Tuning 1960's Ludwig maples

I have some 1960's Ludwig maples i purchased a few weeks ago 22x14, 13x9, 16x16. The kit sounds incredible (and the 16x16 floor... possibly my favorite drum ever). However i was hoping for any advise or for someone to tell me i am an idiot. I bought clear emad for the kick batter, and g2's for tom batters, and g1's for resos. I have owned/tuned a ton of kits. This kit in these sizes seems to want to be tuned low (maybe im wrong but they seem the heads seem to sync best with one another at this tuning). I have been tuning the top and bottom head to roughly the same "pitch". However the batter heads seem to be rippling due to the fact that they are so loose. When i tune them up though (top and bottom) they don't seem to have the same "rock" punch and sound out of tune. I wasn't sure if anyone could help me with some advise or tell me why i am having such a hard time. Any help info would be awesome. I love these drums and am interested to hear what everyone else thinks.

Also fyi the rack tom is a blue olive badge and my floor has a keystone badge with an inner layer of a darker wood, mahogany maybe? Idk anyways. Hoping for any additional knowledge.

Thanks everyone!!!
 
Well, the only thing I would say is this. I own a vintage (early 70's) Bonham kit, 14x10/16x16/16x18 toms. They are a different animal for sure and sound alot different than "modern" drums in that, in my opinion, they don't sound nearly as good tuned low to get that deeper modern rock sound. Those drums have a sweet spot a little higher pitched. I tune my bottom heads tighter than the top and when I tried to tune the heads low to cop that deep sound you describe, they sounded dull and lifeless. When I tuned them up higher, they came to life and exploded with tone and punch. I have coated vintage emperors over coated ambassadors on the toms and the drums sound insane, but very different than my DW kit. So, in my opinion, I think the classic vintage Ludwig sound comes from heads that are tuned a tad higher. Also, to me, coated heads seem to sound better than clear heads on those drums. Just my opinion for what it's worth...good luck!
 
I'd say the emad is not the choice head, for those drums. I'd run a single ply, head reso, on toms and kick (Ambassador, G1) and single ply batter (Ambassador, G1) or double ply batter (Emperor, G2). Heads like the emad, powerstroke3, heck, even the pinstripe (born in 1974) are made for a more modern sound. Not the good old, vintage Ludwig 3 ply sound.​
In 1976, Ludwig started making the 6 ply "stadium" shell. There's where you'll find "rock" punch. Drummers wanted more .... Ludwig delivered. Rogers followed, in 1978, with the XP8 shell.​
The dark wood ... mahogany. Ludwig shells were mahogany interior, poplar middle, maple exterior, 63-68, after that, maple, poplar, maple. I just bought some 60's Club Date drums (same shells as Classic, different hardware) ... with white painted interiors, and the inner ply ... mahogany. All the exteriors are maple.​
As for tuning, these drums don't respond well to JAW. You need to find the sweet spot. You'll know it when you hit it. Call it low ... high .... whatever. The drum will sound "not so good" below it's sweet spot ... and it won't sound so good if you tune it above it's sweet spot.​
 
My 60's Ludwigs don't have the tuning range of my 2008 DW's. I can only get 3 good tunings from the Luds, a lower, a medium and a higher. Anything between them sounds wonky. Fortunately, the 3 tunings are enough, but I do prefer a more precision instrument. Nobody can accuse the old Luds of being a precision instrument.
 
Thanks for all of the input guys!! I think other than the look of the ripple in the floor tom head, i am pleased with the sound of the drums. I get a solid rock sound out of them. People never hesitate to drool over it after my gigs haha. I definitely want to try coated heads next in an attempt to see what kind of sounds i can get out of the drums.
 
Thanks for all of the input guys!! I think other than the look of the ripple in the floor tom head, i am pleased with the sound of the drums. I get a solid rock sound out of them. People never hesitate to drool over it after my gigs haha. I definitely want to try coated heads next in an attempt to see what kind of sounds i can get out of the drums.

I'm using single-ply coated heads (Aquarian Studio-X coated w/dot) on my 70s Ludwigs. I've found I need to have the reso tuned a little higher than batter to get good attack and body at the lower tunings. Batter is tighter than JAW. Currently I'm playing 9x13, 16x16, and 16x18 Ludwig toms. I also have an 8x12 and 10x14 (in the drum closet for when I need them). I tune the 16x16 first and then separate the 13 and 18 from it. I've found that the best way, and since your favorite may well be the 16", I recommend tuning the kit around that drum.

I was playing a two-ply clear head (Aquarian Performance II) which were good, but I love a coated head. They sound great and look better.
 
I think the reason the older Luds need to be tuned tighter to get the most from the shell is because the bearing edges on those drums are a little hilly. The head needs enough tension on it so it can conform to the edge's contours.
 
