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An Estate Sale Find Update! Last viewed: 1 hour ago

Posts: 202 Threads: 50

Finally, after a week of cleaning, waxing, taking apart, and a bunch of trips to Sam Ash. I've finally gotten to set up my Ludwigs.

Here they are.

A few notes:

[LIST]

[*]First off, thanks to everyone who answered any questions I had over the past week. I really appreciate it, and I couldn't have done this without all of your help.

[*]Holy moly, the mounted tom bounces a lot when the bass drum is hit. I can see why people put their toms on separate stands.

[*]I wish, that after 13 years of playing drums, I could finally figure out how to properly tune them.

[/LIST]

Anyway, to sum it up, the person who last owned this kit probably bought them around 1960, when he was about my age (21). They were sold because he was in his late 70s or 80s and didn't play anymore. Hopefully, in 57 years when I'm that age, and these are 114, these things still sound as great as they do today.

Posted on 7 years ago
#1
Posts: 1880 Threads: 292

From Whatarethese123

Finally, after a week of cleaning, waxing, taking apart, and a bunch of trips to Sam Ash. I've finally gotten to set up my Ludwigs.Here they are.A few notes:[LIST][*]First off, thanks to everyone who answered any questions I had over the past week. I really appreciate it, and I couldn't have done this without all of your help.[*]Holy moly, the mounted tom bounces a lot when the bass drum is hit. I can see why people put their toms on separate stands.[*]I wish, that after 13 years of playing drums, I could finally figure out how to properly tune them. [/LIST]Anyway, to sum it up, the person who last owned this kit probably bought them around 1960, when he was about my age (21). They were sold because he was in his late 70s or 80s and didn't play anymore. Hopefully, in 57 years when I'm that age, and these are 114, these things still sound as great as they do today.

Very nice ! Great job on the resto.. FYI, if you're worried about the tom moving a lot, and you're not too much of a "purist", then i suggest the Ludwig ATLAS Arch rail mount..Gives the kit a classy, yet modernized look to it.. Check out the link to see what i mean..

https://reverb.com/item/2286646-ludwig-classic-maple-4-piece-drum-set

Cheers,

Rob

Posted on 7 years ago
#2
Posts: 876 Threads: 77

123

You did a great job, they really shine ! I really love the old calf skin head on the front. I bet they sound amazing. Rob is right, the original tom mount does make the drum bounce. A separate stand may mute the drum a bit. Take a look on the forum, there are some great threads about properly tuning drums by some of our gurus. Good luck with it.

BTW; Was reading Drum Magazine on line last night and saw that Daxx Nielsen is playing the same kit, don't think it is vintage like yours though.

http://drummagazine.com/just-another-dude-from-rockford/?utm_source=Drum&utm_campaign=bd5c537a4d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_11_10&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a82b758470-bd5c537a4d-207607769&mc_cid=bd5c537a4d&mc_eid=bd8b2ebfc9

Michael

No Guru - I just love collecting & learning about vintage drums!

Some of my favorites from the kits in the collection
58 WFL New Yorker Blue Sparkle
67 Ludwig Hollywood Red Psychedelic
69 Ludwig Standard Red Ruby Strata
70's Ludwig BOP "Ringo" Kit

A few of my favorite snares
20's Leedy Black Elite
51 Leedy & Ludwig Knob Tension
58 WFL Buddy Rich Classic Blue Sparkle
63 Walberg & Auge Sea Blue Agave Green Pearl
66 Leedy Shelly Manne Blue Agate Pearl
Posted on 7 years ago
#3
Posts: 202 Threads: 50

From CTMichaelV

123You did a great job, they really shine ! I really love the old calf skin head on the front. I bet they sound amazing. Rob is right, the original tom mount does make the drum bounce. A separate stand may mute the drum a bit. Take a look on the fourm, there are some great threads about properly tuning drums by some of our gurus. Good luck with it. Michael

It sounds great, I'm sure if I had a better ear, I could get it to sound even better.

With the drum bouncing, I honestly don't mind, because it's not so much that I can't continue playing. I find it amusing, plus I love how front certain angles, the tom looks like it's floating.

Posted on 7 years ago
#4
Posts: 3089 Threads: 326

Very, very nice. I cannot believe how you got that nickel hardware to shine. I've had sets with that hardware years ago and never even made an attempt. Looks fantastic. I was really stunned by the snare drum.

As to tuning, what do you think you are missing in that regard?

Posted on 7 years ago
#5
Posts: 202 Threads: 50

From Dan Boucher

Very, very nice. I cannot believe how you got that nickel hardware to shine. I've had sets with that hardware years ago and never even made an attempt. Looks fantastic. I was really stunned by the snare drum. As to tuning, what do you think you are missing in that regard?

Besides the floor tom, all of the hardware turned out to be chrome, so shining it up was pretty easy. The floor tom on the other hand...all of those lugs were taken, and meticulously brushed and cleaned, but they're a bit tarnished. Thankfully, it's in the back so you can't really see it, plus the yellowish tinge it has compared to the chrome is kind of offset by the reflections from the wraps and from the cymbals.

