sticker is usually torn or missing by the time the pad has arrived in my hands. I use a strip or two of metallic plumbers tape to cover the gap and stabilize the rim. 

If the head is intact, dent-free and in good shape, cleaning it with some warm soapy water will improve its looks considerably and it can be reinstalled. If the coating is worn off in the center but the Mylar is still in good shape, there’s nothing wrong with adding a layer of clear package tape underneath at the worn spot and it won’t affect the sound or feel. If there are multiple dents or the head is cracked, replace it. Remo still makes replacements heads that will fit any of their pads, whether made in 1966 or 2026. 

When reassembling, take your time. Never force anything.

I like to position the tilt so that the higher side is to my left and the lowest part of the tilt is to my right, just as it would be with a drum, because I play with traditional grip. If you play with matched grip you can position the high side at top or bottom. The tilt isn’t severe enough to adversely affect your practice. Once you determine where the tilt will go, position the logo of the replacement head at what will be the “top” of the pad when you look at it on a table or stand, and begin to reassemble the pad. 

These pads are not marching-specific! Over-tensioning can break them, so if you need a high-tension pad for marching practice, use a more modern pad. 

Tighten the bolts carefully and in small increments until the pad is reassembled and the tension is playable again.

I have a bunch of these old Remo pads in my collection and enjoy using them even now. They’re great for students because they’re affordable and have replaceable heads. (My first Remo pad from 1973 has had a few replacement heads over the years and still holds up well.)

Have fun!

Vintage Corner: my very first practice pad, circa 1973

In the Fall of 1973, I walked into my grade school auditorium to see about joining the band.

I originally wanted to play a brass instrument, French horn or trumpet; but the few that the school had were already out on loan, and my parents couldn’t afford to rent an instrument from a music store. So I asked the music teacher what was available on loan.

After considering Cello (beautiful, but too big for my bicycle basket), flute (too much danger of hyperventilation) and clarinet (too squeaky, no thank you), the music teacher was out of options.

Except… 

“Well there’s a drum class that meets once a week, and anyone who passes all the lessons and quizzes can join the 5th grade band at the semester.” He paused.

“What?” I asked.

He pursed his lip, and then said, “Well, right now there’s ten boys in the class, and if you join you’d be the only girl. They might make fun of you. But if you hang in there — and I think you can — then you’d be able to join the band in January, with two or three other boys. I expect the rest to get bored or wash out before then. And you’d start with a practice pad and some sticks, which would easily fit in your bike basket.”

I thought for a moment. And then, I said yes.

I went home with a pair of drum sticks, a lesson book and this practice pad.

I wrote my name on the bottom in case it got lost. I showed up for every class, and learned how to read rhythm and count and how to play long rolls and flams. Other rudiments would follow later. In January, I joined the fifth grade band with three other boys, and after just a month, I was moved up to the sixth grade band because I was making rapid progress. (The fifth grade boys were jealous, but even they had to admit that I had earned it.)

This pad went with me into middle school, high school and college. For many years, long before specialized drum pads became commonplace, it was my only practice pad. I replaced the head my freshman year of high school, and again in college. The bottom baseplate got dented and dinged in the bottom of my backpack, but the pad held up beautifully. I just stuck a new-old-stock replacement head on it today, and added a thin layer of yoga mat material under the original foam to stabilize the foam a bit. It still works as advertised, and it’s still a cool little pad.

Vintage Corner: I just can’t stop loving old Remo pads.

Fun with pad history:

Remo began selling practice pads in the early 1960s.

I’m a huge fan of the older Remo pads, with flat metal rims and fiberboard base plates. They are repairable and the Mylar heads can be replaced (and a 2026 replacement pad head will fit a 1962 pad).

Remo’s web site features a history page where you can learn about how they developed their pads and their Mylar heads, and includes a chart outlining the evolution of their logo — a helpful aid in dating their vintage pads.

My first practice pad in1973 was a 6” Remo pad with a hard plastic rim. I went through three heads between fifth grade and my senior year of high school. I still have that pad.

But here’s an even earlier version from 1962, with an original head that’s in great shape.

(If anyone comes across an older Remo pad in need of a new head, I have a few replacement heads available for sale or trade.)

A reminder, especially for younger pad enthusiasts: Vintage practice pads from before the rise of Kevlar or Hybrid heads were not meant to be tensioned as high as marching-specific designs! Tension these as you would a drum for use behind a drum kit, and remember that the technique in use for these lower tensions will require you to “pull” your strokes out of the drum, rather than waiting for the rebound.

Vintage Corner: Restoration, BR commemorative pad

I recently acquired this pad, a Buddy Rich Commemorative model made by Drum Workshop in the 2010s. This is a very different pad than the Buddy Rich commemorative models made by HQ/Real Feel in 2002. 

