New Ludwigs!!!!!!

[Steady Freddy]

I am so excited. I went to GC tonight not really looking for anything. My daughter wanted to check out some key boards. They've had a set of Classic Maple Ludwigs for a few months. The last time I looked at them they were on special for $2200.00 which I thought was pretty good.

Tonight they were $1550.00. I was just standing there staring at them. The set consists of a 8 X 10, 9 X 12, 12 X 14, 14 x 16, and a 18 X 22. Natural finish. What was weird was the drum department was totally empty. Just me and the sales guy. He knew me from some prior deals.

He says, I might be able to do a little better. I said, I'm listening. He said $1200.00. I didn't say a friggin thing. I just handed him my credit card.

Yeeee Hawwww!!!

[rendezvous_drummer]

HAHAHAHA!! That's brilliant....i'll buy them off of you for $1300!!

[Mendozart]

Congrats on the Luddies! You definitely have to post some pics when you can. You just had to do it huh? Those killer DW's just weren't enough for you? LOL

[dingbat]

A very nice score indeed! GC had a falling out with Ludwig around December, Ludwig could not supply GC with the amount of gear they wanted in a timely fashion, as GC orders in huge quantities. They dropped ludwig products from their stores, and as a result, anything leftover in inventory is being blown out to make space for manufacturers they do carry. Keep your eyes out for any remaining Ludwig gear at GC for great prices if you are in the market.

[Skitch]

I am so excited. I went to GC tonight not really looking for anything. My daughter wanted to check out some key boards. They've had a set of Classic Maple Ludwigs for a few months. The last time I looked at them they were on special for $2200.00 which I thought was pretty good.

Tonight they were $1550.00. I was just standing there staring at them. The set consists of a 8 X 10, 9 X 12, 12 X 14, 14 x 16, and a 18 X 22. Natural finish. What was weird was the drum department was totally empty. Just me and the sales guy. He knew me from some prior deals.

He says, I might be able to do a little better. I said, I'm listening. He said $1200.00. I didn't say a friggin thing. I just handed him my credit card.

Yeeee Hawwww!!!

Now I REALLY hate you!! LOL!!

Actually, this reminds me of when I got my first drum set when I was 13. I threw alot of papers! Butcher Block cortex Ludwigs!

Have fun with these!


Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

[Skitch]

A very nice score indeed! GC had a falling out with Ludwig around December, Ludwig could not supply GC with the amount of gear they wanted in a timely fashion, as GC orders in huge quantities. They dropped ludwig products from their stores, and as a result, anything leftover in inventory is being blown out to make space for manufacturers they do carry. Keep your eyes out for any remaining Ludwig gear at GC for great prices if you are in the market.

Thanks for the info! Did someone shoot themselves in the foot on this falling out?

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

[Steady Freddy]

Here's a picture that I took last night.

I'm thinking Super IIs over Clasics Clears for these tubs and a Super Kick II.

[Steady Freddy]

A very nice score indeed! GC had a falling out with Ludwig around December, Ludwig could not supply GC with the amount of gear they wanted in a timely fashion, as GC orders in huge quantities. They dropped ludwig products from their stores, and as a result, anything leftover in inventory is being blown out to make space for manufacturers they do carry. Keep your eyes out for any remaining Ludwig gear at GC for great prices if you are in the market.

That's what the sales guy told me. I couldn't believe the price. Blow them right into the back of my Trail Blazer dude.

Initial impressions:

The kick and floor tom's shells are thicker than the rack toms. The shells don't have reinforcement rings.

The plates on the suspension mounts for the rack toms seem a little larger than they need to be.

The heads are stamped "Ludwig Heavy." I'm guessing they are a Remo Emperors or equivalent. Gotta sell those things on e bay. I tapped on them lightly last night and they sounded really good. I guess the guys at GC had tuned them.

The mount for the rack toms is way too long. Once I figure the set up I'm going to cut that thing off.

I need to get memory locks for the floor tom legs. Other than that the kit looks good to go.

