Lyon & Healy Bass Drum, ca. 1890 - Comments from a Reader

Lyon & Healy Bass Drum, ca. 1890

Comments regarding this drum in an email dated 5/1/07 from ANONYMOUS:

"Your drum [Lyon & Healy bass drum, ca. 1890 with star inlay and inlaid circumferential stripes, design "Monarch"] appears to be in pretty good shape. If I were you I would just replace the heads unless there is significant splitting of the shell. Tucking skin heads is really not very difficult. I would practice on a snare drum before tackling a large bass drum, however.

"You might also consider George Carroll. He could provide you with skin heads at a ... [low] price ... or do a complete restoration .... I am fortunate enough to live down the street from his shop in Alexandria [Virginia]. He has a small sample of his drum collection there. Many say that Mr. Carroll is the most knowledgeable person in the world on the subject of rope drums and historical rudimental drumming. His resume speaks for itself. He started the Old Guard Fife, Drum, and Bugle Corps. and also the Fifes and Drum Corp at Colonial Williamsburg in addition to transcribing all of the old drum manuals from the 18th and 19th centuries.

"Incidentally George used to own the Excelsior drum company's catalog. It was either lost or stolen.

"If you need any other advice, let me know.

"ANONYMOUS"