"The Ludwig Inventory"...

[Elvis]

Marc,

Welcome to the forum and nice little web page you created for your kit.

I have a question for you...on your page you say the BD batter side head is new.
I recently slapped a new Weathermaster heavy on my Ludwig BD as well.
According to my guy, he says that Ludwig recently made a change to the coating on the head and I do notice a difference, in appearance.
It seems thicker and now has a glossy shine to it.
It also sounds a bit more muted than the old head.
I'm wondering if this is something I'm hearing because I was made aware of the changes before trying it out, or maybe its just my particular head.

Did you notice any change to the sound of your BD after you put the new head on, compared to what you've been hearing out of Weathermasters in the past?



Elvis

 

[elcid]

I agree. When I first saw it, I thought it needed a Millennium or ideally an NOS P-83. They used the Dunnett strainer mainly because Dunnett made the shell and the completed prototype. I like the throw because it's one of the few that fits a variety of hole spacings. Unfortunately the mounting holes for a P-83, 85, 86 are farther apart than the body of the R-2 throw is tall. He makes an adapter that compensates for that and the shell bead so it can be installed on a Supra. Now if someone would just make a width adjustable butt...

[/quote][/quote]

In my humble opinion, the Dunnett throwoff is truly a work of engineering...and it looks like it would work even better than the Trick strainer that came with an Ahead snare drum I recently got from e-bay.
Is great to know that Dunnett makes an adapter for the Supra, but since I cleaned and lubricated the old P-85 strainer (a work of art in its own right for its mechanical simplicity!) it seems to work just fine. However, it is still tempting to see just how the R-2 strainer would perform with the old Ludwig.

The Dunnett butt is way too small to fit a Supra, but did find a die cast butt that will fit the existing hole pattern of the Ludwig's butt; got it from John Riolo at the American Drum Company in Oregon.
Haven't tried yet because I encountered a butt's stubborn screw, which refused to budge during a complete cleaning and polishing tear down and, short of cutting it off, tried as I may the damned thing just won't let go as the nut or the screw seem to be stripped and it only goes so far; just turns on its own axis when attempting to get it out. Tightens OK so still does its assigned task.
I still want to replace the old butt as it just doesn't work with plastic strips, and for once I would like to be able to install an snare with equipped with plastic strips and not having to hassle with cords, which tend to become a real pain in the neck to install. One of these days!...

-elcid

 

[Boomer]

Sold these late last year.

22/13/16/16/14s

The 22/13/16 were date stamped 2/14/65 and lived most of their lives in Central Indiana.
The 14 Pioneer snare (nickel) came from the Wisconsin area.
The additional 16 (clear interior) was a Frankendrum made with parts from Missouri, Kentucky, California amd Pennsylvania.

The entire kit now resides in Stockholom, Sweden.

 

[Chunkaway]

No pics yet, but I just received my new CM in gold sparkle yesterday. I am PUMPED! I can't wait to get home tonight and play them. Woo-hoo!

 

[katfish]

No pics yet, but I just received my new CM in gold sparkle yesterday. I am PUMPED! I can't wait to get home tonight and play them. Woo-hoo!

Cool! What are the sizes that you ordered?

 

[Chunkaway]

No pics yet, but I just received my new CM in gold sparkle yesterday. I am PUMPED! I can't wait to get home tonight and play them. Woo-hoo!

Cool! What are the sizes that you ordered?

22X18 virgin kick-curved spurs
12X8 rack
14X12 floor
16X14 floor
14X6.5 snare

I'm also thinking about getting a 20X14 kick or a 24X14 kick. I can't decide, although the music I currently play lends itself more to the 20". Still, I'm jonesing for a 24" kick. Decisions, decisions.

What are your thoughts on your kit after a month? Any problems or issues? Anything that really bugs you?

 

[Purpledrums]

Currently
Kit #1- in Charcoal Shadow 16x26 curved spurs virgin. 10x14 virgin, 16x16, 16x18 /New in 2004

Kit #2- Same color 18x22 came with mount, never use thoughfolding spurs,( functional yet ugly ) 12 x 13 modular mount 16x16, 16x 18 Ebay, craigslist 2007

Kit #3- in Arctic White glitter18x22 folding spurs mount (never use) 9x10 virgin 10x12virgin,11x13 virgin,16x16. Endorsees kit bought used in 2007 from Todd Trent.

