What's the oldest drum heads you've ever played on?

[pwc1141]

Don't think I ever owned any one kit longer than about 8 years but on the many kits I had, I never changed heads other than snare batter because I play brushes a lot and need texture on the head.

 

[gryphon]

Don't think I ever owned any one kit longer than about 8 years but on the many kits I had, I never changed heads other than snare batter because I play brushes a lot and need texture on the head.

I have heads on my toms that are at least 65 years old with about 30 years of playing on them. The only heads I have changed are snare batter heads that as mentioned have lost the coating and don't work with my brushes anymore. That usually takes about 10 years. I like Remo Coated Ambassadors, so when I recently bought a kit I replaced the muffled heads with Ambassadors.

 

[Pedal_Pusher]

I don't have any thoughts about plastic heads. I gig with Aquarian Modern Vintage heads and those puppies last forever. I bought some Slingerland Radio King tom batter heads at the Music City Drum Show ($10 each, I must be living right) that were dirtier than normal. I decided to try and clean them up with a tiny amount of water and a Mr. Clean magic eraser. It worked out really well and I only had to be careful at the logo area of the head. I even cleaned up the edge of the flesh hoop. I assume that the magic eraser would also work on plastic heads. I practice brushes on a 15" ancient Ludwig snare that someone wrote "July 1947" at the edge with pencil and very clear handwriting. That is five years older than me so it is in better shape! I remember calling on recording studios in Nashville in the late 1970's when I worked in a local drum shop. If you touched their drum heads or suggested new heads they would find your body in the Cumberland river.