Guys with the old 60's Ludwigs what heads on the 22x14 bass would you run?
Would an Aquarian superkick 1 or 2 work etc.
I love that head on my other kits however they are a bit more modern and not sure I'd like the results on the 60's.
Thanks
 
Not the head I'd put on mine .... but ..... if you have a "modern" 22, just take a batter head off it, throw it on the Luddy, and see if you like the sound.​
 
Superkicks are a little too muffled, for my tastes. Great for my Yamaha RC's, or my RMV kick, but not for vintage thin shells. I'd go with a single ply (Ambassador) or a double ply (Emperor) head batter ..... and if that's too open for you, then a Powerstroke 3 (Ambassador with a built on richie ring). For reso, I normally use a single ply (Ambassador).​
If you're a die hard Aquarian user, I'd drop some "Vintage Series" heads on 'em, and time warp back to the 60's.​
 
Guys with the old 60's Ludwigs what heads on the 22x14 bass would you run?
Would an Aquarian superkick 1 or 2 work etc.
I love that head on my other kits however they are a bit more modern and not sure I'd like the results on the 60's.
Thanks

I'd stay away from SKI or II for these. Try Remo PS3 for a modern one (I have one on an old Slingerland bass drum), but there's still nothing wrong with a coated Amb or Emp on the bass drum, with a felt strip. Sounds super when tuned right.....and thats the setup that's on all those great late 60's records!
 
Since I have your attention, what would you put on the reso head of the bass drum.
The batter side came with a Remo clear ps4 which I don't mind, ps3 might be better???
As of the front it has a smooth white ambassador, should I put like a Aquarian Force on the front and or port it or not??
Decisions decisions....
 
I think the reason the older Luds need to be tuned tighter to get the most from the shell is because the bearing edges on those drums are a little hilly. The head needs enough tension on it so it can conform to the edge's contours.

Good point, that's probably true in alot of cases.
 
For what it's worth, I recently wanted to play my vintage Bonham kit out, but it was outfitted with a coated emp over smooth white ambassador on the kick, felt strips with no hole. It sounds great unmic'ed, but mic'ed up in a larger room through a PA, I had to change things a little to "modernize" the sound. I put a clear PS3 on the batter, took the felt strip off and lowered the tuning slightly. Not super loose and floppy, maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn above JAW, cut a 4" hole in the reso head and left the felt strip in. No other muffling was used. Wow, it's a 26" kick drum so it's big sounding, but holy crap! It sounds phenomenal...like it's mic'ed up already. Really cool sound and an absolute blast to play.
 
Good point, that's probably true in alot of cases.

You could check it out by removing the head, and carefully laying the drum down on its bearing edge on a flat surface (formica counter tops work well). Shine a light into the drum and see where light comes out between the edge and the counter top to find the low spots on the bearing edge.

A G2 might be less forgiving when conforming to a slightly uneven bearing edge than a G1 or Ambassador. Unless you're gigging these drums a lot and playing very loud, go for a single ply head. You might even prefer the sound.

If the edge is quite uneven, I'd say leave it if a G1 will tune well, and consider getting the edge smoothed out if it doesn't. You say you like the sound coming from it, but if the head isn't laying flat, you haven't heard its full voice yet! If Ludwig could have made all their edges "true" back in the day, they would have...

I would never recommend a drum tuning device other than your own ears and a piano, but the Tune Bot makes sense, since it measures vibrations and not tension. We all know that old drums can be a pain to tune, so why not use a good tool to figure out what's actually happening? You might be able to get more range than you think. And you might just happen to prefer a low tuning on those drums, which is fine, but at least you'd know for sure if the drums can tune up.
 
I don't think any Ludwigs made pre 1977 have a bearing edge that is flat and true. I've owned 3 Ludwig kits, 76, 66 and another 76 and in all 3 kits the edges are not precision by any means. I'm letting Precision Drums do the bearing edges on my one WMP 76 kit when I have the extra dough, which might not be for a while, because I'm getting a Guru Origin custom kit next year.

Be envious. Be very envious.
 
Ok Lads I put a coated PS3 on the batter, and kept the smooth ambassador on the reso,(65' Ludwigs) put a felt strip on the front with nothing else inside. I tuned the batter just above the wrinkle and cranked the reso pretty tight not ported, and I'm really digging the full round whomp I get out these things. The 3 ply's are a really solid sounding drums, the bass 22x14 is a great size.
Really enjoying it.
Running coated ambassadors on the batters and clears on the reso for the toms. (13' and 16")

Thanks for the advice I'm loving them.
 
Make sure to tune the reso head for the "whomp" as well. Your tuning might sound okay from the driver's seat, but make sure it sounds like you want it to from the audience's side. In my experience, a tight reso with these drums gives you a good "doom" but you've got to tune it down for the "whomp"...
 
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