Vintage Logos Inc. produces Custom Bass Drumheads, Stage Graphics and Band Merch for musical groups all over the world. Our goal is to get your style and image out in front of your audience. We offer a variety of cool products to make your band look and sound totally professional.
We have been in the music entertainment industry for over 29 years. Attention to quality is the foundation of everything we do, from our customer service to details in production, packaging & delivery, up until your new promotion products are visually communicating to your audience.
We understand that more than just making your band look great, you’re trying to communicate a memorable message through your music, your style and most of all your image. Our products provide memorable images for guitarists, drummers and musical groups. Simply… we ROCK at getting you and your band noticed and remembered!
Artist Relationships
- The Who
- MGK
- The Doobie Brothers
- Kendrick Lamar
- Barenaked Ladies
- Lenny Kravitz
- Janet Jackson
- My Chemical Romance
- Bootsy Collins
- Cheap Trick
VL Shop Tour
Reviews
The Future Style of Vintage - 1996
In the fall of 1996, the sound of my blues band demanded a drum kit with a bit more soul. I found the perfect four-piece 1960s Rogers white marine pearl kit—the look and sound were impeccable, but it felt incomplete. Inspired by old photos of drumming legends who adorned their kits with custom shield crests and stripes, I created a similar crest for myself. It was the perfect vintage detail. The moment another drummer saw it and wanted one, the lightbulb went off. Armed with a portfolio of custom Bass Drum Shield Logo crests, I took a leap of faith. With a few ads in drum magazines and a brand new website, VintageLogos.com went from an idea to a reality.
The next product line was Drum Company Logos, inspired by vintage drum collectors. Over time, the original manufacturer's bass drumhead would wear out, and virtually no one was offering replacement logos. I realized I could fulfill this niche demand. Soon we were making Ludwig, Slingerland, Rogers, Gretsch, Leedy, WFL, Sonor, Premier and Camco logos. These were a hit with drummers.
Growing pains of a small business
Building a company was never the initial goal. My true passion was creating Custom Shields and getting them into the hands of drummers who needed them. In the beginning, sales moved slowly. Although we had a simple website, most orders came the old-fashioned way—through ads in the back of drum magazines and catalogs we sent directly to customers. A few months in, I added a phone line so customers could call in their orders. Credit card processing was too expensive at the time, so checks and money orders were the standard payment method for the first couple of years. It was a period of both tireless effort and immense satisfaction.
Vintage Logos got its start in a humble, cost-effective space: my parents' basement. While it saved us from rent and other overhead, we still had the usual expenses like shipping supplies, media and phones. I was always on the lookout for a deal, and I found one buying cheap, misprinted boxes from a surplus reseller—some even from the fruit industry. One day, after picking up a fresh order, I went down to the basement. There, in the dim light, was a gigantic, terrifying spiderweb, with an even bigger tarantula waiting right in the middle. It was shocking knowing that spider was in my car on the drive home.
Networking with the drumming community
Our business took a new direction when we shifted from exclusively selling logos to producing custom bass drumheads with vinyl graphics. I started by reaching out to the D'Addario Company for their Evans bass drumheads and placed a small first order. When those graphic drumheads sold well, I explored additional brands. A pivotal moment came when I connected with Roy Burns of Aquarian Drumheads. At just 26, I was nervous pitching my idea, but Roy was incredibly kind and genuinely intrigued. He believed in our vision for custom graphics and logos for drummers and became a key supporter and sales contact in our early years.
To better market Vintage Logos, I began attending vintage drum trade shows around the country. At one show in Los Angeles, I met numerous drummers and collectors. Here I connected with Bernie Dresel, the drummer for the newly formed Brian Setzer Orchestra and secured a job creating a custom shield drumhead for his band. Later, in Boston, I attended a smaller show where my wife Jennifer and I met Armand Zildjian and toured the Zildjian cymbal factory. Those experiences—meeting industry legends, shaking hands, talking shop—confirmed that Vintage Logos was on the right path and part of a growing drumming community.