This pad uses DW's white rubber on a laminated wood base. a black foam on the underside serves as a second playing surface and is nice for quiet warming up. The white rubber isn't as freely bouncy as that found on the Real Feel pads, but requires a little more effort to "pull" strokes out when playing. I find that it works best with concert or drum kit sticks, rather than marching sticks.
The top of the pad is ringed in a mother-of-pearl trim that echoes the finish found on Buddy's drum kits, making for a very classy finish. The pad was made in limited quantities and originally sold for well over $100 at the time (roughly 2015-17). It's is now highly collectible and difficult to find on the used market. (There's one available on Reverb right now and the seller is asking over $800 for it.)

My pad arrived in good, but dirty, condition. I set about giving it a nice glow-up.
 

Tan or white rubber on vintage (and/or used) pads can discolor with age, use and exposure to sunlight.

You can often return rubber to its former glow with some careful cleaning.

I use Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner and a fine-textured white sponge (like the soft “erasers” used to clean computer screens).

Work outside because many bathroom cleaners often have a little bleach or vinegar that sensitive noses don’t like.

Shake well, spray on in a circle and let the foam lift the dirt for one to two minutes. Scrub gently with the computer sponge until the dirt and grime have been lifted. Then wipe off all the cleaner with a warm, damp cloth and let dry.

Also: white and tan rubber don’t handle direct sunlight well at all. When not in use, store these pads face-down and away from direct sunlight to preserve the rubber longer.

Below: before and after photos of my most recent pad find.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(And no, it's not for sale.)

Vintage Corner: Restoration, Remo pad 1964

Restoration: Remo pad, 1964.

I purchased two of these old 10” pads, with metal rims, plywood base and fiberboard underlay. They came to me in a pretty filthy state. The original foam had been pummeled enough that the foam in the center was worn away a bit.

Here are before and after photos of one of the pads.

I carefully scrubbed the metal rim and the head with warm, mildly soapy water and a sponge. I also repaired the gap in the metal rim, originally covered with a “Remo” sticker, with some metallic plumbers tape.

The head was old and had a bald spot in the middle where the coating had been worn away by a lot of practice. To reinforce the worn center and help the head last a little longer, I applied a couple of strips of clear packing tape to the underside and smoothed them down.

When I reassembled it, I replaced the original foam with layers of bubble wrap, yoga mat and ensolite sleeping pad. 

The three layers stacked just a bit higher than the metal band that held the foam, meaning that it would compress nicely when the head was replaced and re-tensioned.

(Below: the layers, in order. L-R: bubble wrap, yoga mat, ensolite pad. Lay the bubble wrap with the flat side up so it sits flush against the middle yoga mat layer.)

All of these materials can be found for cheap or free at yard sales, thrift shops and in packages you might receive.

It plays beautifully with concert sticks.

I did the same thing with the other pad, and it’s also much more fun to play on now. I’ll probably keep one of the pads and rehome the other one.

Vintage Corner: Bower Practice Pad, NOT a replica!

It’s here.

I managed to obtain an original Harry Bower practice pad in an online auction, and it arrived today.

If you remember, back in 2021, I made a replica of this pad from found objects, and it was successful enough that I offered to make a few more for some fellow pad enthusiasts.

It turns out that my guesses at materials were only slightly off.

The original pad, designed by Harry Bower in 1919 and approved for patent in 1921, was made from a round of solid wood (probably pine, which was cheap and easy to obtain), with holes drilled to allow the attachment of a playing surface with some wool batting stuffed between the playing surface and the wood.

I’d assumed that the playing surface was leather, and my replica sounded and felt rather nice using this material. However the original seems to have been made either from a leather that has hardened so much with time it’s no longer really playable, or with a surface made from fiberboard, the same material used then (and now) in making drum cases. If this is fiberboard, it makes for a harsh, unresponsive playing surface. If it’s hardened leather, then my hunch was correct.

Additional info, from the original patent application of 1919:

“ …present embodiment of the invention consists of .arather thin plate which may be formed of gutta percha, whalebone, or a composition, such as papier mache, fiberboard, or any relatively stiff yet flexible or vibratory material which will be affected by the impact of the drum sticks similar. to the effect occasioned by said sticks when they sense by those acquainted with the art of drumming.”

So this solves the mystery. The original design did not use leather, but a piece of hard fiberboard such as that used in the making of drum cases from the 1920s through the 1980s. 

Apparently, the reason for using fiberboard was to give the most exact response possible, something on which mistakes could not possibly be hidden.

The OG pad measures exactly the same size as my replica.

I’m very pleased to have found an original of this pad, which is likely the first pad officially patented for commercial production in the US.

By modern standards, it’s horrible.

Even my replica isn’t all that, though the supple leather does make for a nicer response.

I may be inspired to design a display case for this pad, to hang it on the wall and keep the dust off. I’ve never felt this way about any other vintage pad. Though to be fair, this pad is actually an antique at over 100 years old.

I am so glad to be able to give this piece of drum history a home.

Vintage Corner: 1950s pad, maker unknown

When the world gets scary, I get geeky.

I did a mad bunch of flipping to come up with the scratch to obtain this beautiful old practice pad. Ludwig stand dates from the early to mid 1970s. The practice pad is older, probably from the 1950s. Pad is possibly homemade (it’s a little too narrow for the big mass producers of the era), and the rubber feels surprisingly bouncy and nice for its age.

It’s a keeper.