I have a 1966 Ludwig 12x15 marching snare that I've converted into a floor tom to match my '65 Combo kit. I currently hang it from a cymbal stand with a Pearl ISS mount, but I find this setup a bit too fiddly for my taste. I'd rather have good old-fashioned floor tom legs.So I'm thinking of drilling it and installing legs. Can anyone comment on how this would affect the resonance of the drum?I bought it as a bare shell (i.e. no hardware) and rewrapped it, so it's already got zero collector's value. Value isn't an issue--just sound.Thanks!
Just noticed this post. I used to have a Ludwig microkit made from 80s classic shells 10/12/16. It came with the 12 set to hang off a cymbal stand using the standard Ludwig FT bracket. I didn't really like that so I bought myself the Ludwig set of three tom mounts and legs and added them myself. I flipped the tom over and put the additional FT brackets where they made sense given the existing one. It was a 12x11 power tom (before it became my FT) so the proportions work nicely I think:
[img]http://black.net.nz/drums/littleLud1.JPG[/img]
The tom was much more resonant using legs. Looking at this photo again it seems like the FT leg facing the camera isn't quite vertical, but it is. Using the Pearl iso mount may be better for resonance than the Ludwig mount is, but I expect you will still find there is an improvement with proper FT legs.
Just remember: measure twice, drill once! The other issue you may find is that the tom legs you use need to be long enough. They generally seem to come in two lengths. Since you only have a 12" depth make sure you place the FT brackets such that you can get the top at the right level without running out of leg!
Enjoy.