With regards to tuning, after playing drums for all these years, I just don't think I've ever really developed an ear for it. I can hear drums and say oh that sounds great, or those sound awful, but when it comes to tuning myself, I'm always left thinking that I could probably get more out of my drums. I have a fair bit of trouble matching lug pitches, and then matching or not matching batter to reso side. Currently in my own opinion, the floor tom sounds a bit more dead than I'd like, however, at the same time, I'm not the biggest fan of too much rattle and reverb. My high tom sounds a bit too high for my taste, but lower and again, I think it sounds worse.

Simply put, I think I'm never satisfied, I've been told from the few (Non-drummers) who have heard the kit so far that is sounds great.

Posted on 7 years ago
#6
Posts: 184 Threads: 36

That gold sparkle turned out beautifully!! That's definitely the steal of the century you got on those drums.

Might I add I'm also on the younger side of things (18) and it's nice to see another guy around my age appreciating an old drum kit!

I had a lot of issues with understanding how to tune drums for a long time as well, and I never really understood it until I got myself a tune bot. I know, I know, that sounds lazy and makes it seem like I'm "cheating," but they really do help with understanding how to tune drums. It teaches you to find a tuning that you really like, helps you seriously dial in each lug to be perfectly tune with each other (like within 0.5 htz), and subconsciously gets you to tune by ear. I highly recommend it.

I've got a 13/16/20 Rogers kit that I've found my sweet spot for after fooling around with the tune bot, I'll throw in what I tune the drums to, to give you a starting point.

bass drum: batter - 85, reso - 110 - felt strips on both sides

13" tom: both batter and reso at 195

16" floor tom: both batter and reso at 135

Here's the Sam Ash link to the one I have:

http://www.samash.com/tune-bot-gig-ptbg001xx-p

How do you tune your drums? Do you tighten each lug in a circle, or do you jump across the drum to tune the opposite lug with every turn? I've found that finger tightening each lug then jumping across the drum works the best for me, it tensions the head much more evenly.

Good luck and let me know how it goes if you get it!

Luke

IN SEARCH OF:
  • 1964-1966 Rogers 9x13 rack tom in silver sparkle. Beavertail lugs, flat grey Cleveland tag interior
  • 1964-1966 Rogers 22 OR 24x14 bass drum in silver sparkle. Beavertail lugs, flat grey Cleveland tag interior
  • 1959 Rogers Holiday 5x14 snare drum in blue sparkle. Serial number #13382. Large double sided bread and butter lugs. Part of my kit that was split up before I purchased it. Bring the snare home!
Posted on 7 years ago
#7
Posts: 202 Threads: 50

I've looked into a tunebot before, actually stared at it when I was at SamAsh the other day. I'm just not too interested in spending $70 on one, when I feel like I can work on tuning, although I do think there's a good chance I'll end up biting the bullet and getting one. (I don't think it's cheating at all, although I wouldn't be surprised if that view changes depending on your age/generation.)

I was taught to finger tighten, and then start with a lug and hop across, then to the right, hop across, etc, so that's what I do.

Posted on 7 years ago
#8
Guest

From Whatarethese123

Besides the floor tom, all of the hardware turned out to be chrome, so shining it up was pretty easy. The floor tom on the other hand...all of those lugs were taken, and meticulously brushed and cleaned, but they're a bit tarnished. Thankfully, it's in the back so you can't really see it, plus the yellowish tinge it has compared to the chrome is kind of offset by the reflections from the wraps and from the cymbals.With regards to tuning, after playing drums for all these years, I just don't think I've ever really developed an ear for it. I can hear drums and say oh that sounds great, or those sound awful, but when it comes to tuning myself, I'm always left thinking that I could probably get more out of my drums. I have a fair bit of trouble matching lug pitches, and then matching or not matching batter to reso side. Currently in my own opinion, the floor tom sounds a bit more dead than I'd like, however, at the same time, I'm not the biggest fan of too much rattle and reverb. My high tom sounds a bit too high for my taste, but lower and again, I think it sounds worse. Simply put, I think I'm never satisfied, I've been told from the few (Non-drummers) who have heard the kit so far that is sounds great.

Try this: Put each drum that you're tuning on a carpet, bed, chair or other soft surface that completely mutes the head on the bottom. Start with the bottom head up, loose at all lugs. Finger tighten each lug until it just starts to make contact with the hoop. I use both hands, on opposite lugs, which helps keep the head level. Then, using two keys, GRADUALLY start to tighten the lugs at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock position by the same amount. I do this by just rotating the whole drum counterclockwise while holding the two keys in their original orientation, (like a compass needle) til the next two lugs are in the 3 and 9 position, and continue til i start to get a pitch from the head. it will be a high, ringy pitch, since the other head is muted, but the important thing is to get as close to the same pitch from each jug as you can. Once you get that, turn the drum over and repeat on the other head. Once it's in the ballpark, just make very small adjustments. Each head should be about the same pitch to start off, but I usually end up with the bottom head a little tighter than the top, just my preference.

It helps to make sure all the lugs are clean and turn easily. I also lightly wax my bearing edges to ensure that the head seats evenly.

Hope this helps.

Posted on 7 years ago
#9
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