Hi All:
I've owned a (I believe) bronze Ludwig 3 x 13 piccolo snare for about 15 years now. It looks to be late '70s vintage with a B/O badge (don't have the serial in front of me).
It looks and sounds great (very loud)--so great I haven't used my Supraphonics in years. But I haven't been able to find anything in terms of numbers made, any vintage value, etc.
Is there anyone here who can fill me in on a little history and background on this drum?
Thanks in advance...!
A pic of yours would help, but here's what Rob Cook lists (and that I know about)
3x13 Jazz Combo in wood 1960-1970 (I've got a transition badge one and they are really great little snares)
From 1970-1991 there was a 3x13 metal shelled version called the "Piccolo" when it was introduced in the catalog. Not bronze, but the same metal as Supraphonics of the day. This sounds like what yours must be if it has a blue/olive badge. It should have a chrome finish (same as a Supra) and "sideways" lugs.
After a gap, another 3x13 snare was introduced in bronze (with a bronze finish) and a similar sized black beauty. But this isn't in your time frame. Bronze 3x13 don't appear in my 1988 catalog so they would be some time after that.
The wood Jazz Combo and "Piccolo" both have "sideways lugs", while the later ones from the "bronze age" have vertical lugs I believe. The 3x13 snares have had vertical lugs during this century at least. I used to have one of those which was also very nice, but I sold it when I found the transition badge one.
Here is a sideways lug metal blue/olive from the section on snares, although this one mysteriously says it is 4x13 rather than 3x13.
[img]http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/images/my_collection/ludwig_chrome_snare_thumb.jpg[/img]
This photo comes from Ludwig snares on this page of the Vintage Drum Guide. Always a good place to start when you want to identify something yourself.
Value is highly variable ($150 - $500) depending on condition. And I haven't seen many fetch $500 since the global financial crisis. Once again a pic (or better a few pics) would be needed to see what condition it is in.
Tried to send a pic from my Flickr page, but it didn't work. Here's the url:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23461646@N03/5541400216/
Serial # is 3135844, and there's a "105" stamped on the inside shell across from the air hole. I'm guessing it was made in the mid-to late 80s.
It's all original except for the batter head. And it's surprisingly heavy.
Hope someone can give me a history on it.
Ah. Vertical lugs and bronze finish. That's from the "bronze" age all right. Back to my reference materials. x-mas3
I don't have a lot of serial numbers and date stamps from these later drums, and I have yet to have my question answered about where on the VintageSnareDrum site there is a more recent list of serial numbers and associated dates.
In the meantime: Rob Cook in "The Ludwig Book" p185 shows a Monroe badged brass edition with serial number 3295992 and says that the date stamp "104" is decoded as April (04) of 1991. I've tried to verify that this decoding of the three digit numbers works, but I haven't found a satisfactory one yet. So your data adds another inconsistency with the date stamp "105" suggesting May 1991, but the serial number is much lower than that. And why a blue/olive badge rather than a keystone? How far did serial numbers get up to on the blue/olive badges? Many questions.
I'll see if I have any later catalog scans. Meanwhile, anybody else want to play?
OK, I see those vertical lugs on 1994 3x13 Black Beauty snares so they were around then. And bronze was re-introduced in the 1982 catalog in hammered style (but only 14" snares) and in the 1984 catalog in smooth and hammered. But again only 14" snares. Ditto for 1988. So post 1988 unless they were available pre 1988 but not catalogued. Alas, I have a gap in my catalog scans at this point until 1999 or 2000.
I'm wondering if you have one of those blue/olive badged drums which was produced during the keystone period? Anybody know more about those? Rob Cook isn't specific enough. I believe that the hole for the badge is drilled at the level for a keystone badge thus the blue/olive one looks a little low. Unless it is just my old eyes.
Thanks for the reply, zen...
Yeah, it seems to be a bit of an anomaly--no shortage of those when serial numbers are involved, I suppose...;)
My involvement with this drum is a bit unique as well. I first saw it in a local music store a long time ago, and noticed no one seemed to be interested in it (I think the fashion was 6 1/2" and deeper at the time). Anyway, the store had a raffle one year, I entered, and I had won "something", they wouldn't say what. Imagine my surprise when it was this little piccolo. They were obviously trying to get rid of something they couldn't sell--their loss, my gain, I say... I have 5" and 6" Supraphonics, and since this little guy came into my life, they haven't seen the light of day for "years".
I'm going to call Ludwig in the next few days to see of there isn't some old-timer who might have a handle on this drum who wants to chew the fat.
If I find out anything, I'll post it.
Tried to send a pic from my Flickr page, but it didn't work. .................Serial # is 3135844, and there's a "105" stamped on the inside shell across from the air hole. I'm guessing it was made in the mid-to late 80s.It's all original except for the batter head. And it's surprisingly heavy.Hope someone can give me a history on it.
Here ya go....
[IMG]http://www.vintagedrumforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=26953&stc=1&d=1300591205[/IMG]
That's a beautiful little snare to win in a raffle!
I found some pages on here which have the snare sections from a few more catalogs:
http://vintagedrumguide.com/ludwig_snare_drum_catalog_pages.html
If you scroll down you can see 1989 (3x13 not there), 1991 YES: model LB553 bronze piccolo 3x13. There was a hammered option, and die cast rims option. Yours looks to have the triple flange hoops (and isn't hammered obviously).
And thanks Hoppy for getting the pic inline.
