Vintage Ludwigs versus new drums

Vintage Ludwigs versus new drums

strong>Ludwig Drums</strong>, especially vintage models, are very popular. Collectors as well as drummers are always scrambling to find a good deal on Ludwigs. The 1960 models and older are very high on drummer's most wanted list. All you have to do is check eBay.

A reason for this huge demand for Ludwigs is because of Ringo Starr, a famous drummer for the Beatles. On his custom drum set, he put a Ludwig logo right above the famous Beatles logo. As a result, Ludwig received a big boost in sales. Before switching to Ludwig drums, Ringo used Ajax and Premier drum sets.

As far sound is concerned, Ludwig drum are top notch. Vintage Ludwig drums can sound just as good as any modern set depending on the head selection and condition. A 1960s ludwig set sounds great in a treated studio as well as live setting.

According to some professional drummers, vintage ludwigs sound better because on the aged mahogany wood found on these particular sets. Current cheap drum kits use "phillipine" mahogany wood and they do not sound as good.

<b>Let's Take a Closer Look</b>

You need to know what vintage ludwig drums are all about if you are considering them. To form the plys, the older models had a poplar wood and mahogany combination. If you are using the bass drum as a weight gauge, the set is lightweight as well as three ply.

The drum shell stays round over time due to the reinforced hoops on the inside bottom and top edges. Vintage ludwigs are also easy to tune because the drum heads fit nice and loose. Of course this is assuming that the drum set is in good shape and the bearing edges are even.

The drum finishes for these classic Ludwig models are plastic wraps. The designs offered included the classic black and white marine pearl as well as the natural wood maple finish. Ringo Starr's unique "oyster black pearl" was also an option. If you are looking for great sounding drums, vintage ludwig drums are worth it. Just make sure that you shop wisely.

Some folks like that old vintage sound... It wouldn't work for what I do
so I don't even give vintage kits a look past walking by them to get to the
newer gear.

Nothing against new drums but I love my 1968 Ludwig's - been playing them since 1970. Mahogany and poplar ? I always thought they were maple, but what do i know.

thanks Spanky !





Peace,

old Ted

Ted E. Bear wrote:
Nothing against new drums but I love my 1968 Ludwig's - been playing them since 1970. Mahogany and poplar ? I always thought they were maple, but what do i know.

thanks Spanky !

Peace,

old Ted

Ted, I like the sound of vintage drums.... Nothings rounder, nothings warmer...
But for what I do they simply wouldn't work. They don't have the bite or attack
that I need in the music I play. I'm not knocking them or putting them down.
They just wouldn't work for me so I don't bother with them.

Absolutely. I use to own one (Silver Sparkle-1950) modal given to me by my cousin when I was only 10 years old. During my younger years of traveling, I moved from Sacramento to L.A. back in the early seventies. I left it stored in my brother's garage who eventually had a garage sale and thought that I was not returning so he decided, without my permission, to sell it for only $50. Now that I'm older and 'wiser' I realize the value of these drums and will not stop kicking myself for my negligence and thoughts of killing my brother for what he had done.

The shells consist of inner support hoops and inside of each shell had original brand stickers with the date it was manufactured. It dated; 1950. If I had a picture of it I would posted but I did not even take the time to have a picture taken. At the time, I was only 19.

Let live and learn as they say

Yeah, a real oops on my part.

Rac

I still want a Ludwig Black Beauty snare though, that's about it. But hey you could still use a Ludwig Speed King though, that kick pedal will still work today. Real nice Ludwig snares here.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Ludwig+Black+Beauty&id=471DC8010BA785ABE935677CE87FD154CD136732&FORM=IGRE2

I'm in total agreement, Spanky. I've had many opportunities to purchase a BB
snare drum before they got to the point where only people like Donald Trump could
afford one. As a matter of fact, Ludwig just had a thing about putting out Killer snare
drums back in the day.

The Speed King?! As far as the action, best pedal ever made by Ludwig IMO.
You could clamp that thing to a drum to this very day and go at it with any
type of music. The only pedal that may have had an edge on it in it's day
is the Camco chain drive.

All the Ludwigs I played growing up had maple inner plies, save for the concert toms which had that granite spray paint in them.

Mine never had anything close to a sharp bearing edge. Quite rounded. I have heard modern Ludwigs that to my ears sound more 'musical' than older ones. Of course, now they isolate them in mounting. Back then it was typical shell mounts. I remember the 18x20 floor tom I had. I've had a new 20" since '91, but had to get hoops from Jammin' Sams to make it. I don't know that any manufacturers carry 20" toms anymore.

The venerable Speed King. Played them right up to the mid 80s. Began the search for a "modern" pedal. They certainly have more adjustment options. I'm going back to compression action though. I just want to return to that feeling and action. I see lots of SKs on ebay. I may pick one up just to compare it to the Drumnetics and Trick.