Ludwig drums

[YuriK]

I have been offered 2 vintage Ludwig drumkits:
1. 1963 "Ringo" Kit 22x14, 12", 16" and a Suprasonic snare. All original hardware
2. 1970 "Ringo" Kit 22x14, 12", 16" and a Suprasonic snare. All original hardware

Both kits are in exellent condition (the 1962 still hs the original skins for it).
Is one supposed to be better then the other? Or neither is any good for anything?

Thanks

YK

[edyer]

I had an old but similar kit.( Ludwig built)
I always liked them but there were a few things that needed fixing. First if they have the old style focus rings around the bearing edge the shells don't resonate as well as non focus ringed edges. They soundeed like a cardboard box when tuned loosely. You should have them checked by someone to see what kind of shape the bearing edges are in. They can be redone if I recall it's about $50 per drum. Second the hardware sucked. I loved the cool sparkly finish though. My favorite "older " kit was a set of rogers shells I had for a few years.

[mitgong]

There might be something here:

http://www.ludwigdrummer.com/index.html

I don't know that you need both, although I suppose you could set them up differently (jazz/rock), but if you can, you should certainly buy at least one of them. My god they're delicious.

[Sofa King]

Originally posted by YuriK
I have been offered 2 vintage Ludwig drumkits:
1. 1963 "Ringo" Kit 22x14, 12", 16" and a Suprasonic snare. All original hardware
2. 1970 "Ringo" Kit 22x14, 12", 16" and a Suprasonic snare. All original hardware

Both kits are in exellent condition (the 1962 still hs the original skins for it).
Is one supposed to be better then the other? Or neither is any good for anything?

Thanks

YK

YK,
Old drums are alot like old cars, some are jewels, some are dogs.
May I ask how much is he asking for the kits?

The snare, a Supraphonic, is a good meat and potatoes snare.
If youre considering buying the kits, I would do this.

take all of the heads off.
Get a new head in each of the sizes.
and see if the shell will take the head.
Ideally, the head should spin around the shell without sticking.
check this on top and bottom.
next, with the head off, put the drum on a piece of glass, and see if the bearing edge is true. Meaning, you cant see any space betwen the drum and the glass.
Also, look for any seperation in the plies of the shell.
[This is sometimes a drum will sound dead, like the poster mentioned who had problems with the re enforcement rings on his kit.]

Check all of these clues, they are all pretty safe indicators that the drum, is in good condition.
But ill add, I have a pretty silly colection of old drums and very very few are without any flaws at all.

Please feel free to email me with any questions.

Best


Sean

[edyer]

I might add to Sofa kings excellent advice. When you purcase new heads take them out of the box at the store. Tap them in the center. If it sounds dead then that's what your drum will sound like. If it has a resonance to it it should be o.k. Dual ply heads are the worst offenders but Singles can be bad also. I don't know why they get out of the factory that way but they do.
Eric.

[Fleaman]

Originally posted by YuriK
I have been offered 2 vintage Ludwig drumkits:
1. 1963 "Ringo" Kit 22x14, 12", 16" and a Suprasonic snare. All original hardware
2. 1970 "Ringo" Kit 22x14, 12", 16" and a Suprasonic snare. All original hardware

Both kits are in exellent condition (the 1962 still hs the original skins for it).
Is one supposed to be better then the other? Or neither is any good for anything?

Thanks

YK

All things being equal, the '63 kit would be worth more (quite a bit more)...and would appreciate more.

The main thing you have to consider with early Ludwig’s is the bearing edges were not all that well done back then...especially the mid-late '60's Ludwig’s (notoriously bad).

If you have the bearing edges check/trued, then either set should provide wonderful results. But make sure you go to a reputable drum builder that will not re-cut the edges to a new modern style (i.e. sharp). You have to make that VERY clear! The early drums had very broad round bearing edges and that’s what gives them the meaty sound (Vintage?). Keep the original style edge, but have it trued.

Personally I would take the '63 kit in a heartbeat.




Fleaman

[YuriK]

Sean

The asking price is

1962 kit :$A3000 ($US2250 approx)
1970 kit: $A2800 ($US2100 approx)
Is this too much?