I played Ludwigs back in the day. I had a double bass kit in Sky Blue Pearl and a Natural Maple monster kit. I've always liked the look of the Ludwig lugs. This kit has mini lugs. Quite a contrast form the hub cap sized lugs on my Dee - Dubs.

This is great excuse to get a Black Beauty snare, I thing a 6.5 X 14 would be cool. The brass 5 X 14 DW I just got is an amazing drum. The low end is awesome. That drum has a lot of balls. Ah, brass ones. Doh!

Thanks for your comments guys!

[harryconway]

Really sweet looking kit. The clear maple natural finish has always been on of my favorites. I think the Ludwig heavy is a single ply head and thicker than an Ambassador.

[wy yung]

That's a great buy! I'm so happy you got a great deal on those lovely drums. As far as I am aware, those heads are Ludwig's own brand heads.

[Steady Freddy]

Thanks for the info on the heads guys.

[mikei]

WOWOWOW

Congratulations!!! What a killer deal.

Beautiful kit too!!!!!

[Steady Freddy]

Oh yeah,

The tension rods have little black O rings on them. Are those lug locks or something?

You can see them in the picture. They're movable and you can see them in the middle of the rod.

[dingbat]

The black O rings are so that the tension rods do not come out from the bass drum claws or hoops when they are removed for a head change.

[Steady Freddy]

The black O rings are so that the tension rods do not come out from the bass drum claws or hoops when they are removed for a head change.

Cool, Thanks! I hadn't seen them before. I gotta get out more. :)

[dingbat]

Thanks for the info! Did someone shoot themselves in the foot on this falling out?

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

No, I don't think anyone purposefully shot themselves in the proverbial foot. From what I understand after speaking with some folks at GC, Ludwig simply could not keep up with the tems of the contract for the amount of gear GC wanted to procure from them in a given period of time. I think Ludwig was a little too ambitious with entering into the contract and trying to meet those terms, they just could not work as fast as they thought they might be able to meet GC's demand. GC buys product in bulk to negotiate a greater discounted price from the manufacturer, they probably were not getting the quantity they were promised in a given time frame according to the terms of the agreement.

[joeybeats]

Good story and well told. Enjoy those pretty Ludwigs! Joey

[fourstringdrums]

I'm surprised you haven't been arrested because you stole those drums! :) Har har...

Very nice. I would've killed someone for a Ludwig kit back in the day, especially one in that finish. Treat them well!

...oh yeah didn't you just get a Gretsch kit too or is that someone else?

[Steady Freddy]

Again, Thanks for the kind words.

I skipped out of work and grabbed some heads at Sam Ash. I'm going with Aquarians.
I bought some clear Super 2s and Clasic Clears. A Super Kick II also. Time to spin some rods when I get home tonite.

I won't be able to play them until Sunday. Bummer dude!

[Fat Elvis]

nice nice kit, freddy. There is a classic maple kit in a champagne sparkle at my GC last time i looked. I am going to have to go enquire just how bad they want to get rid of it. :)

[dingbat]

nice nice kit, freddy. There is a classic maple kit in a champagne sparkle at my GC last time i looked. I am going to have to go enquire just how bad they want to get rid of it. :)

Like I said before, I always knew you were heading down the slippery slope of drum whoredom!

[Fat Elvis]

Like I said before, I always knew you were heading down the slippery slope of drum whoredom!

heading down? i think by now i am a homeowner on drum-whore lane.

[dingbat]

At least you own a home on that street, I've been relegated to living out of gutted out school bus in that neighborhood. Anymore kits, and I'll be evicted to a card board box!

[Steady Freddy]

I mounted the new heads on the floor toms when I got home from work last night. One thing that really stood out was how smoothly the tension rods turned. It felt good. It also gave me a chance to look at the edges and the insides of the drums.

The hardware that holds the lugs to the shells seems to be of lesser quality than on my DWs. I guess in the end it's a bolt and a washer. The don't have to fly around in space or anything. The badges are riveted to the shell and the rivet is the vent. On the DW kit the vents are bolted to the shell as are the badges.

I used a drum dial and set both heads at 75. They got there quick. The rods have a different thread pitch than the DWs and two half turns from contact got them up to tension as opposed to three half turns on the DWs.

