Ludwig Classic Maples or DW (with resale value in mind)

dbshorter

Senior Member
I'm in an interesting situation. Right now I have a 1958 WFL (Ludwig) drum kit, and I play with a band that is going to start gigging heavily in the spring and summer. I love my vintage kit, but I don't want to lug it around to festivals and venues and bars....my plan is to eventually send an EPK to C & C drums and maybe a couple other custom drum shops to try to get an endorsing deal and save a few bucks on a kit once my band's album is released and we get more noteworthy shows under our belts...
All of this to say, I want to get a used, higher end kit in the interim period that I can gig with, but will also retain its resale value in case I decide to sell it to help with a custom kit. I'm looking at Ludwig's classic maples - I love Ludwig and have heard nothing but good things about these drums, or potentially a used DW performance series kit that I could find somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000-1200 bucks. I know DW's keep their value really well...is the same true for the Luddies? Anybody a fan of one over the other?
Thanks!
 
Resale value is just a terrible basis for buying an instrument, but I understand it's a consideration in your circumstances, but hang on there just a minute. You seem to be basing your plan on the assumption a so called "custom drum company" will cut you a discount on a replacement kit. Maybe they will, maybe they won't, but basing your ultimate kit decision on wether someone decides to cut you a deal, isn't exactly placing an emphasis on crafting your personal sound. Plus, it puts you right in the pool with another x thousands of guys sending the same letter weekly.

You like Ludwigs, so why not just follow your gut, buy the Classic Maples, & move on swiftly to making music.
 
Resale value is just a terrible basis for buying an instrument, but I understand it's a consideration in your circumstances, but hang on there just a minute. You seem to be basing your plan on the assumption a so called "custom drum company" will cut you a discount on a replacement kit. Maybe they will, maybe they won't, but basing your ultimate kit decision on wether someone decides to cut you a deal, isn't exactly placing an emphasis on crafting your personal sound. Plus, it puts you right in the pool with another x thousands of guys sending the same letter weekly.

You like Ludwigs, so why not just follow your gut, buy the Classic Maples, & move on swiftly to making music.

I understand what you're saying. I don't like the idea of buying a drum just to sell it either (I doubt I'd ever be able to sell my WFL's because of sentimental attachment)...but I was trying to think pragmatically about how to approach the idea of becoming an endorser. I love C&C drums, and have been infatuated with every kit I've heard, seen, and played. If the wording of "cut me a deal" seemed selfish and heartless, I understand....essentially, I was just trying to think practically about the fact that, without some sort of endorsing deal, it would be difficult to afford the kit that I TRULY would love to have that would allow me to craft my own sound....so in the meantime I would love to find a kit that I could enjoy using until I can think about my "dream" kit.

sidenote: it's difficult not to drool when watching videos of Guru kits...but again, I'm trying to balance that infatuation with being practical ;)
 
I think CM's would hold their value more than a set of DW Performance.
If they were Collectors series, they'd probably hold their value about as much.

It seems the older drums have more value to people though, such as Luddy 3 ply, or some early DW 6/6 Keller shells.

On the other hand, if you dig C&C that much, why not start building a relationship with them NOW, so when things (hopefully) start happening with your band, they already know you, and that you like the drums?
 
so in the meantime I would love to find a kit that I could enjoy using until I can think about my "dream" kit.
I think if you're being practical, then a used CM is a very good choice. Difficult to go wrong there I think :)

On the other hand, if you dig C&C that much, why not start building a relationship with them NOW, so when things (hopefully) start happening with your band, they already know you, and that you like the drums?
Agreed, building a relationship with your chosen drum manufacturer is key. We, like every other drum company out there, get numerous requests daily for "deals". We have a very specific artist policy, so hardly any qualify, but we're much more likely to look at something coming from someone we're already familiar with.

That reminds me, did you get my letter this week?
Just counted, we've received 37 so far this week, & all but one were pitiful. The one decent one was from a extreme death metal artist who triggers everything & the material subject matter wouldn't sit well with us on a moral level. So, your letter was either pitiful, or you've changed styles & suddenly become a popular up & coming metal artist with 5,000,000 views on his Youtube channel. I'm guessing the former ;) ;) ;)
 
LUDWIGS will probably be a safer choice for resale IMO.

Its always mindful to keep resale in the mix when shopping for a kit, when it comes down to it most are just renting their gear, as in- its easy to get tired of your current drum set and pine for something new... this is where being conscious of resale value (and maintenance) will pay off.
 
I saw "Ludwig Classic Maples or DW" and thought, "DWs...duh!" But, then I saw that you're considering DW Performance series drums, so that changed the tune considerably.

If you buy used, it matters what you pay for them. Buy 'em for cheap enough and you could resell them to make a profit when you get your C&Cs...
 
Old fashioned "don't count your chickens before they hatch" thinking here.

Get a set that you can gig with, that you'd also want to keep - just in case things don't go as you're hoping.
 
