Ludwig Classic Maple Charcoal

[iceagecomin]

Ludwig Classic Maple (Charcoal Shadow Laquer finish)

24 x 14 kick
13 x 9 tom
16 x 16 floor
14 x 6.5 snare

I have had a Tama Rockstar Custom for the past seven years. After years of playing in local bands and learning alot about my playing and what I'm trying to acheive, I decided to get a top of the line kit so i could get the exact sizes and sound i wanted.

Some of my favorite drummers are Phil from Radiohead, Carla from Autolux, Jon from Mars Volta, Josh from APC, Clive from Portishead, and Bohnam of course. This kit definitely enables me to accomplish everything I was aiming for. I've only had it a few days so I'm still getting to know the Ludwig hardware, tweaking the setup and doing lots of tuning. I got the Charcoal finish because it just sort of fits the visual side of the darker, atmospheric music i want to play, and i knew it would really contrast with the coated heads. It looks solid black when not under the light, but it has beautiful texture and a earthy bluish/brown tone when lit well.

The Ludwig heads are really solid, I got the 'medium' weight ones, coated top and bottom, which are 'remo diplomat' weight i believe. I'm used to ambassador so it's a bit different for me. The toms have way more resonance than my old kit, i tune them same top and bottom, med/high. The bass drum has the ambassador weight heads on them, not with the collars, and i might have to put a emperor on the batter instead because I'm getting just a bit too much high end ring. I'm tuning it quite high for the great tone and bounce. I'm trying to avoid muffling it at all and just forcing myself to get better at dialing in the sound through tuning. I'm enjoying the triple flange hoops instead of the die-cast on my Rockstars.

The Pro bass pedal is a bit less user friendly than the Iron Cobra, but just as sturdy and solid feeling to me. The stands are single braced but still heavy duty and i have no complaints and prefer the look to match with the moreso vintage sized drums and setup. I really like the curved bass drum spurs too. The rack tom is mounted on the cymbal stand, with the tom mount attached to the shell. It certainly doesn't have a noticeable reduction in resonance, and allow a way better view of the drum than having the RIMS style mount on there. I'm just having a bit of a problem positioning the crash cymbal above it, since i playing it relatively low. I didn't have my crash and ride cymbal setup here so you could see the drums better. (The cymbals in the newer pics are 15" Sweet Hats, 21" Sweet Ride, and 18" Dark K Custom Crash).

I hope to eventually link some videos on here so you can hear what they sound like :) Thanks.
-matt

[cdrums21]

Nice clean kit. I like it very much. It sounds like you have a good grip on tuning as well and know how to get the drums to sing. Good for you man, enjoy those babies!

[gringo998]

dude
that looks sexy as hell! nice buy!
i dont even like ludqwigs, but THAT ONE
WOWZERSaahhhh
soo beautiful

[mickey]

oh wow.


oh wow.

[dylon]

Nice! I don't see many people talking about drummers like Phil (radiohead), so it's nice to see some diversity. That's a classic kit man, when possible, post more pics with cymbals ;) !

[harryconway]

Awesone kit and finish. I too drive a Ludwig. If the Emperor batter on the kick doesn't work for you, maybe try a Powerstroke 3. And I agree with you about the single braced hardware looking more vintage. I've replaced almost all my double-braced stands with Yamaha single braced stands. You'll probably have to run your crash higher, depending on it's size. If I run a 14" front left I can get it kinda low(er), but right now I'm running an 18 there and it just needs to be high. Again, sweet kit.

[Jusstickinaround]

Wow, Wow, Wow, BEAUTIFUL! I dig your choice in percussion, I just bought a wmp Ludwig kit made in the early seventies with a WFL wmp floor tom, I'll be posting them soon. Love your kit.

[iceagecomin]

Thank you very much guys. I will update with a few more pics after i get settled in with everything. And I'll start a thread with vids in the other forum eventually. Thanks again!

[baz]

...very nice.

I like your choice of size and finish. That classic Ludwig script logo on the bass drum adds a nice classy touch as well.

I hope that you get many many years of enjoyment from them.

Barry

[< Taylor Made >]

Wow what a sexy lookin' kit! nice buy dude

[themac5150]

Very nice kit! You'll love those Ludwigs!

[drumming_hd]

I'm in love with your kit. I would go with clear heads, but i've gotta say that this is one of my favorite kits on drummerworld. Just pure class. PLEASE post some pics of the full setup with cymbals, i'll be waiting.

[On The Real]

Thats such a good looking kit.

[Drummer Karl]

Doesn`t look so cool on stage but in my drummer eyes it looks amazing! especially because you can see the wood grain...great! classy sizes...LUDWIG.

Karl

[iceagecomin]

I updated my initial entry with two new pics with my cymbals and gave some info of them at the end of the post too. Thanks for all the positive feedback. Although I had my moments before with larger, flashier kits in the past, this one definitely feels right to me for where I'm at.

[oiboiluis]

yea that black stain is awsome. plus its glossy great job with the pics too.

[davodi74]

Wow. Amazing finish. Post some sound clips!

[fourstringdrums]

VERY nice kit, I like it :)

Just a suggestion on the tom/crash problem. What you could do is either get a boom stand to hang the tom off of, that will help position it more independently. Or, what I would personally do is, and this I think would add to the retro quality of the set, is put the tom on a snare stand. Some complain of a loss of resonance but I do this with my kit and haven't noticed a difference. You have no independent mounting system at all right now, so it really won't change things as far as resonance goes.