Kit#3- in White cortex 14x22 w/ mount , curved spurs 8x10 virgin, 8x12,9x13,14x14, 16x16. My "Joey Kramer" kit
1979 bought used in 1980 (8x10 added in 2007) decent match, B/O badge installed by Todd.

Kit #4-Broken glass glitter (re-wrap) 14x22, "De-virgined" I plugged mount hole 9x13 virgin, 14x14, 16x16 E-bay, craigslist 2005

Kit #5- Eames shells, Ebony stain-15x24 virgin (YES 15x24 had to be different) 10x10,modular mount,12x12 modular, 13x13 modular 16x14(YES 16" deep 14"head had to be different) 16x16
Special order in 1982, all Ludwig components. In 1995 the 2nd kick was stolen from a lockout , never to be seen again. Too many snares to admit to! Pics to follow soon.

 

[katfish]

No pics yet, but I just received my new CM in gold sparkle yesterday. I am PUMPED! I can't wait to get home tonight and play them. Woo-hoo!

Cool! What are the sizes that you ordered?

22X18 virgin kick-curved spurs
12X8 rack
14X12 floor
16X14 floor
14X6.5 snare

I'm also thinking about getting a 20X14 kick or a 24X14 kick. I can't decide, although the music I currently play lends itself more to the 20". Still, I'm jonesing for a 24" kick. Decisions, decisions.

What are your thoughts on your kit after a month? Any problems or issues? Anything that really bugs you?

I haven't purchased a new kit in years. I think you're referring to someone else. Go for the 24x14!

Did you order your floor toms with legs? Is your snare a CM or a supra? Can't wait to see pics!

 

[reidjazz]

I'm kind of cheating here, as the only Ludwig I have anymore is in the form of the lamp below. However, the other pics represent the Ludwigs I have had during my life. The black ones are of unknown date (help anyone?)...my first kit that my dad got me for my 9th birthday in 1970 (this pic taken a few weeks after I got them).

The blue sparkle were my first "real" kit, 1971 or so. The picture was taken 4th of July week 1972, during my first gig (age 11), a week-long trip on the Mississippi riverboat Delta Queen from Louisville to St. Louis.

 

[Chunkaway]

Cool! What are the sizes that you ordered?[/quote]


22X18 virgin kick-curved spurs
12X8 rack
14X12 floor
16X14 floor
14X6.5 snare

I'm also thinking about getting a 20X14 kick or a 24X14 kick. I can't decide, although the music I currently play lends itself more to the 20". Still, I'm jonesing for a 24" kick. Decisions, decisions.

What are your thoughts on your kit after a month? Any problems or issues? Anything that really bugs you?[/quote]

I haven't purchased a new kit in years. I think you're referring to someone else. Go for the 24x14!

Did you order your floor toms with legs? Is your snare a CM or a supra? Can't wait to see pics![/quote]

Oops! You're right it was someone else-just saw your avatar and realized my mistake! Sorry about that. I was drum drunk, what can I say?

I got the floor toms with legs for two reasons. One, I like being able to put the drum wherever I want. And two, I like the look better. As for the snare, I struggled with this decision, but I went with a CM. I already have a Black Beauty, which I love, and a 1964 Ludwig Pioneer, so I know about Ludwig. It was a good choice! I really like the sound of the drum-much different than my 14X6.5 Gretsch snare. This snare has a bit more crack to it, but yet still retains the body I love. The Grestch is warm, but not quite as expressive, if that makes any sense.

So, is that a CM in your avatar? It looks like the drums are Bonham-sized, yes? How do you like them?

 

[elcid]

The blue sparkle were my first "real" kit, 1971 or so. The picture was taken 4th of July week 1972, during my first gig (age 11), a week-long trip on the Mississippi riverboat Delta Queen from Louisville to St. Louis.

That seems to be a 60s Keystone 14x20, 9x13, 16x16 and a 5x14 Supra snare drum, Down Beat kit. Good looking too! What ever happened to it?...

-elcid

 

[katfish]

[/quote] So, is that a CM in your avatar? It looks like the drums are Bonham-sized, yes? How do you like them? [/quote]

Yes, it's a Bonham size kit from the 70's (3 ply shells). I have some photos on pages 6 and 7 of this thread.

