My dislike for Ludwig drums and my extreme distaste for plastic Ludwig drums should be well-known in this forum.
About an hour ago I saw a posting of a Red Vistalite snare drum being offered for sale at a $565 asking price. It made me think of a vintage snare drum that could be obtained for a lot less money and probably sound just as good. Here are pictures of a Maestro (or is it Mastro?) snare drum.[Attachment: 136770]
Okay....I'll bite...
Your feelings are well-known....but just not understood. ;)
I'm not a big Vistalite guy, either, but I gotta give Ludwig credit for blowing everyone's mind with them. They were probably the most visually interesting and noticeable drums. They echoed the bright colors and futuristic dreams of the time -in drums! They have great projection and cut through amplified guitars and basses better than their wooden counterparts of that time.
Problems? Yeah.. They often cracked at stress points. Owners definitely found that out the hard way.
I think they stand to become one of the most highly-sought lines of collectible drums one day and well-kept/un-cracked examples will fetch extreme prices. By the way, I don't think that price is bad for a red Vistalite snare drum if it's in good condition.
And don't snicker too much at that Maestro, either! One in its original box and un-played could be worth a pretty penny, too! just sayin'...Toy collectors love those!
I'm aware of the collectible aspect to the Maestro.
Just think of Bonham without amber Vistalites. :)
He woulda still been legendary but still...
