IMHO vintage Ludwig Pearl and Oyster finishes are more valued (in general) than the company's sparkle finishes. The Oyster Black Pearl finish of course brings significant dollars due to the "Ringo effect", but the White Marine Pearl also seems to do quite well, since both Buddy Rich & Gene Krupa used that finish exclusively (despite the fact that they spent a great deal of their respective careers behind Slingerland and Rogers drums). However, this topic is EXTREMELY subjective. It all depends on what the respective buyer is looking for and the purpose of his purchase. Someone looking to complete a vintage kit will sometimes pay more than the alleged "fair market value" because to him it's worth it. Certain vintage finishes are also harder to find than others, while others are harder to match, due to the aging process and possible fading.

My first drum kit was a 1963 Ludwig Sky Blue Pearl set and I've still got. I personally love the finish.

As a current owner of both a vintage Ludwig Sky Blue Pearl snare and a vintage Ludwig Red Sparkle snare, I personally prefer the SBP. AGAIN..........extremely subjective!

If you're willing to trade your Ludwig SBP Pioneer for a Ludwig WMP Pioneer or a Ludwig Red Sparkle Pioneer, please drop me a PM. I'd be more than happy to do so.