Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Here is a large portion of my Ludwig snare drums.Top shelf is a mixture of sizes and ages.The sparkles are Pioneer snare drums from the 1960’s.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Although this isn't one of my original Ludwig kits, it was my "project" kit which kept me busy over this past winter. It was a very abused kit that was left for dead by its prior owner. I wanted to give it a little personal, "OldSchool" touch (lol), in an attempt to create a vintage, yet classy look. Since the pics were taken I was able to obtain the proper, original double tom post.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

And a matching carpet!

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

LOL! That carpet was there long before I got the kit.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

The mysterious workings of subliminal perception... flower

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

[ATTACH]124569[/ATTACH

Me doing my best Bun E. Carlos, playing "I Want You To Want Me" or "Surrender." I ordered this "Pro Beat" kit new in 1976 and substituted a 6 1/2" Super Sensitive snare. Have since changed heads and cymbals, otherwise it remains original. I left the 18" floor tom and splash cymbal at home; stage way too small....and yeah, I play leftie.

My apologies to Bun E. and Cheap Trick! MB

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

My newly aquired1968 kit and a pre-serial number Pioneer snare.
9x13,16x16,14x22,5x14

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Let's put more pics in the archives!!

Cheers

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Anymore Luddies out there?

Cheers

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Let's see some more!!

Cheers

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Some of my babies past and present...

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

A few more with a WMP transition badge re-wrap.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

‘84 mahogany cortex.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

I have ONE Ludwig drum. It's a Blackro snare It cost me $30 and is the best Ludwig drum I've ever played. I owned a Ludwig Standard Red Strata set for a couple of years that I picked up for very little money. It was the best playing and best sounding Ludwig set I've ever played. That set was kept around for trade bait. It served me well in that capacity.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Awesome additions to this thread!! Let`s see more!!

Cheers

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Nice kits!!! That blue sparkle (drumfx) reminds me of the legendary Hal Blaine and the mahogany cortex really speaks to an era gone by.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

New Downbeat in sky blue pearl
Guitar Center closeout

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Here's an oddball prototype snare, an "Imperial Jazzfest." I changed the original heads - intending to play it (and I kept the original heads) - but then I found a common Jazzfest that matched my kit, and so this snare went into the closet. Here is the story behind it, as related by Bun E. Carlos:

"In about 2006, Jim Catalano (Marketing Director at Ludwig) got a few inquiries about wooden shell drums with Imperial lugs. Ludwig had made them back in the 30's-40's when Conn owned the company (and retro stuff was then coming into vogue again). So Jim had an idea.

He had the factory make two prototype snare drums, a 5" ten lug Jazz Festival and a 6.5" ten lug Super Sensitive to see how they would look. The only Imperial lugs they had were made for beaded metal shell snare drums, so they used those....Finally at least 10 years later, Ludwig decided they're a good idea, and had flat back Imperial lugs made."

Bun E. purchased both prototype snares from Ludwig, later sold the 5" to Donn Bennett, and I purchased it from Donn when I was looking for a Jazzfest in a neutral wrap that would look good with any kit. This wrap is a smooth shiny black.

I've since heard on this forum that the "Millenial" throw-off is weak, but it seems plenty sturdy to me. But I haven't put much pressure on it.

Enjoy, MB

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Love the signature by Bun E.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Say, in regards to that black prototype snare, it has some grime and old fingerprints on the wrap that I'd like to clean off, but I'm wary of using any kind of abrasive that may scratch or otherwise damage the smooth wrap.

We've all seen the COA snare drums that have been cleaned with the wrong solution or the wrong cloth, and you can see all the swirly scratches in the finish....I'm thinking of just using some warm soapy water and one of those little cloths that the Optometrist gives you to clean your glasses.

Does anyone have a "safe" solution for minor cleaning of a drum wrap? Thanks in advance, MB

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

'65 Club Dates with an extra 14" Downbeat and a Jazz Fest snare..

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Early 70s 3-ply Ludwig orphan kit I recently refinished accompanied by a late 80’s Tama Superstar 14x8 birch snare. The kit is 24x14, 15x12, 18x16 in “Challenger gray”. The finish is an homage to one of my favorite drummers, Bill Stevenson. They sound killer! It’s been a while in the making and just got them put back together a few days ago.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Here's my Jazz Festival-style snare drum I purchased back in 2016. Galaxy Sparkle wrap that the pictures don't do justice. I installed the Canopus BB muffler myself. I spent a lot of money for a drum to just sit on a shelf in my collection. I have a serious problem! LoLoLoLo

-Mark

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Ha! Mark - I gotcha beat big time for spending lotsa money on a snare drum! I've got a "Starrfest," number 2 of 15. $30,000. It's gorgeous, of course, very professionally done, but I don't think it will increase in value until Sir Ringo passes on. He's 81 years old now, and shows no sign of even slowing down! But I do sincerely wish him continued good health! That Starrfest sits on a closet shelf in my "man cave," rarely viewed, never played.

