Extreme restoring of an almost lost SDSV pad

Some time ago I got a request by a Simmons mate. He purchased a set of SDSV pads and requested some restauration hints. I offered him to send the pads for a more precise analysis. But what I got was more a bio hazard rather than a set of SDSV pads. Ready for the junk yard? Never!


My first impression was that the pads did not look that bad, but because they simply didn’t work I had to open them. What I found was a bacterial disaster.


Only open with breathing mask!


Transducers after 30 years in the fenland


spare parts and counterpoisons


Removing the original lacquer with circuit board cleaner (looses the lacquer but does not damage the acryl!)


This might work as a salad bowl, too


Fighting the mould


Drying and sanding


Polished rims


Stainless steel screws for another 30 years


Test lacquering on an acrylic plate. Do not use Polyurethan lacquer! It will damage the shell! Actually I used paint for model-making.


Water based Acryl lacquer


Once I was a piezo


The shell is ready


My brother Mr. Perfect: I collect drums, he collects tools 😀


The mounting socket: Before and after


Cutting new playing surfaces. Today we choose … black


Rubber seals from the plumber department. And new stainless steel screws as well


The mounting socket screwed to the plywood board


New 35mm piezo, new XLR socket


Assembling the shell to the board


This pad was born in 1983. 007’s Octopussy as well


The PVC plate is being glued to the board. Virginally shining under the protection foil


Mounting the rim – checked


sweet 🙂


Beta Testing


To be honest: I am sure that it didn’t look much better 30 years ago in the retailers showroom

It was more effort than it might look like. And this is the first pad of a total of five. Still it was worth doing that

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