Both kits are in excellent condition and have been cheked for me by a "pro". I will do the heads test if you guys think the kits are not too expensive

Thanks for all the replys, keep them coming

YK

[Drumsound]

For such a small difference in price I'd get the '63. They will most likely sound better and will definitely have a higher vibe factor!

[Sofa King]

Originally posted by YuriK
Sean

The asking price is

1962 kit :$A3000 ($US2250 approx)
1970 kit: $A2800 ($US2100 approx)
Is this too much?

Both kits are in excellent condition and have been cheked for me by a "pro". I will do the heads test if you guys think the kits are not too expensive

Thanks for all the replys, keep them coming

YK

The 60s kit has to be pristine, and entirely correct, down to tension rods. and have a bunch of hardware to be worth that.
And would be strictly a look but no touch kit.

The 70s kit is about 1300.00 too much.


The 60s kit if it is as stated above, is a collector’s kit not a player.
And as someone else mentioned, the included hardware, that makes it desirable to collector, is just about useless to a player in your studio.

For example, I’ve got a 1939 Radio king set that is dead mint down to factory issued drum heads and sticks.
I don’t play it, I don’t look at it, I barely talk about it.

But I have a few orphan kits in the studio.
Meaning same cool sounding drums, just not collector’s stuff.
Toms from one kit, kick from another.
And being that these orphan kits aren’t worth a mint, ill change the troublesome hardware, and actually make them better.

A question I should have asked before is, what kind of records do you do?
What kind of drum sound are you picturing?
This kit may be terrible for what you’re going after.


Best


Sean

[Fleaman]

Prices might be higher down under than here in the States, which could account for the difference. A very, very nice '62 kit would be a good deal at about $1200 up here, $1500-$1600 might be what it is worth and $2200 would have to be museum condition...but that would be for a kit in the States.

BTW, old Ludwig’s like this are great for a warm tone, good for jazz or music that doesn't need much cut (attack).

If you are doing anything with heavy distorted guitars, then forget it, the old Ludwig’s won't cut through the mix. Not that it's impossible, just much harder to work with than an attack monster drum set.



Fleaman

[edyer]

Wow that does seem like a lot of money.
You could have someone build you a 4 piece custom with the cool glittery finish and have the sound you want and have it be really functional for less than that.
Plus the hardware wont slip on you all the time.
Eric

[Dan-O]

Originally posted by Fleaman
If you are doing anything with heavy distorted guitars, then forget it, the old Ludwig’s won't cut through the mix.

I respectfully but completely disagree this statement.

[Fleaman]

On a purely monetary value, the custom set can't compete. The Ludwigs will always appreciate in value from today on...they have been since the vintage drum market got a very slow start some 15+ years ago.

But today, with the helpings of some drum magazines, Ringo and ebay (what else!), the vintage drum market is starting to really climb that dollar ladder.

There are still deals to be had, but like anything, as the vintage drum market gets hotter and hotter, it will get tougher and tougher to find them.



Fleaman

[Fleaman]

Originally posted by Dan-O
I respectfully but completely disagree this statement.

You missed the next sentence in my quote:

"Not that it's impossible, just much harder to work with than an attack monster drum set."



Fleaman

[Drumsound]

Originally posted by Fleaman


BTW, old Ludwig’s like this are great for a warm tone, good for jazz or music that doesn't need much cut (attack).

If you are doing anything with heavy distorted guitars, then forget it, the old Ludwig’s won't cut through the mix. Not that it's impossible, just much harder to work with than an attack monster drum set.



Fleaman

See above comment on baring edges.

[Bob Olhsson]

In the early '60s Ludwig had a good reputation for their metal snare drums but that was about it. They were still a big name because they had invented the kick drum but everybody I knew preferred Gretsch or, for some reason I never understood, Rogers. Virtually every drum from the mid '50s on needed serious work done to the bearings until the Japanese drums appeared on the market with much better bearings although, in my experience, less potential for great sound than what a set of '70s Gretsch could be tweaked into.