fantastic looking drum!Mind Blowi

Thanks O-Lugs! It's really the best sounding snare I've ever heard, as well as looking very cool. I took a bunch of photos to try out a new camera and it's amazing how the finish picks up different color lights. Here's the Keystone Badge in natural lighting.

Bob

Really beautiful, man. Wow! It looks like its brand-new! I envy you! By the way...Welcome

Ludwig had a "Beatles Collector's set in 1963???

Hi onemat,

I had a link a while back that discussed what happened at Ludwig in 1963 after Ringo received the oyster black pearl kit and was using it in the UK. A lot of sites focus on the drop-t logo and the bass drum head story, but this one said that Ludwig received all kinds of orders for the kit in late '63, and issued it or advertised it as some kind of Beatles-editon matching Ringo's (you're right, "collector's" is probably not the right term). Later in '64, Ludwig had a huge spike in sales after their Ed Sullivan apprearance, with some assembly shops running 24 hours a day. (there must be lots of them out there somewhere).

Anyway, I can't find that link again. Maybe someone that knows Ludwig history can help. What did Ludwig call the oyster black pearl kit in late 1963?

Thanks, Bob

Wow Bob,

I never heard that Ludwig, or the UK importer marketed the drums like that but it really makes sense. Especially after Beatlemania really hit hard on both sides of the pond. You know in the US, the first appearance of a Beatle song was in late '62 but it wasn't The Beatles, it was Del Shannon doing "From Me To You" on the pink Big Top label. I still have a like new copy of it. We had that record in the house before anyone had heard of the Fab 4 in my part of the US. When we had the album "Intorducing The Beatles on the small Chicago label VJ, there was "From Me TO You" and I made the connection to the Del Shannon record. I was only 9 years of age in '64...but I remember it like it was yesterday. My older brother bought 45s and Lp albums constantly and they were handed to me when they got stale for him. I'm sure glad they did, and I still have all of them.

By the way the snare is beautiful. It's also the most expensive Jazzfest you can get your hands on. I currently have a '67 but in Black Diamond Pearl. I use it a lot. If I had one like yours I would have a hard time taking it to gigs!

Like so many of us, Ringo sold me on playing drums. I was already banging on the kitchen table to my brother's Jan & Dean records, but seeing Ringo sitting up there above the rest of the band, with that ever-present smile of his told me playing drums was fun. I'm 52 now and I still play and gig, it's the best thing I do.

Matt

beautiful snare!

two questions:

is it 6-lug or 8-lug?

no serial #?

Hi b/o 402,

Thanks! It's a 6-lug. My understanding is that Ludwig began stamping the serial number along the top of the keystone badge in 1964. There some good photos of badge evolution elsewhere on this site. Inside the shell on mine there's a red ink stamp that says NOV 18 1963.

I've never heard - do you know what the difference between the 6-lug and 8-lug is regarding meaning and collectable value, etc?

Bob