[Bonzo91]

O.O God! It's beautiful. You have to tell me where you bought this.

[XAkitAX]

wow man great choice in the kit....its amazing!

[OldHippy]

Which hardware did you get (modular, classic, light weight)? I'm working toward a gold sparkle jazz kit and I'm not sure whether to get the Ludwig hardware or buy it separately (I already have a DW high hat stand).

[Danny]

absolutely gorgeous...i've been trying to decide on getting a new kit, and ludwig just keeps popping into my head... Tell me how that bass drum sounds!

[d.c.drummer]

Nice. It looks like those kits that they show in those level 1 drumming videos, but it looks sweet.

[iceagecomin]

Fourstringdrums: I have tried the tom on a snare stand method with my previous Tama kit, and it did noticeably affect the sound. But i think it might work better with this kit, because is has resonance to spare and better construction I'm sure.

Bonzo91: Thanks. I ordered it through my local Ludwig dealer. As i posted on another thread, it was quite an ordeal to get any info as I waited four long months for it. But it was worth it.

OldHippy: I got the same hardware that comes with the FAB4 preconfigurated kit, minus the SpeedKing. It's the heavyduty single braced Modular Classic hardware i believe. I really like it, no complaints.

Danny: The bass drum sounds huge and boomy, and very sensitive when i play it quietly. It gives me the exact sound i was hoping that these dimensions would give. It's a bit out of control right now because i have thinner, unmuffled heads on it. So i am looking into a different batter head, but still hoping to keep the same essential sound with a bit more control.

Thanks guys.

[parser]

Very cool kit!!! I have a 24" kick and use a 2ply emad with the thick foam ring in and no other muffling - it's totally unstoppable IMO - just a suggestion.

[cjl71178]

Such a beautiful Ludwig kit. I'm a Ludwig man myself and I also have the vintage logo head on my maple set. But I'm wanting a 24" kick now. I shouldn't have hesitated when I bought my birch kit. I also lost an auction on Ebay last year for a newer 24" black diamond kick (the color of my maple kit). But hey, if I end up buying a 24" I can always run two kicks huh? 22" on my left, 24" on my right!

Looking forward to the videos and more pics.

[kari_convention]

nice and clean. loving the K's!

[relyc]

Now THIS is a kit! Sir, I salute you.

[Tam]

what a classic kit, good buy man.

[iamtak]

beautiful finish.

you've got that set up much like my kit.

just killer looking (and sounding no doubt) drums

[iceagecomin]

I just posted some short videos of me playing these Ludwigs in the "Your Playing" section.

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21227

[Audun_D]

Wow, I love your kit, I'm gettin a classic maple in the same specs too, but in red sparkle. But I seriously love Ludwig!! Great kit!

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Thats a great looking finish. lacquer over the stain is gorgeous.

[Rhythmic Disciple]

This is one of my favourites on this forum. Beautiful, understated finish with a nice choice of drum sizes and heads. The cymbals compliment the kit too.

It's just got 'fun' written all over it...

I'm jealous!

[Disco Stu]

Nice. I really like my kit, but I would love to have a set of Ludwigs, and I really like the finish on yours.

[iceagecomin]

You can hear my Ludwigs on my recordings here:

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25383


Thanks for all the feedback guys.

[RogerLudwig]

I use the Ludwig Power collar on the bass batter side, and the Ludwig vintage smooth white with a 4" port on the reso side. They sound great

[pix]

Hey man awesome kit!! In fact, exactly the same shells as mine, except i went with the natural finish. Let me know how you go with the tuning, i have had mine since last November and have got a great sound out of the toms but am still struggling to get a great sound out of the bass drum. What heads are you running/planning to run on the bass drum? Anyway heres a few pics of my 07' natural maple. Once again, awesome choice!

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/easto_pickle/DSC01159.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/easto_pickle/DSC01162.jpg

[harryconway]

I've run lots of different head combo's on Luddie kicks. I almost always start with a clear Powerstroke 3 head batter, and an ebony Ambassador reso. Then change the batter head to suite my "need for the day". Controlled Sound and Emperor, my next 2 choices, for batter. Controlled Sound, Emperor, and Powerstroke 3 would all be choices for reso head. Don't expect a reply from Iceagecomin', his last post was 4/9/07.

[JENGLISH817]

Both of these Ludwig kits posted on this threat are great looking kits. Simple set ups are sometimes the most efficient and pleasing. Great choices.

[macragers]

Wow! This is exactly the kit I've been looking for. Sounds amazing. I was wondering, if you don't mind me asking, how much you got it for?

[diegobxr]

You guys and your Classic Maple drums in "vintage" sizes are killing me. How do I look at my poor drums now?? It'll never be the same again. :(

Now seriously, those kits are amazingly beautiful. The sizes are perfect, the 4-piece is just pure class, the finishes are outstanding, the lugs are the prettiest.. And of course they must sound heavenly. Congrats.

To the OP, I have a 24" bass drum too and I use a Coated Emperor with a felt strip. To me it gives a beautiful open, round, boomy sound. Great for live gigs unmiced.

Now I switched to a Clear PS3, just for a change, and it sounds great too, but much more "modern".. that is, a fat, short punch. Almost no resonance, pure attack.

No one is better than the other, they're just different. I think the Emp would suit your style better though.

Anyway, congrats, enjoy those drums.

[larryz]

Of all the kits & photos in the current Ludwig catalog, your set is my favorite.

Envious but let us know how these babies are as time goes on. Congrats..