 

[reidjazz]

The blue sparkle were my first "real" kit, 1971 or so. The picture was taken 4th of July week 1972, during my first gig (age 11), a week-long trip on the Mississippi riverboat Delta Queen from Louisville to St. Louis.

That seems to be a 60s Keystone 14x20, 9x13, 16x16 and a 5x14 Supra snare drum, Down Beat kit. Good looking too! What ever happened to it?...

-elcid

The blue sparkles are from 1971 (although they may have been manufactured in the late 60s). As I remember, I got them in pieces, the snare, small tom and bass drum first, then the floor tom for Christmas.

I believe after I got my first set of Gretsch in 1981, I sold them to a student for about $400. They were in pretty bad shape by then, as I had no cases.

 

[Elvis]

Chunkaway,

I would say you might want to wait on purchasing the second BD until you try out your current one.
I've heard from quite a few people that the 18" depth of the 22" bass drum can make them a bit slow to respond and resonance can be a bit overbearing to some.
Play it for a while and see if you wouldn't be happier with a 16" or 14" depth.
From there, I'm not sure you'd need another BD. 22's are quite versatile, but if you feel you MUST have another one, my advice would be either;

A) If you feel you like your 22x18, then go for the 20x14. The added depth of the 22 actually makes it speak at a slightly lower note than a shorter depth version would. This may end up as too much cross talk between the 22 and 24.

After you trade for a shorter 22" BD, get the 24. There'll be a bigger difference in sound between the two and the 22 will favour the higher pitches a little more with the shorter depth.

That being said, I'm going to restate that 22's are quite versatile and if I had one, I would not feel the need for having any other, except maybe for a really small BD for Jazz gigs, and at that point, I'd tear the kit down and use the bigger floor tom as an alternate BD.



Elvis

 

[Chunkaway]

So, is that a CM in your avatar? It looks like the drums are Bonham-sized, yes? How do you like them? [/quote]

Yes, it's a Bonham size kit from the 70's (3 ply shells). I have some photos on pages 6 and 7 of this thread.[/quote]


Beautiful kits. You obviously dig the natural finish, eh? Do the kits sound similar at all?

 

[Chunkaway]

Chunkaway,

I would say you might want to wait on purchasing the second BD until you try out your current one.
I've heard from quite a few people that the 18" depth of the 22" bass drum can make them a bit slow to respond and resonance can be a bit overbearing to some.
Play it for a while and see if you wouldn't be happier with a 16" or 14" depth.
From there, I'm not sure you'd need another BD. 22's are quite versatile, but if you feel you MUST have another one, my advice would be either;

A) If you feel you like your 22x18, then go for the 20x14. The added depth of the 22 actually makes it speak at a slightly lower note than a shorter depth version would. This may end up as too much cross talk between the 22 and 24.

After you trade for a shorter 22" BD, get the 24. There'll be a bigger difference in sound between the two and the 22 will favour the higher pitches a little more with the shorter depth.

That being said, I'm going to restate that 22's are quite versatile and if I had one, I would not feel the need for having any other, except maybe for a really small BD for Jazz gigs, and at that point, I'd tear the kit down and use the bigger floor tom as an alternate BD.



Elvis

Elvis,
Thanks for the info. I finally got to play the kit for a good long time last night and I love the 22X18 kick. It has a ton of low end resonance-much more than I expected. I tend to agree with you, that I probably wouldn't need a 24" with the way the 22" responds. I have been thinking about a 20X14 for the venues with really small stages. The extra four inches of depth might not seem like much, but it can make things much more comfortable on stage for everyone concerned. I will say, I have a 20X14 vintage Luddy kick (1968) in the same gold sparkle, and it sounds terrific-the best sounding 20" I have played. Any thoughts on how the new CMs sound compared to the vintage kits?

 

[katfish]

So, is that a CM in your avatar? It looks like the drums are Bonham-sized, yes? How do you like them?

Yes, it's a Bonham size kit from the 70's (3 ply shells). I have some photos on pages 6 and 7 of this thread.[/quote]


Beautiful kits. You obviously dig the natural finish, eh? Do the kits sound similar at all?[/quote]

Thanks Chunkaway!

Yes, they all have the same tone because all of the shells are 3 ply mahogany/poplar/maple (maple being the inner ply). I decided to wrap them in maple veneer because it's a lot cheaper than buying sparkle or pearl wraps. Also, the rolls of veneer are long enough to wrap the 18" floor tom and the 26" bass drum, and only have one seam instead of two. It took 3 rolls to do my kit.

