Anybody know what heads Buddy used?

R

robotron17

Junior Member
I've seen a lot of videos where you can see the Remo logo, but I can never tell if they're ambassadors or emperors. No idea about the bass drum.
Anybody know what heads were used on snare, bass, or toms?
 
I've never been able to find that answer either. From the sound of Buddy's drums, I would have to guess that they were Emperors. Emperor on the snare also. Probably Ambassadors on the tom resos. He may have used Ambassadors on both sides of the bass. That was common practice. Buddy only used a two inch felt muffler on his bass. No muffs on the toms or snare. Have you read this interview?
http://keepitlive.tripod.com/buddyrich/interview/interview.html
 
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The last drum kit Buddy used in public is on display at the Pro Drum Shop in Hollywood. I read in an interview with Stan Keyawa (owner ) that the heads are ambassadors. They also lined a wooden snare drum with fiberglass for him. I'll see if I can dig up the interview and post the reference.

Stan says that after they delivered the kit to the gig, Rich didn't even tune them. He walked on stage and started playing, so Stan couldn't really say how Rich tuned his drums since Stan tuned 'em.
 
Thanks for the interview link, bobdadrumma!! That was great. Lots of interesting comments from buddy -- "you can't tune a drum", etc.
RL -- I think I'll call Pro Drum Shop. I hope you can find that interview.
I want to get to the bottom of this. I'm surprised this isn't common knowledge!!
Thanks again!!
 
RogerLudwig said:
Stan says that after they delivered the kit to the gig, Rich didn't even tune them. He walked on stage and started playing, so Stan couldn't really say how Rich tuned his drums since Stan tuned 'em.
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From what I've read, I think that was pretty common.

I think when he played Slingerlands, he probably used Remos as that's probably what came with them. When he played Ludwig, he'd have Luddie heads because that's what came with them.

I also suspect that when a company would provide drums for Buddy, they would tune them before delivery. That's only my own speculation but seems to line up with things I've heard and read.
 
Well, I contacted the Pro Drum Shop in CA. They have a kit that Buddy used several times around 1986-ish --- still set up as it was when he last played it. A guy named Jerry told me that the kit has coated ambassadors on the top and bottom, including the bass and snare beater heads.
So there we have it!!!
Thanks for the contributions, everybody!!
 
This is the best photo I could find of the inside of the Pro Drum Shop. The Rich kit is on the display stand in the upper left, with a Slingerland head proped up against it.

FYI if you are going to be in the LA area on June 6th, Pro Drum Shop is holding a 50th anniversary party at the Avalon Theater, 1-4PM. Tickets available at the PDS.

I found the quote from Stan Keyawa regarding Buddy using Ambassadors in the Winter 2009 issue of Traps Magazine (the one with Steve Gadd on the cover), in a review of the Buddy Rich Drum Company kit, page 68. He says coated Ambassadors top and bottom, and a fiberglass lining in the snare.
 

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I've always wondered why Vic Firth offers Buddy Rich model sticks. They look nothing like anything I've seen in videos or pictures of Buddy. They are pretty heavy sticks too without a lot of articulation, which doesn't match his sound either--fast and precise. Buddy's sticks were custom made by Slingerland, and I'm not sure what connections he even had with Vic. Maybe they will offer Louie Bellson sticks next? (Louie had coated Ambassador heads too)
 
there has been a bunch of post mortum Buddy stuff that has come out...sticks,pads...etc...that kind of makes me a little skeptical....but hey I guess if his family has no problem with that...neither should I.
 
Cymbalrider said:
I've always wondered why Vic Firth offers Buddy Rich model sticks. They look nothing like anything I've seen in videos or pictures of Buddy. They are pretty heavy sticks too without a lot of articulation, which doesn't match his sound either--fast and precise. Buddy's sticks were custom made by Slingerland, and I'm not sure what connections he even had with Vic. Maybe they will offer Louie Bellson sticks next? (Louie had coated Ambassador heads too)
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Buddy's connection to Vic was his doughter selling his name to them after he died.
 
MD - Did you ever try single-headed tom-toms?

BR - No, I've never tried that because I think that's really nuts. What's the point. When you buy a set of drums, you buy them for the sound and the resonance, and you destroy the tone by taking the bottom heads off. What's the purpose in that? And then you stuff a blanket in the bass drum so you can 't hear it anyhow.

(from here http://keepitlive.tripod.com/buddyrich/interview/interview.html )

but look at this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPNl3oo4Dz4&feature=related
 
This buddy of mine (he is kinda older 50's) he is a big Rich fan and he used to go to alot of his shows back in the day, well he got ahold of one of his sticks and man you should see that thing its like a tooth pick!
 
bobdadruma said:
From the sound of Buddy's drums, I would have to guess that they were Emperors.
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Might have to do with the rounder bearing edges back then that muted the brighter overtones. A 'modern' sharp 45 edge with an Amby head sounds brighter than a Slingerland or Ludwig from back then fotted with the same head, tuned the same.
 
bobdadruma said:
I've never been able to find that answer either. From the sound of Buddy's drums, I would have to guess that they were Emperors. Emperor on the snare also. Probably Ambassadors on the tom resos. He may have used Ambassadors on both sides of the bass. That was common practice. Buddy only used a two inch felt muffler on his bass. No muffs on the toms or snare. Have you read this interview?
http://keepitlive.tripod.com/buddyrich/interview/interview.html
Click to expand...


Regarding the interview, in the special edition of" Musician : Player & Listener" after Buddy's passing there were many anecdotes from past musicians and most of what he says in this article confirm some of those same memory's; there is one thing though that I am confused about, all of these musicians said that Buddy did not read music, he had every note memorized and if during band rehearsal he heard a mistake from one of the musicians he would not say anything and simply put up 2 fingers meaning; you had 2 weeks to get it right. I still have that issue so I am not sure which is true and which is not. Great interview all the same though. Thanks
 
I miss drums with the old style bearing edges and those little muffler pads. Then again the drumhead industry wouldn't have anything to do if they made these again.
 
Bruce, as far as I know, Buddy could not read music. I had the good fortune to hear Artie Shaw talk about Buddy. He said the band would play the tune through a couple of times and Buddy would work out the parts and memorize them. Artie also said that he had to keep after Buddy to lay back early in the tune and build the tension before he blazed away. Buddy was always ready to open up.
 
I found out last year that the owner of the drum shop I visit almost weekly was Buddy's drum tech in the mid seventies. I almost had a coronary. He thanks Buddy for getting him into the retail drum business and is the owner of the Five Star drum shop. He told me Buddy treated him very well during his time teching. I'm an old guy too and enjoyed watching Buddy on a lot of TV appearances. I too heard that Buddy Rich could not read music, but never asked to be sure.

Dennis
 
Old Doc Yak said:
Bruce, as far as I know, Buddy could not read music. I had the good fortune to hear Artie Shaw talk about Buddy. He said the band would play the tune through a couple of times and Buddy would work out the parts and memorize them. Artie also said that he had to keep after Buddy to lay back early in the tune and build the tension before he blazed away. Buddy was always ready to open up.
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He was pure talent, no doubt.

Cheers
 
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