Agreed, building a relationship with your chosen drum manufacturer is key. We, like every other drum company out there, get numerous requests daily for "deals". We have a very specific artist policy, so hardly any qualify, but we're much more likely to look at something coming from someone we're already familiar with.

Well this may be something that has been discussed more in-depth elsewhere, but how does one go about building a relationship with a drum maker? My thinking was that it would be a better representation of myself to wait a bit to "build a resume" so to speak, so that I wouldn't end up like one of those 36 pitiful people that just get overlooked...it's sort of an interested conundrum that can be quite intimidating.


Old fashioned "don't count your chickens before they hatch" thinking here.

Get a set that you can gig with, that you'd also want to keep - just in case things don't go as you're hoping.

Agreed, it's just really tough not to count eggs, ya know? especially if they have a sparkly wrap...
 
but how does one go about building a relationship with a drum maker? .

Purchasing one of their kits, or at the very least, a snare drum.....as opposed to waiting around hoping they'll offer you a free one....is a pretty sure fire way of registering your initial support for their product, I would haver thought.
 
RE: the "building a relationship with a manufacturer" question, lots of the big stars admitted to having just bought what they liked and used it all the time and hyped it to other people. Even Steve Smith, when asked about his relationship with Sonor, said he got into them because his favorite players were using them, but when he approached Sonor, he had to pay for his stuff in the beginning, and then he moved up the hierarchy of artists to where he is today.

And even then, as Andy (and Bermuda) tell us, the companies are not giving anything away - they can't really afford it, either. So I figure getting any kind of discount through your favorite drum company is better than paying what everybody else would be paying through a music store, and there are few people who get that.

I say if you really like a particular drumkit that much, you'd buy them and play them out as much as you can. If you become recognized out in the field, and your favorite company decides to support you, that's a good deal too.

But I think the smart players are the ones who get substantial discounts on expendables like heads and sticks, and maybe cymbals. I have a friend who plays bass and he was ecstatic getting a bass string deal - a huge percentage off list price for bass strings sure beats paying $35 per pack over the years! He has a favorite bass he's been playing for over 20 years now.
 
Well this may be something that has been discussed more in-depth elsewhere, but how does one go about building a relationship with a drum maker? My thinking was that it would be a better representation of myself to wait a bit to "build a resume" so to speak, so that I wouldn't end up like one of those 36 pitiful people that just get overlooked...it's sort of an interested conundrum that can be quite intimidating.

Agreed, it's just really tough not to count eggs, ya know? especially if they have a sparkly wrap...
Engaging interest via their social network sites such as Facebook is one route, but really, I think you're putting the cart before the horse here. Just play - grow as a player - grow your band presence. Placing your efforts there is the best use of your time & effort in terms of growing profile.

Another point that was made is that manufacturers will notice someone more who already uses their gear and has grown that exposure organically. We won't entertain a business discussion (& bear in mind, it is a business discussion) unless the artist has already some good experience with our instruments and is convinced it's the best instrument for them. Liking the sound (almost always manipulated) on videos doesn't count one bit towards that.

Edit: Actually, I'll make an unusual move here, but I've removed any identifying detail to protect the applicant, but here's a submission from a few days ago. You can clearly see that the artist in question understands the business aspect of the potential relationship:

