Im gonna flip out!!

[stickers]

I posted in another thread about me getting a new ludwig classic birch kit in a blue sparkle wrap. 3pcs 16x20, 14x14 , 8x10

4 weeks ago I sent the floor tom back because it was out of round. I also sent the rack tom back because the bearing edges were less that satisfactory.

Ludwig said they would replace both drums.

I got a call from the retailer yesterday that the rack tom was in but the floor tom should arrive in a few days.

I go to pick up the rack tom. we inspect the drum. CRAP bearing edges again. The owner of the store is a drummer and we were both disappointed and surprised.

So im pretty upset about it. Our first priority is making sure the floor tom doesn't get sent out unless it is perfect.

All I know is if I send the rack tom back again, They better turn that around the same day they get into the building and send it out that day or next business day. They should just fix the bearing edges and not build a new drum. I dont want to wait another 4 weeks to get the rack tom back.

GRRRRR!!!!
.

[Les Ismore]

I go to pick up the rack tom. we inspect the drum. CRAP bearing edges again. The owner of the store is a drummer and we were both disappointed and surprised.

Big changes over at Lugwig? Imagine that, what are the odds? Is it the 60's all over again, is that what they mean by 'Classics'?

They said they would replace both drums, but you didn't specify to replace them with ones that were in round and had good bearing edges.

I would talk to Ludwig (866) 552-9150 tell them the jive, they should compensate you for emotional damages (free tom and floor adjustment), more personal if they hear from the customer.

[stickers]

Instead of sending the drum back to ludwig, I'd like to send the drum out to pork pie or some other reputable drum shop that can re-due or touch up the bearing edges and have ludwig pick up the tab.

[Les Ismore]

Honestly, I would call them. Don't leave it up to dealer dude, when they hear from the customer, they know there's a big hole that needs to be filled and they need to act accordingly. You could ask as an option about just being compensated, then you could send it off to 'anywhere' to get fixed, they might go for it.

Mention you post here on Drummerworld along with Tim Watterson and Jeff Idyke and everyone's in shock about your story.

[Jeff Almeyda]

I agree with Les. Call Ludwig directly, let them know that we on the forum are all aghast that the "new" Ludwig's quality is so poor. Put them on the spot and see if they come through.

[hateplow]

That's pretty weak. Nothing worse than waiting for a kit, and when it FINALLY arrives you can't even play it.
I've been waiting for my SQ2 for over 5 months. Finally got word that it's arriving at the end of this month. I think I would quite literally have a stroke if there was anything wrong with them.

[RobertM]

Sorry to hear about this, but I'm not terribly surprised. I just talked to a drum shop manager the other day and he said Ludwig has had really poor quality issues for quite some time. I think the only thing I've heard that they still do well are the Supra-phonic snares.

If possible, I would send the whole kit back and get a Tama Starclassic or Yamaha Absolute kit instead. You won't have quality issues there.

[pasta]

I'd return the whole kit and get something (not Ludwig, of course) else.

[stickers]

On a side note, Ludwig is discontinuing blue sparkle on their birch kits. So I have the last blue sparkle brich kit every produced. Now If I can only ludwig to stop messing up the bearing edges.

[Deathmetalconga]

Sorry to hear about this, but I'm not terribly surprised. I just talked to a drum shop manager the other day and he said Ludwig has had really poor quality issues for quite some time. I think the only thing I've heard that they still do well are the Supra-phonic snares.

If possible, I would send the whole kit back and get a Tama Starclassic or Yamaha Absolute kit instead. You won't have quality issues there.

Except for Vistalites (which only recently cam back into favor), it seems like no one has had much good to say about Ludwigs since the 1950s. But they cost as much as a car back then. It seems like they reached their heyday of innovation in the 1920s and quality around the '50s. I seriously wonder why anybody buys Ludwigs any more.

And the idea of calling a mass manufacturer to complain about something seems bizarre to me - their job is to make, sell and market drums, not worry about the problems of individual customers. It's better to air their dirty laundry on a discussion board and see if they're bold enough to step in and explain themselves.

[KarlCrafton]

Man, it really sucks that you got some bad drums, and a couple times--that isn't acceptable.
Not good for Ludwig's rep at all I gotta say.

Yes, I'd call directly and see what the heck the deal is--and see if someone can personally take charge of the situation & do something about this.

I'd make sure they sent NEW drums, not just re-cut edges on the drums that were sent back too.
I'm sure if you called someone in charge (and not to just a rep, or someone in the warehouse shipping stuff out) they wouldn't be too happy about the problem.

Maybe someone else will be cutting edges shortly....

I'd also mention the name of the person who inspected the drum.
It should be on a little white "Ludwig" card on the head of the drum (that's how all mine came).

Hopefully you an get this resolved, and Ludwig won't have another person thinking their drums are crap.

I just got (2 weeks ago) a Ludwig 12x14" (Classic Maple) floor tom with not a problem on it.
Edges looked great, wrap was great, it tuned up in a snap and it's held the tuning.
It actually sounds better than I hoped, as I don't really like 14" drums all that much....

I just find this odd because I got a bunch of drums from them last spring with not so much as a blemish on them, the wood snare I got a few months after that was perfect, and now this floor tom.

Maybe it's the people working on the Birch stuff.....

Good luck with this, and be sure to post on what's being done.

[stickers]

Update:

The rack tom has been sent back and should returned MUCH prompter than the first return. The rack tom will be returned to me by end of this week or early next week.

The floor tom was inspected by the head of QC at ludwig before it shipped out. I thank my retailer for making sure that floor tom was perfect before it was shipped out. I should see it by early this week. The retailer closed monday so likely tuesday.

Karl,

They did rebuild both drums on the first return. However, I think the second time through on the rack tom, they will likely just fix the bearing edges instead of building a new drum. I'm fine with this. The rest of the drum was fine and fixing or re-cutting the bearing edges can't be that hard (...one would think with the right tools). Plus I don't want want to wait another 3-4 weeks.

[stickers]

Weird. I was the last to post but on the thread listing on the main page it doesnt have me so I will post again and see what happens.

[KarlCrafton]

Good to hear they are taking care of the problem promptly.