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Ludwig Pre-Serial woods & interiors question.

Posts: 128 Threads: 32

Dear Vintage Drum Folk,

I am trying to clarify my knowledge of woods used by Ludwig during their Transition and Per-Serial days. I've seen toms and bass drums from both eras with obvious African Mahogany unfinished interiors. Recently, however, I've seen two Superclassic sets from 1962 with these interiors:

rack and floor toms - white interiors

bass drum - clear, light-coloured, unfinished wood. I've seen plenty of maple in my time and I would assume this light-coloured interior ply is indeed maple.

I had previously assumed that Ludwig and many others exclusively used mahogany inner plys during this era.

Further, have Ludwig always made wrapped drums by folding the wrap into the ply of the drum? Again, both the unfinished (maple? and mahogany) interior drums drums I've seen also feature this incorporated wrap/ply.

Can anyone shed some light on wood usage during the pre-serial, pre-Ringo (1964), pre-QC dodgyness days?

Thanks!

Posted on 15 years ago
#1
Posts: 1064 Threads: 152

I currently own two pre-serial sets...

SBP Super Classic(1963)

-Toms white

-Bass Drum Natural

Red Sparkle Hollywood

-Toms white

-Bass Drum Natural

The Ludwig factory was testing out new things at the time and this paint set-up was a result.


Recent Purchases
-1961 SBP Pioneer Snare Drum
-1962 SBP Super Classic w/ Matching COB Supra

Working On
-1963 Red Sparkle Hollywood w/ matching Super Classic Snare

Recently Completed
-1964 WMP Super Classic
Posted on 15 years ago
#2
Posts: 6170 Threads: 255

i also own an early 60's kit that has the bass with unpainted maple interior. this was not uncommon in those days. sometimes the toms would have clear mahogany interiors and then some would be resacote white.

ludwig did indeed do the wrap in the process that you mentioned. most of the duco painted drums from that era also have an exterior maple ply as it takes the paint better.

mike

Posted on 15 years ago
#3
Posts: 3972 Threads: 180

pm sent thanks

Posted on 15 years ago
#4
Posts: 128 Threads: 32

Thanks for sharing.

So... is the light interior wood maple??

Early days were not just mahogany/poplar/mahogany?

It seems I need to read my Ludwig books properly...

Posted on 15 years ago
#5
Posts: 1118 Threads: 30

In general, from my understanding:

Lighter wood on the inside is indeed maple.

The wood under the white paint is either maple or mahogany...instead of worrying about matching up the interiors, they used paint to cover up what type of wood was. I've seen mostly mahogany and some maple that have been painted white.

Wrap typically means a mahogany exterior ply (but I've seen otherwise).

Painted outside typically means a maple exterior ply (but I've seen otherwise as well).

1970 Ludwig Downbeat
1965 Ludwig Hollywood
1970 Ludwig Jazzette
Posted on 15 years ago
#6
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