On a couple of my DW toms there is one lug that reads 5 points higher than the rest of them once the drum is tuned up. The Ludwig shells had the same reading at all of the tension points. I think the shell construction is very consistent on the Ludwigs. This isn't something that I'm wrapped around the axle about. Just an observation.

I going to change heads on the rack toms tonight. The suspension mounts on the rack toms mount to the rods. On the DWs they mount to the lugs. I not sure if that's better or worse. The little black O rings do exactly what Dingbat said. I'm not sure if I like that feature or not. It will make cleaning the hoops a little more hassle. I may just remove them.

I should be ready for a 11:00 down beat on Sunday. Tune these tubs up and see how they sound. Overall the drums seem to be very well made. I owned five kits and this is the second new one. Two Ludwig kits back in the day. My current DWs and this one. My first kit was a no name import when I was a kid.

Every time I look at the Key Stone badges it's like I've been reunited with an old friend. It feels like home.

More to follow................

[fixmejesus]

Went to GC and they wont sell for that price. Hate to turn this into fatwallet but can you post the receipt so I can get one too at that price?

(or PM me)
Do they sound as "deep" or deeper than the DW's?

[chump]

lucky bastard! congrats! :D

post some sound clips when/if ya can.

[Mr.Echo]

Hey Steady Freddy,
Can you tell me if your NEW Luddies Natural Fishish has a lacquer finish or is it unfinished?
Because I would like to buy the Ludwig Zep Set in a Natural finish and stain it black...
Thanks, I must go now and find that black smoke...

[Steady Freddy]

Hey Steady Freddy,
Can you tell me if your NEW Luddies Natural Fishish has a lacquer finish or is it unfinished? Because I would like to buy the Ludwig Zep Set in a Natural finish and stain it black...Thanks, I must go now and find that black smoke...

It's a high gloss finish. I'm gonna set them up and mess with them in a few minutes. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

[Steady Freddy]

Here's a couple more pictures of the new Ludwigs.

[Steady Freddy]

I finally had a chance to get into the drivers seat yesterday. It took a while to get things into a comfortable position and I spent most of the day making adjustments. Towards the end of the day it started to feel pretty good.

These drums sound real good. I'd say on par with my dee dubs. The initial drum dial setting of 75 over 75 didn''t work out very well. The Super 2s seemed to choke a little. I messed around with several settings. 65 over 65. 65 over 70. 70 over 70 and 70 over 75. I left them at 70 over 75 for now until I have time to fine tune them by ear.

I have a set of Studio X heads that I've had for a while and I'll probably mount them after a while. The suspension mounts on the rack toms makes changing heads a little more hassle that on the DWs. I'm sure I figure out a better way to manage that in time.

The Aquarian heads have a softer feel that the Evans EC2s that I run on the DWs. The mylar feels a bit more rubbery. This could be that the tension is set a little looser on the Ludwigs than on the DWs.
The hardware isn't as heavy duty as the DWs. The Ludwig drums are lighter and that's not a bad thing.

The shells produce a nice clear tone that's both loud and punchy. The shells compliment each other well.
The floor toms have just the right amount of sustain.

The brackets that hold the suspension mounts to the L arms both loosened up. I noticed that when I tore down. The suspension mounts allow the rack toms to float a little more freely that the DW mounts. The rack toms have two vents while the kick and floor toms only have one. I started out with a 5 X 14 DW brass snare and got s little snare buzz off the 10 inch tom. I then switched to a 6.5 X 13 Dunnett and that went away. I'll be trying out a couple of other snares today as well.

Overall I'm pretty happy with these drums.

I'm sorry some of you didn't have the same luck as I did. Like one of the guys said, I guess I was just a lucky bastard on this deal. Sometimes even I catch a break.

Thanks for the input.

[pcmckay]

Very nice kit! The natural maple finish is very classy! I'm a Ludwig maple classic owner myself, I absolutely love my drums. Good luck with the new kit.

[Steady Freddy]

Very nice kit! The natural maple finish is very classy! I'm a Ludwig maple classic owner myself, I absolutely love my drums. Good luck with the new kit.

