Hi,

Here's another one to enter the collection.

1937 LUDWIG & LUDWIG 6.5 x 15 BLACK DIAMOND PEARL SUPER-LUDWIG MODEL (SPECIAL ORDER)

I recently got this drum from my good friend and fellow collector Bill Wanser. The drum is all original except for the top and bottom heads. There is a special story that comes with this drum. Bill Wanser has allowed me to use his words regarding this drum: "1. They did not offer this size drum in this configuration in the 1937 catalog. That is they did not offer a 'Super Ludwig' in a 15" size, metal or wood shell in the Imperial lug era of the 1930's. This would have also been close to the end of the use of the tapped Imperial lugs...2. There are no snare guards. Imperial lug era Supers used a bottom rim with flanges allowing the guards to be attached to the rim and since they did not produce these rims for a 15" drum they could not attach snare guards. Clip-on type snare guards for the 10 tube lug era would not fit on a 15", 8 lug drum. This is the only 15" metal rim with drop gates on a Ludwig drum from this era that I've seen. My guess is that the rims are Leedy, since Leedy produced the Parallel Model (they look the same as those that Leedy used on their Parallel) in an 8 lug, 15" size as late as 1936 while Ludwig last made 15" concert drums in the tube lug era (1935) and they were clip style rims. This rim also does not have Ludwig Super engraved or stamped on the bottom rim. 3. This drum definitely does not fit anything offered in a Ludwig catalog and from the conversation I had with the person who originally found this drum, and who spoke to the original owner, this was a 'Special Order' drum. The gentleman (original owner) said he had discussed his need for a drum appropriate for playing with a 'Band' with William Ludwig Sr. and that WFL Sr. suggested this size drum with a wood shell and said that they would make this drum for him." Thanks Bill.

THE SHELL:

The date stamp is 3705 so we are at May of 1937. L&L Black Diamond Pearl showed up in 1936 so we are good there. The shell looks to be solid mahogany with the white interior. The BDP is very clean but I still wanted to get my hands on it to do a little "Curotto-izing" to it. I was able to brighten up the BDP a bit more. The white interior needed nothing done to it. The white enamel L&L badge is very clean with a tight grommet.

THE HARDWARE:

The nickel plating is in great shape and cleaned/polished up nicely. The Super mechanism is all there and works fine. The 8 Imperial lugs are the Anniversary-era tapped lugs; one lug was stripped at one end but my friend Al Schneider (the original Drum Doctor) was able to put one of those hela-coils in there and saved the day.

Thanks again to Bill Wanser for a nice pair of top and bottom of-the-era calf heads.

Enjoy!

Mike Curotto