sandman
ive actually got 2 that have the pad. the other one was in rough shape though. my 60's model doesnt have one. dug out the 64 catalog and viewed the parts breakdown. same part number back then for the pad. i wasnt sure that had them in the 60's or not.
i just measured the one that i put in the pic for you. it is 1/8 inch thick. i think the material that you have got or have coming should work fine.
mike
I completely understand wanting to duplicate Ludwig's non-slip pad for authenticity. BUT... using that material in today's real-world playing just doesn't make sense to me. It would wear very fast! I would think that just some kind of non-skid material would work better. Again, if you really want to go for authentic, then I'd certainly go with the closed-cell foam.
I have lots of leather scraps
I use 4-5 ounce or even thicker if I have it leather, glued to the bottom. With the suede side down touching the floor.
I completely understand wanting to duplicate Ludwig's non-slip pad for authenticity. BUT... using that material in today's real-world playing just doesn't make sense to me. It would wear very fast! I would think that just some kind of non-skid material would work better. Again, if you really want to go for authentic, then I'd certainly go with the closed-cell foam.
You do have an excellent point and I considered making improvments via todays advancement in drum materials and design. There is a guy that sells refurbed Speed Kings on Ebay that re-engineers the flaws of the Speed King and sells them for a whopping $149 and I have seen purists on different forums ripping him a new one for changing the pedal from it's original design. That was the impetus for me to try to just stick to the original Ludwig design. I think he does outstanding work on his pedals and am sure they are probably well worth his asking price since he powdercoats them and fixes all the squeaks. Many of the drummers that are in the market for a refurbed Speed King usually know how to care for them and play them to get the most out of them.
In my mind, Velcro would have been the first choice since it provides great gripping abilities on drum rugs and some manufacturers put it on the bottom of their pedals nowdays but again, I wanted to go the route of staying true to Ludwig's design asthetic. The only Speed Kings I "re-engineer are the ones that come in with all the slop in the heel plate due to the hingepin gnawing the holes of out round from all the side to side movement. On those, I grind off the hingepin, install 4 small acetal based perma-lube washers to eliminate side to side movement and stop the metal to metal contact. If I get a pedal in that's tight with no slop, I leave it alone and just lube the hingepin.
Thanks for verifying the measurement of the pad, MLayton. You rock, bro. Thanks for your invaluable help.
Who is the ebay guy selling the modified SK's? What does he do to them to make them better? While we're on the topic how are the new L201 Speed King pedals quality wise compared to the older ones? $130 new on Amazon from various dealers.
His name is Jesse with http://www.drummechanix.com . Check out his YouTube video here where he explains what he does to his Speed Kings.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRcQwNz4cf4[/ame]
Here is a link to one of his current auctions:
He does some pretty amazing work. I know a guy that bought one of his pedals and he says it's better than new.
As far as comparing the new current Speed Kings to the older Speed Kings, I bought new one 2 months ago just to have around as a spare gigging pedal and the action and feel are identical between old and new. The new Speed Kings are now cast in China and some of the parts are made in China but they are assembled here in the USA at the Monroe, NC Ludwig Plant. There are a few costmetic changes, the new ones have a cheap black coating on the uprights and pedal base that is easy to scratch. The micky mouse shaped nut that is used to tighten the beater shaft is now a cheap cast raw finish as opposed to the heavy duty chrome ones on the old speed kings. The hoop clamp wing nut is also cheaper made but the hoop clamp is pretty much identical as well as the chrome cross member but the quality of the chrome on the new one's is cheaply done. The old pedals are much better made in my opinion but they DID correct some of the flaws from the original Speed Kings. The direct drive connecting link now has a plastic sleeve which eliminates metal to metal contact which is one of the 2 squeak points in the original Speed Kings. The internal rocker assembly, Plungers, and compression springs are identical and made just as tough as the originals except the new ones are coated with some black finish to keep them from rusting. If you do a side by side blindfold test, you would probably not be able to tell the difference except if the vintage Speed King were to emit an infamous squeak on the downstroke. :)
how are the new L201 Speed King pedals quality wise compared to the older ones?.
I had a L201 SK and used it from the late 1960's until 2009, when it finally broke beyond my abilities to repair it. See the red arrow.
I purchased a new L201 and I can't tell any difference after making the swap.
BTW, I still have the original L201 box. The price on it? $34.00!!
That's cool, TinMan. The Speed King was so far ahead of it's time. Great in theory, just poor execution on a couple of parts. The black coating on my new Speed King is so thin you can literally scratch it off with a thumbnail. Is the paint on your new one that thin too? It doesn't bother me, it's still a great pedal. I keep the new Speed King in my trap case for emergencies and use the vintage Speed Kings for my main pedals these days.
I scored a 1968 Ludwig Speed King off Ebay last night from a guy in Arkansas that claims the pedal was purchased in 1968, used for 2 weeks and then put away in storage until he found it at an estate sale. It's supposed to even come with the infamous missing Non-Skid pad on the bottom that got me to start this thread to begin with. He claims the price tag is on the bottom of the kick tower near the KDC Foundry Stamp and it has $21 on it.... I wonder why it was cheaper than your yours? I WILL share pix when it gets here. I won't be doing anything to it except using it as a reference when restoring beat up Speed Kings. I may not have the nerve to even use it if it's that pristine. :)
Here's the sellers pix of the pedal.
I can't remember when exactly I bought that first L201. It was very late in the '60s or before the early '70s. The only only Ludwig price list I could find online shows the 201 selling for $42 in the 1975 catalog. Maybe yours was discounted or even earlier than '68?
I haven't noticed any scuffing of the black paint on my new 201, but honestly, I haven't looked much. I attached it to the bass and don't even think about it after that.
How much for the one you bought? It looks very good, but I'd check the grease and make sure it hasn't hardened while not being used.
that 68 model looks mint. very nice. i saw the auction. you got that for a great price too i think. enjoy it!
mike