Thanks! I really like your Bonham kit. Nothing like a 26.

Take care

[pcmckay]

Hey thanks for the comment about my Bonzo kit, the 26" is so powerful. It's really a lot of fun to play.

[Skitch]

It's a high gloss finish. I'm gonna set them up and mess with them in a few minutes. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

That's good lookin' drumkit! How does the wife like the 5 young blondes you are now hanging with?


Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

[Steady Freddy]

That's good lookin' drumkit! How does the wife like the 5 young blondes you are now hanging with?

She's a little wound up. I spend a lot more time with them than I do with her. They don't talk back as much, or give me a list of honey do's.

Take care my friend.

[Skitch]

No, I don't think anyone purposefully shot themselves in the proverbial foot. From what I understand after speaking with some folks at GC, Ludwig simply could not keep up with the tems of the contract for the amount of gear GC wanted to procure from them in a given period of time. I think Ludwig was a little too ambitious with entering into the contract and trying to meet those terms, they just could not work as fast as they thought they might be able to meet GC's demand. GC buys product in bulk to negotiate a greater discounted price from the manufacturer, they probably were not getting the quantity they were promised in a given time frame according to the terms of the agreement.

Good for Ludwig! I am not a fan of Guitar Center anyway! I like the "Mom and Pop" shops myself where you can pretty much count on the same people being there day in and day out. I also despise being called "Dude" or "Bro"; it comes across condescending and insincere. That is all I hear from the sales staff at Guitar Center. And I don't have to be called "sir" or "mister" either.

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

[Bill Lumbergh]

Beautifiul kit -- great job! I usually don't go for the gear threads but this kit looks exactly like the one I used all throughout high school -- I begged and pleaded with my band teacher to sell it to me but he wouldn't let go. Very, very nice.

[Dr.Hook]

He said $1200.00. I didn't say a friggin thing. I just handed him my credit card.

Classic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Elvis]

Steady Freddy wrote:
"The heads are stamped "Ludwig Heavy." I'm guessing they are a Remo Emperors or equivalent. Gotta sell those things on e bay. I tapped on them lightly last night and they sounded really good. I guess the guys at GC had tuned them."

Now that's sort of a confusing statement.
If you tried the heads that are on there now and they sound good to you, why get rid of them?

If they're Weathermasters (and they'll say so if they are), then you have single ply "Ambassador" thickness heads.
If the bottom says "Ludwig Medium", those are single ply thin weight heads, like Diplomats.
They should be Weathermasters. My Classic Maple kit came with them.

...oh yeah, and word to the wise - I spent probably 6 years trying out different heads on my Classic Maple kit and you know what I ended up with?

Coated Ludwig Weathermasters.

Give 'em a spin before you ditch 'em. Might save you some $$$$. Especially since you already posted that you liked the sound of them.
I mean, WTF????





Elvis

[Steady Freddy]

Now that's sort of a confusing statement.
If you tried the heads that are on there now and they sound good to you, why get rid of them?

Give 'em a spin before you ditch 'em. Might save you some $$$$. Especially since you already posted that you liked the sound of them.
I mean, WTF????

Well, the original heads did sound good. The new Aquarian Super 2s sound great.

For me, it's all about sound and I don't really care how much it costs to get it.

[Elvis]

Fred,

Sorry if I'm coming off like a moron here, but I'm still reading your reply as you ditching one head with a satisfactory sound for another brand of head that also has a satisfactory sound.
The way I'm reading it, it almost sounds like you prefer the Aquarian's simply because they're Aquarian's, even though you say its all about the sound.

...so let me see if I can rephrase this.

Would the following be a correct statement?



You're saying that you prefer the sound of the particular Aquarian heads you got, more than the Ludwig heads that came with the drums, even though your opinion is that you also liked the sound coming from those Ludwig heads.



A simple "yes" or "no" will suffice.





Elvis

[Steady Freddy]

I like the sound of the Aquarians Super 2s more than I liked the sound of the Ludwig heads. They are deeper and punchier.