 

[Elvis]

Chunkaway,

I would say you might want to wait on purchasing the second BD until you try out your current one.
I've heard from quite a few people that the 18" depth of the 22" bass drum can make them a bit slow to respond and resonance can be a bit overbearing to some.
Play it for a while and see if you wouldn't be happier with a 16" or 14" depth.
From there, I'm not sure you'd need another BD. 22's are quite versatile, but if you feel you MUST have another one, my advice would be either;

A) If you feel you like your 22x18, then go for the 20x14. The added depth of the 22 actually makes it speak at a slightly lower note than a shorter depth version would. This may end up as too much cross talk between the 22 and 24.

After you trade for a shorter 22" BD, get the 24. There'll be a bigger difference in sound between the two and the 22 will favour the higher pitches a little more with the shorter depth.

That being said, I'm going to restate that 22's are quite versatile and if I had one, I would not feel the need for having any other, except maybe for a really small BD for Jazz gigs, and at that point, I'd tear the kit down and use the bigger floor tom as an alternate BD.



Elvis

Elvis,
Thanks for the info. I finally got to play the kit for a good long time last night and I love the 22X18 kick. It has a ton of low end resonance-much more than I expected. I tend to agree with you, that I probably wouldn't need a 24" with the way the 22" responds. I have been thinking about a 20X14 for the venues with really small stages. The extra four inches of depth might not seem like much, but it can make things much more comfortable on stage for everyone concerned. I will say, I have a 20X14 vintage Luddy kick (1968) in the same gold sparkle, and it sounds terrific-the best sounding 20" I have played. Any thoughts on how the new CMs sound compared to the vintage kits?

The CM's don't have the old Ludwig "soft punch".
Its a darker sounding drum with increased perceived resonance and they tend to favour a more "open" sound. They can sound quite "large" ("biggest" 14" floor tom I've ever played or heard).
When they're new, they can sound a bit colder, too. They do warm up a little as time goes on, though.
The tone is also very rich. These are rather "colourful" sounding drums.
This may work to your advantage, though.
With the older drum being the BD, it might not come through quite so strong, giving the snare and the toms more "room" to be heard.
To me, they're apples to oranges, but in this case, it just might be the ticket.
If I were you, I'd try them at a jam or practice and see what kind of opinions you garner from the others who are standing out in front of it.



Elvis

 

[Spoons]

Hi Guys,

This is my lot:-

2006 ClassicMaple in Blue Sparkle 26/14/16/18 ~ BD has 4x curved legs & mounted cymbal arm.
[attachment=1]ClassMplsm.jpg[/attachment]

1972/3 Super Classic 24/14/16/18 in Silver Sparkle (Made for Mel Pritchard from Barclay James Harvest, I rescued from EBay last year and had restored by DM Drums in the UK) kit used to have a 13 tom but that has been sawn in half and used as a timbale by some previous owner

I am currently touring this kit with Aynsley Lister as he reckons it's the best kit he's ever heard
[attachment=2]SC100Clubsm.jpg[/attachment]


2008 Vistalite Big Beat 22/12/13/16 (Sorry No Pics Yet)

2006 Classic Maple Snare~Blue Sparkle

1974 Acrolite Snare

1975 400 Snare

1975 402 (As owned by Mik Tucker from The Sweet, this drum was used on most of thier recordings and was his main gigging snare)
(broken attachment removed)

1966 Marching Snare (Green Sparkle)

2007 402 Snare

2007 400 Snare

Also a 1966 Speed King Pedal which works a treat but squeels like an old door after 10 mins use

They are all wonderful instruments, I can't stop adding to my collection when time/space and cash allows!

It's been great looking at all your kits, some lovely stuff out there, what a great thread!

Cheers
Spoons

 

[Elvis]

Forgive me if I've already posted this one here, but Spoons' blue sparkle comments just reminded me of my friend's kit...

(broken link removed)

18/12/14 CB's in blue sparkle with 14x8 CM snare drum with die-casts and P-86.

Lovely kit, but he's a I think he's a closet "big drum guy", because he's since added a 26" BD and a 13" rack tom to the setup...I think he might be going for the 18" F.tom, too, although I'm trying to convince him to create a way to set the small BD on its side and use it, instead.


Elvis