Expanding when your broke
Our journey with Vintage Logos took a major turn in 1999 when I bought a house that offered room to grow. That extra space—including a garage—gave us the capacity we needed for supplies and production. The real leap of faith came in early 2002, when I left my day job to dedicate myself to Vintage Logos full-time. There was no polished business plan, just a clear vision, a growing customer base, and a belief that we could turn this passion into a sustainable business.
To truly expand and create more full color drumheads, we needed our own equipment. I secured a loan for a large-format printer and, with the help of my background in printing, we dialed in the process quickly. The final piece fell into place when a family friend offered us an incredible deal on vacant office space—over 900 square feet, including all utilities, for just $500 a month. It was the perfect, much-needed next step that gave Vintage Logos the breathing room to grow up as a company.
Trying to innovate
During a 7-year tenure at the Brazee Street location, the custom printed drumhead business grew with additional staff, though slowly. To accelerate growth, we commissioned a local artist and acquired stock art to launch our "Catalog Drumheads" products. This allowed customers to browse designs or personalize their own. The "Souvenir Drumheads," originally called "Autographed Drumheads," were born from a client request for 14-inch drum art for band signings and selling at merch booths. For many years, we produced small batches for each of the bands he managed.
Our expansion continued with custom marching bass drumheads for the U.S. military. After successful orders, we launched a direct mail campaign targeting high school and university music programs. By 2004, we were the first and only online company to offer global shipping for custom printing services for bands and drummers. Despite being first, we still faced the challenge of educating the market on the value of a custom bass drumhead for band branding. We basically set the industry in motion!
As Vintage Logos grew, we added Drumhead Decals, available in permanent and removable options which can be applied to your own bass drumhead. Following this, we moved part of the shop into a bigger space and acquired a larger printer for stage graphics. This enabled us to create Band Banners available in vinyl, mesh, and fabric medias, along with large Band Backdrops of any size.
What to do during a global meltdown?
Despite a very good first half of 2008, the onset of the global economic crisis saw our orders slow by the end of summer. When our landlord put the building up for sale, I was forced to confront a critical question: Could Vintage Logos survive? The answer came to me one evening while taking a walk in a park, where I formed a plan to move the business into my basement and 4 car garage. After careful measurement and planning, I confirmed the move was possible, and by March 2009, the company was successfully relocated.
With the economy declining, we knew we needed to expand our product line. We had already been purchasing products like cymbals from Universal Percussion, so we studied their catalog and built a focused list of items. Leveraging our successful eBay store, we rebranded it as VintageLogos and transformed it into a dedicated online drum shop. Our lineup grew to include Evans, Remo, Aquarian and Attack drumheads; Wuhan and Zildjian cymbals; and drumsticks from Ahead, Vater, Pro Mark and Vic Firth, along with products from Drum Holz, Drum Os, Beato bags and Cannon Percussion.
Innovative Technology upgrades
In 2011, we launched our Online Designer app to simplify custom ordering and provide instant proofs for customers. Our new drumhead builder let clients easily design online and upload their own artwork, with options to add mic holes, port rings and KickPorts.
In 2013, we invested in a new printer specifically for custom bass drumheads, which greatly improved the product's look and sound with vivid colors, rich black ink and a glossy finish. We also introduced custom Speaker Grill Cloth and a online designer app allowing guitar players to specify exact dimensions for a perfect fit on their amps and speaker cabinets. By 2014 we were selling Guitar Grill cloth to all kinds of bands all over the world. The product was a huge success.
We further broadened our offerings to include Stage Scrims — banners on telescopic stands designed for quick changes during live shows and Retractable Banners that are easy to set up and take down. Recognizing the further needs of bands, we introduced high-quality, custom Band Stickers in all shapes and sizes, perfect for selling at merch booths or giving away. This expansion solidified Vintage Logos as a comprehensive, one-stop shop for custom band graphics, including printed bass drumheads.
Building a better company
After years of running a successful eBay store with hundreds of auction items and thousands of positive feedbacks, a 2016 policy change increased international shipping costs and reduced profit margins. Recognizing a growing demand for banners and stage graphics, we made the decision to pivot. We exited the eBay market, liquidated remaining inventory, and reinvested fully into Vintage Logos.