I have EC2s on my DW kit and I'm thinking about trying the Aquarians on them also. Thus far, I really like those heads.

I hope that helps to clairify things.

[Elvis]

Yep, it does.
Thanks.

BTW, "Super 2" is new to me.
Would you happen to know how they differ (physically) from Response 2 and Performance 2?


Elvis

[AveyTare]

your drums are so beautiful... I love the natural finish. my upcoming drums <taye studio maples> will be in natural and I can't wait to see them in my house :d

[Steady Freddy]

Yep, it does.
Thanks.

BTW, "Super 2" is new to me.
Would you happen to know how they differ (physically) from Response 2 and Performance 2?


Elvis

This is from the Aquarain web site.

In the past, two ply heads had either attack with little or no depth or they had depth with little or no attack. SUPER-2 drumheads have great attack, a rich mid-range and a powerful bottom end and depth. SUPER-2 drumheads sound louder, fuller and more powerful than conventional two ply heads. The patented Safe-T-Loc hoop prevents the head from slipping and the "Sound Curve" collar design provides "Responsive Tuning". With Responsive Tuning, one small turn of the drum key and the SUPER-2 heads react. A free tuning sheet is enclosed with each SUPER-2 drumhead. Attack with bottom end, projection with power and "Responsive Tuning" are what SUPER-2's are all about.

Application: For any drummer looking for more tone, more power and projection for today's music.

[Steady Freddy]

A couple of other thoughts about the Super 2s.

The Super 2s have an upper ply that is 5 mils thick and a lower ply of 7 mils. The Response and Performance IIs have two 7 mil plies. I'm using the clear version of the Super 2s.

I wanted a very open sound. I play mostly rock. I had a coated set of Response IIs on my DWs and they were very short lived. I pulled them off after two weeks. They just didn't have the projection I was looking for. I tried the clear Performance IIs also, and they were a little too dead sounding.

I tried the clear Studio X heads and liked those a lot. They did seem to wear quickly though. The Super 2s have some of the tonal qualities of the Studio X heads with more durability, at least so far.

The Super 2s sound similar to the Evans EC2s but have a richer and fuller sound. Volume wise the two heads are a toss up.

[Elvis]

SteadyFreddy,

Thanks for the info.

Looks like Aquarian didn't stop making the old Double Thin series, they simply remaned it.
Although, I think your descriptioin of the ply layup is reversed (at least it was with the Double Thin series).
I'll be sure to pass this info onto others who ask about them.



Elvis

[Elvis]

your drums are so beautiful... I love the natural finish. my upcoming drums <taye studio maples> will be in natural and I can't wait to see them in my house :d
Avey,

I'm sure those drums will look just wonderful in your house.
Very thin shell (about 5mm) with a deep, resonant sound and on the examples I've seen and played, they usually use a visually "nice" outer ply on the natural finished models.

Great sounding drums at a very good price point.


Elvis

[foghorn2]

I got the same kit in a different arrangement:

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24053

Anyone like coated heads with this set, or should I try those clear ones with the coated rings like DW uses?

[Elvis]

Foghorn2,

What with that Ziljdian?!
That should be a Signature Full or Bright ride!
Get it together, dude!

...just kidding, nice setup.
Thanks for sharing, and yes, I use coated Weathermasters on my Ludwig Classic Maple. They sound great!

=)


Elvis

[Steady Freddy]

I picked up this Ludwig snare off of ebay last week for $250.00. It matches my Ludwig set perfectly. It's a 5 X 14 and appears to be a six ply. The shell is the same thickness as my 10 and 12 inch rack toms.

It has tube lugs, die cast hoops, and the millennium throw off. I can't believe how loud this thing is. It must be because of the minimal hardware contacting the shell or something. Anyway it looks and sounds great.

[Elvis]

Freddy,

Nice drum!
Does it have sound rings inside?
What does the badge look like?
Is there a build date stamped on the inside of the shell? What does it say?

6 ply is Classic, but shell is thicker (3/8"-9.5mm).
If it has sound rings then it will be Super Classic or "Vintage" (which later became the Super Classic).
If shell is thin (about 1/4" - 6mm) and no sound rings, its Classic Maple.