It will go to my Grand-daughter when I pass on, and hopefully she can sell it then and reap a reward of my investment....assuming of course, that people remember who the Beatles were, at that time in the future!

But I don't regret the purchase - the money went to a good cause, and I was still working when I ordered it. Nowadays retired, I limit my purchases to more practical and less extravagant drum items. YOLO! = You Only Live Once!

Regards, MB

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Hi Marty!

OK, you got me beat...and I will no longer complain!

Any chance of seeing pictures?

-Mark

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

I had these early 70's..

They were '67 keystones silver sparkle... 13,14,16,18, 2x22, & a 5 1/4
Supra...

Nice kit...

Cheers
John

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

a few of mine
the mod orange started with three blue/olive badged born together toms with moderate fade. It was tough to find a blue/olive bass drum that was reasonably affordable with a similar degree of fade. after a year or so, I settled for a keystone badged drum

on the vistas the clear was a partial that I completed with orphans the blue are born together but minus a snare.

a friend of mine practically gave me the 20" keystone bass drum in champagne sparkle.
I brought it over to Anthony at Village drum, to repair a cracked reinforcement ring
the 13"and 16" toms were born together and cost around 600.00. So far no matching snare drum just a black galaxy .

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Post 1 of 2. Here are 4 pics of my Starrfest. Pardon my poor photography skills, trying to use natural light - not very successfully.

Anyhow, MB

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Post 2 of 2. Here are the other 4 pics of my Starrfest, me still lacking photography skills.

FYI, MB

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Marty!

Just too cool! Greatly appreciate sharing these pictures with us!

-Mark

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

A few retired Ludwig marchers

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

That Oriental Band unit is a great piece. Brilliant colors.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

How did you manage to get Ringo's signature?

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Ringo's signature was part of the deal. Only 15 Starrfest drums produced. Gary Astridge (Ringo's drum historian) has a photo poster of Ringo's original 1963 Jazzfest that has a genuine Ringo signature as well. Proceeds from the sale of both go to the Lotus Foundation, established by Ringo and his wife Barbara.

I was a Captain with American Airlines and was lucky enough to fly Ringo and his wife to/from London several years ago. I always carried a pair of Ringo Signature Drum sticks (Zildjian) in my suitcase, and he played them on his lap!

It was quite a thrill to meet - and talk drums - with the guy who inspired me to take up the drums, after watching the Feb 1964 Ed Sullivan show.

Several months later, he and his wife were on my flight again! I walked back to First Class, holding those Signature drum sticks in the Ringo "peace sign" fashion, and he said "Oh, it's you again."

I'm sure he gets sick of every fan wanting a piece of him, so to speak. But he seems pleasant to everyone, keeps a low profile, but doesn't try to hide from fans.

I had other famous drummers/musicians on my flights out of LAX and ORD, but Ringo two times was the best! Kept hoping Paul McCartney would show up sometime before I was retired, but I think he flies on private chartered jets.

Regards, MB

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

What a great story Marty

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Thanks Dan, It really is in nice condition it came with it's own hard leather case that too is super clean

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

As Kenwwod said, great story Marty. thanks for adding that in, and nice to know that he was gracious to you and seems to be to many people. I'm with you on him being a large part of an initial interest in drumming.

I suspect it was a great comfort to him to realize the captain was a drummer - two places were Good Timin' is critical! A meeting with McCartney would be nice too, given the name of the other band he was with.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

I picked up this marching bass and snare this past winter
from some folks in Babylon Long Island they were part of a van load of similar shells

I wanted to try and build a kit from these two marchers without drilling into them for legs and mounts.
This is what I have so far. my friend Shawn supplied me with the 13"
I have the original hoops and twenty of the marching claws (24) total needed
But so far I have none of the rods.
Some generic t-rods work just barely with the random steel batter hoop being used here.
but are way too short to work with the original hoops.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

Some of mine.

Re: This is the Display Your Ludwig Drum Thread
 

a few more