A critical part of this revamp was partnering with a professional web developer to rebuild our website with enhanced online design tools. As demand for custom drumheads continued to rise, we reached out to REMO, becoming an authorized dealer so we could print custom bass drumheads on their products, alongside Aquarian and Evans. With growth came the need for more help, and we expanded our in-house design team to keep delivering fast, premium artwork and products for bands around the world.
How about a nice quarantini?
We were planning a major business move when the world suddenly shut down. We had found a new building and were moments away from signing a lease, but then everything screeched to a halt. The government told everyone to go home and stay put, and our drumhead production dropped from hundreds a week to just a handful. This went on for months, but we managed to survive and keep Vintage Logos afloat.
Though global product shortages were a major issue, we never ran out of drumheads, port rings, or media. We had the foresight to buy heavily in advance. A lucky break came from a mistake with our REMO stock: several boxes of 22" heads had been over-ordered and misplaced. Just as our inventory ran low, we discovered the extra stock. It was a lifesaver, especially since REMO had warned us new stock would take months. With just three employees, we pushed through the pandemic and came out stronger.
Making the best quality custom bass drumheads
In 2022, we moved into a new 3,200-square-foot facility, allowing a major expansion of our operations. We increased our stock of Aquarian, Evans, and Remo drumheads from hundreds to thousands, covering all standard bass drumhead sizes, and built a large inventory of port hole rings in every size and color. At the same time, we upgraded our shop with new Mac workstations, laminators, cutting equipment, T-shirt printing machines, and the latest large-format printers to push color, clarity, and consistency further than ever before.
The speed and precision of this equipment lets us fulfill larger orders of custom drumheads, stickers, banners, and merch quickly and reliably. We continue to expand: we launched a custom Band T-Shirts service for easy online ordering, and we are building the VL Store to offer our own branded merch including hats, shirts, drum keys, and more.
You recognize the importance of style and image
Beyond our high-quality custom drum heads and stage graphics we produce, Vintage Logos also provides exceptional customer service. Our expert team is a valuable resource for discussing your specific job and ensuring the best possible image quality. As a graphics print company that exclusively serves musicians, we make ordering easy. You can reach us five days a week, 52 weeks a year, by calling, emailing, or messaging us.
With over years of experience, we pride ourselves on fast turnaround and reliable, quick shipping. Try us today for all your graphics and band merch needs.
- The Who
- Machine Gun Kelly
- The Doobie Brothers
- Kendrick Lamar
- Barenaked Ladies
- Lenny Kravitz
- Janet Jackson
- My Chemical Romance
- Bootsy Collins
- Cheap Trick
- Steve Vai
- SIR
- The Wailers
- The Doors
- Ghost Hound
- Kool & The Gang
- Skizzy Mars
- Brian Setzer Orchestra
- Stray Cats
- Jefferson Starship
- KC & The Sunshine Band
- John Lodge
- Toad the Wet Sprocket
- Ohio Players
- The Bellamy Brothers
- Yachtley Crew
- United States Army School of Music
- Duran Duran
- Sugarland
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
- Tesla
- Big & Rich
- Hal Blaine
- School of Rock
- Grateful Dead
- Michael Bublé
- Billy Gibbons - ZZ Top
- Tommy Clufetos - Ozzy Osbourne
- Chris Frantz - Talking Heads
- Tommy Lee - Mötley Crüe
- Frankie Banali - Quiet Riot
- Ludwig Drums
- Pearl Drums
- Craviotto Drums
- Ford Drums
- SJC Drums
- Dark Horse Percussion
- Doc Sweeney Drums
- Queen City Drums
- Steve Maxwell Drums
- U.S. Military
- Zildjian
We are grateful for your support
I want to personally thank everyone, big and small, including garage bands, session musicians, cover bands, one-man bands, music producers, band managers, music labels, record companies, music educators, Rock Band Cruises, solo artists, drum and cymbal manufactures, and anyone trying to make it in the music industry. I also want to thank my family, friends, and my wife, Jennifer, for believing in me. I extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported our business and all future musicians who are yet to come.
Vintage Logos Inc -owner
Shawn McNamara
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