Millenium T'off has only been around for 7 years, so that may date the shell, but a lot of people have been retrofitting their older drums with them, as well.



Elvis

[Steady Freddy]

Freddy,

Nice drum!
Does it have sound rings inside?
What does the badge look like?
Is there a build date stamped on the inside of the shell? What does it say?

6 ply is Classic, but shell is thicker (3/8"-9.5mm).
If it has sound rings then it will be Super Classic or "Vintage" (which later became the Super Classic).
If shell is thin (about 1/4" - 6mm) and no sound rings, its Classic Maple.

Millenium T'off has only been around for 7 years, so that may date the shell, but a lot of people have been retrofitting their older drums with them, as well.

Hi Elvis,

Thanks for the info. The shell is stamped 806 on the inside. I'm guessing that means Aug. 2006? There are no reinforcement rings. The shell is about a quarter inch thick. The badge is the traditional keystone style like the rest of my drums.

You know your stuff my friend.

[Elvis]

Fred,

There's a number of Keystone badges.
Setting aside the old WFL badges, there was a small Keystone that was embossed.
This was the badge that Ludwig used in the 60's.
There's also a larger flat Keystone badge that has the lettering printed on it (actually, laser etched).
If that badge is gold/brass coloured with white writing, you may have a Classic, Super Classic or a Classic Maple drum.
Ludwig started using that badge around the late 80's / early 90's.
If that badge is silver with black writing on it, you have a Classic Birch.
"806" could mean August of 2006, or, June of 1980!

Seeing how the Classic Maple series started production in early 1998 and Classic/Super Classic production ended at the end of that same year, my guess is that you have a Classic Maple drum that was made in August, 2006.

Looks like a very nice drum. I hope you get to enjoy it for a long time.




Elvis

[Steady Freddy]

I set up and played my DWs today. They'd been packed up in cases for the past five weeks since I got the Ludwigs. The Ludwigs are really super nice drums and they do sound great, but there's something about the DWs that is hard to describe.

I dunno. They just feel better or something. It might just be the heads. I have EC2s on the DWs and Super 2s on the Ludwigs. The Aquarian heads are starting to show some signs of wear and the rack toms have a couple of small dimples. The Evans heads have been mounted since August and don't show nearly as much wear.

I might put a set of EC2s on the Ludwig kit and see how that goes.

I had to take pause and count my blessings today. I sure love being a drummer again! Nothing like it. Even on days where things don't go that great, it's still an awesome experience.

Rock on guys!

[ThroneAmbition]

Elvis,

I'm new to the DrummerWorld Forum in fact this is my first post. I'm impressed with your knowledge about Ludwig Drums. I have just received a new set of Classic Birch. I'm not seeing any mention of Remo heads in this thread. I've ordered Coated Pinstripes for the Batter and Coated Emperor's for the Resonant side. I'm replacing the Ludwig Clear Heavy Weathermaster heads in hopes of dialing in a deeper sound similar, though brighter, to what is produced using the Remo rings that lay on top of the head. What are your thoughts? I'm just getting back into drumming, (this is my Harley in my mid-life crisis) after a 30 year hiatus.

Hugh

[Elvis]

(haha, fooled another one)...er, I mean, Thank You. I'm quite touched.

Your head combo sounds very heavy.
I suspect that unless you're a very "heavy" drummer, the toms are going to sound like the cardboard boxes they came in.
My suggestion would be to use a thin head on the resonant side, like a Diplomat.
The sustain will be lessened and the drum will sound "bigger", darker and more resonant.
Don't be surprised if you hear some faint elements often heard in kettle drums.
The only downside to a thin weight head is there tends to be a high pitched "zing" to the sound. It gives the drum's sounds a bit of a metallic quality.
Choosing the coated version can quell this.
One thing about Remo that you may not be aware of (seeing how you're just getting back into this).
They had to change the actual material that the heads are made from about 10 years ago, due to the EPA coming down on them (I got that from a former employee who was there when this happened).
The result is what is commonly referred to across the industry as the "pie head", named as such because of the "pie shaped" logo on the head (looks like a spoked wheel or a sliced pie).
Ever since they started producing that, you run about a 50/50 chance of getting a "dud" when dealing with Remo.
The sound is quite dead. "Choked" is a common adjective used to describe their sound.
Not saying don't use Remo, just a little warning (might save you a few $$$'s).
Personally, I've found that something the guy who sold me my Ludwig kit told me is very, very true.
That is that Ludwig heads sound best on Ludwig Drums.
I've had Remo, Attack, Aquarian (a bunch of times!) and Evans heads on my drums and the ones that sound best to me are the Weathermasters the kit originally had (although I prefer the coated versions).
If you like the single ply medium wieght sound, but drier, there are a number of heads on the market that combine that head with the muffling ring already built into it.
With Ludwig, it's "Powercollar" (I think). Aquarian has Studio-X. Remo (who started this) has Powerstroke 3 (PS3). Attack just adds the words "tone ridge" to whatever head has it, and Evans calls their's EC1.
EC heads are new to me and I've not tried any, but of the others, I prefer the Aquarian. Not quite as dry and more sensitive than the others, the overall sound a tad gentler (I suspect that the EC1 would perform similarly, since it's made in very much the same way, but with a lighter ring).
However, you cannot modify the dryness because the ring is completely glued to the head. With the others, the ring only attaches at the glue ring, so you can clip a little off the inside, if you feel the drum is a bit too dry.
It's funny that you chose a Birch drum and the sound you're looking for is Warm but Bright.
That tends to be the quality of Birch. Loss of mid's increases presence of highs and lows, so you end up with a plain sound that is a bit bright, but has a very warm quality to it, as well.
The better made Birch drums on the market will end up exuding a rather "gentle" or "introverted" sound, but with no character, because of this phenomena.
This is the true sound of Birch.



Elvis

[ThroneAmbition]

Appears I've hit the mother load for drum information. Thanks for the reply. A couple of more questions: How does the Ludwig Clear Heavy Weathermaster compare to the Diplomat you mentioned? Do you know the measured thickness of a Clear Heavy Weathermaster head? I'm thinking I'll try the Pinstripes with the Weathermasters that are currently on the resonant side. BTW I have the Coated Weathermaster Medium on the Snare, it sound great.

I really appreciate your insight.

[Elvis]

How does the Ludwig Clear Heavy Weathermaster compare to the Diplomat you mentioned? Do you know the measured thickness of a Clear Heavy Weathermaster head?
It doesn't.
It compares with the Remo Ambassador. Both are single ply, 10 mil thick plastic drumheads.
The Remo Diplomat compares with the Ludwig Weathermaster MEDIUM. Both are single ply, 7.5 mil thick plastic drumheads.

Why do they sound different?
I don't know. I'm sure it has something to do with the type of plastic used.





I'm thinking I'll try the Pinstripes with the Weathermasters that are currently on the resonant side. BTW I have the Coated Weathermaster Medium on the Snare, it sound great.
Hey, if that works for you, great. Should be much more "alive" than putting the Emperor under that Pinstripe, that's for sure..

Good luck.
If you have any other questions, don't be afraid to ask.






Elvis

[foghorn2]

Elvis, I find the Ludwig clears that came with the drumset sound best. Thanks for re-affirming my discovery.

Check my homepage for pics of my set with the Ludwig Heavys.

[Elvis]

Foghorn,

You're welcome.
Personally, I prefer the coated versions as they're a bit mellower, and hey, if the kit ever ends up sounding a bit too bright, don't be afraid to slip a set of Weathermaster Medium's on the resonant side (bottom).
It'll open up the sound of drums a bit and darken it a little, as well.

Nice drums, too.
Sometimes I wish I'd have gone with a 14x11 (no 14x12 available when I bought my kit) instead of the 14x14, but its all good.

What are the sizes of the left over Accent toms?
With a small bit of effort, I bet you could build a second kit off of those.



Elvis

[Stixxs]

Appears I've hit the mother load for drum information. Thanks for the reply. A couple of more questions: How does the Ludwig Clear Heavy Weathermaster compare to the Diplomat you mentioned? Do you know the measured thickness of a Clear Heavy Weathermaster head? I'm thinking I'll try the Pinstripes with the Weathermasters that are currently on the resonant side. BTW I have the Coated Weathermaster Medium on the Snare, it sound great.

I really appreciate your insight.

Hugh, How about a thread on those Luddies in YOUR avatar?

[hauk]

Awesome set. There's just something about Luddies in clear maple.

[Cymbalrider]

The only Ludwigs in stores around here are Accents...I need to live where you people do finding all these deals and such. The nicest kits the stores around here carry are Gretsch Renown or Pacifics and you have to pay full price. Must be great having a real drum store nearby. Ours don't even stock cymbals just occasional b8s, ZBTs, and the rare A Custom projection something or other. Congratulations on a nice kit. Good luck finding heads though, everyone around here has their own stories of which brand works and what doesn't.

[GetAgrippa]

Beautiful kit!! What kind of cymbals?? I didn't see a logo.
As an aside. Elvis my brother has my first kit a glitter blue Ludwig kit circa 1965 does it have any value other than sentimental? I haven't seen it in decades so I don't know the condition. It has all the original parts (and probably thirty year old heads hee, hee). Or was it glitter red-damn I can't remember. Jeez. It was a birthday gift when I was ten.

[Steady Freddy]

Thanks!

The cymbals are Paiste Signatures. I really love em. They sound great. I broke a 16" a couple of months ago. Really bummed me out. Oh well.

[Elvis]

Elvis my brother has my first kit a glitter blue Ludwig kit circa 1965 does it have any value other than sentimental? I haven't seen it in decades so I don't know the condition. It has all the original parts (and probably thirty year old heads hee, hee). Or was it glitter red-damn I can't remember. Jeez. It was a birthday gift when I was ten.
' 60's Luddies do have collector value.
Depends on what you have.
Jazz Fest snare drum in BOP from that era is highly coveted, since its the same thing Ringo used.

Do you remember if all the drums had separate lugs, or did all the lugs look like snare drum lugs and were mounted in the middle of each shell?
Those would be Club Date's and were a beginner model.
In those days, it was the hardware that was changed to save the buyer money, not the shell..that always stayed the same.

Pretty much anything from at least the 60's has some collector value.
They're considered "vintage" these days (and that makes me feel old).


Combinations of certain sizes are also deemed more valueable than others.
Everyone wants the quitessential 20/12/14 kit with the 14x5 brass Supraphonic.

...and, of course, condition makes a difference, too.

Go to your brother's and see what you have.
Post some pics, if you want. That'll help.
Also, look inside the shell. See if there isn't a mark of somekind that may be all numbers or a combo of letters and numbers.
"0765", for example, would mean July of 1965.
This is known as the "Date Stamp" and shows the date the shell was completed.
By rights, all drums making up the kit should show the same date, but that's not always the case.


...btw, if your "kit" is a snare drum with the stand pugged into the bass drum mount on the bass drum, you have a "Gold Coast". It was a sort of Cocktail kit created from the Jazzette series and are highly prized due to their rarity.
Rogers had the "Astoria" and Slingerland had the "Combo Bop", which were all the same configuration as the Ludwig "Gold Coast".
The Combo Bop could actually be setup two different ways.



Elvis

[GetAgrippa]

I appreciate the info Elvis. I should see my brother Thanksgiving-maybe I can get him to return them to me. Nice Zildjian cymbals too I recollect-Does age affect the sound quality of cymbals? I would think with little care they maybe weathered and damaged.

[Elvis]

Depends on where they're being kept.
Does your brother live near the ocean?
Are they stored near batteries?
Either of these could threaten the cymbals with corrosion.
Otherwise, cymbals tend to fair better, with time, than drums do.
They're a little more resiliant.
Play them dirty first and see if you like the sound. The patina from the natural expose to the atmosphere can change the sound (thus the old trick of burying a cymbal in the ground to improve its sound).
Some guys like this, others don't.
It's all a matter of personal taste.
You can always clean them up and get that "new" sound back.



Elvis