I came across your website by chance and I am amazed by the quality of your drums. I am inquiring about a possible endorsement. I have two bands at the moment: My main band ---------- ------------ EDIT -------- ------ Links. My main strength is my online presence, and with this alone I know I can bring a LOT of exposure to your brand. My main band's Youtube channel -EDIT- has over 30,000 subscribers and 5,000,000 views. All of these are either drum covers or my band's videos, including two drum EDIT. The two videos with the highest view count are our main music video (1.5 mil) and a drum EDIT video (closing in on 1 mil). If you type in EDIT on Youtube and filter the results to "most views", the 2 top videos are mine. My main band's Facebook has over 100,000 'likes' and gains around 1000 every week. At the moment this band is an 'online studio band' but we plan on touring in the very near future. We've already had label interest from EDIT Records and we've been offered shows in the USA, Australia and the rest of Europe. I am considered by many as the face of this band. Normally the vocalist or guitarist is in the spotlight, but because of the ridiculously fast and technical drumming on our album, I am considered by the fans to be one of the greatest metal drummers of my generation. Many of my fans also come from the comedic online personality I portray in my videos on Youtube. This personality combined with the reputation of the band make me stand out among other drummers in the scene and can be used as tools for massive online exposure. I also have a fan-page on Facebook with 40,000 'likes' which gets constant attention from fans.EDIT I get at least 50 messages per day asking about equipment and techniques. At the moment I just tell them about my current setup which I've had since I was 14. With an endorsement and drum kit from you, I would be directly recommending your company to 30 - 70 up-and-coming drummers and around 5 - 20 experienced drummer per week. I would provide gear demo videos. These and any new drum covers, music videos or play-throughs would feature your drum kit and be shared with 30,000 subscribers and to a total of 1.8k Facebook fans. Our videos get around 30-40 thousand views in the first day and then around 10-20 thousand per week after this. I have purposely held back on providing my fans with any technique demonstration videos, although I constantly get asked for them. This means that when I finally do demonstrate my techniques, the videos will generate a lot of hype and gain massive exposure. If your drums were featured in these videos it would undoubtedly be beneficial to your company. My other band EDIT tour and play shows regularly. We started less than 1 year ago and we've already played EDIT in the UK; done 2 UK tours; played Russia, Belarus, Luxembourg and Belgium. This band is one of the biggest and most hyped underground metal acts in the EDIT at the moment. We are releasing our next EP in the following months and hype has already spread like wildfire after the release of our firs single EDIT two days ago. We have another UK tour scheduled for EDIT and we are getting multiple offers for tours in the USA and Australia. I would provide your drum kit for any shows we play EDIT. Any shows outside of EDIT, I would use your snare and if necessary, an insertable kick drum vinyl with your company logo displayed there. Both bands are very new, and have grown drastically in the past year. EDIT has grown to be a household name in the EDIT scene and EDIT have secured themselves as one of the biggest underground metal acts EDIT. I know I can bring a lot of exposure to your company with the size of my bands and online presence as they are. The rate everything is growing doesn't seem to be slowing down, and with new releases and huge shows and tours on the horizon with both bands... I think 2014 could be an extremely good year for us both. Whether we can work something out or not, you can expect a new customer in the very near future. Thanks for considering. Kind regards, EDIT.
 
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You seem like a good guy db but IMO it's highly presumptuous to be banking on an endorsement deal. I mean, you're an unknown to the manufacturers like most everyone here. Going from that to an endorsement deal, the kind you are looking for, it is kind of rare, unless you want to give it 20 years or so to build a public reputation. So I would just take that out of the equation, it is not a given, and re-think your plan. Just trying to be realistic, I'm on your side, but the plan assumes too much.
 
I came across your website by chance and I am amazed by the quality of your drums. I am inquiring about a possible endorsement. I have two bands at the moment: My main band ---------- ------------ EDIT -------- ------ Links. My main strength is my online presence, and with this alone I know I can bring a LOT of exposure to your brand. My main band's Youtube channel -EDIT- has over 30,000 subscribers and 5,000,000 views. All of these are either drum covers or my band's videos, including two drum EDIT. The two videos with the highest view count are our main music video (1.5 mil) and a drum EDIT video (closing in on 1 mil). If you type in EDIT on Youtube and filter the results to "most views", the 2 top videos are mine. My main band's Facebook has over 100,000 'likes' and gains around 1000 every week. At the moment this band is an 'online studio band' but we plan on touring in the very near future. We've already had label interest from EDIT Records and we've been offered shows in the USA, Australia and the rest of Europe. I am considered by many as the face of this band. Normally the vocalist or guitarist is in the spotlight, but because of the ridiculously fast and technical drumming on our album, I am considered by the fans to be one of the greatest metal drummers of my generation. Many of my fans also come from the comedic online personality I portray in my videos on Youtube. This personality combined with the reputation of the band make me stand out among other drummers in the scene and can be used as tools for massive online exposure. I also have a fan-page on Facebook with 40,000 'likes' which gets constant attention from fans.EDIT I get at least 50 messages per day asking about equipment and techniques. At the moment I just tell them about my current setup which I've had since I was 14. With an endorsement and drum kit from you, I would be directly recommending your company to 30 - 70 up-and-coming drummers and around 5 - 20 experienced drummer per week. I would provide gear demo videos. These and any new drum covers, music videos or play-throughs would feature your drum kit and be shared with 30,000 subscribers and to a total of 1.8k Facebook fans. Our videos get around 30-40 thousand views in the first day and then around 10-20 thousand per week after this. I have purposely held back on providing my fans with any technique demonstration videos, although I constantly get asked for them. This means that when I finally do demonstrate my techniques, the videos will generate a lot of hype and gain massive exposure. If your drums were featured in these videos it would undoubtedly be beneficial to your company. My other band EDIT tour and play shows regularly. We started less than 1 year ago and we've already played EDIT in the UK; done 2 UK tours; played Russia, Belarus, Luxembourg and Belgium. This band is one of the biggest and most hyped underground metal acts in the EDIT at the moment. We are releasing our next EP in the following months and hype has already spread like wildfire after the release of our firs single EDIT two days ago. We have another UK tour scheduled for EDIT and we are getting multiple offers for tours in the USA and Australia. I would provide your drum kit for any shows we play EDIT. Any shows outside of EDIT, I would use your snare and if necessary, an insertable kick drum vinyl with your company logo displayed there. Both bands are very new, and have grown drastically in the past year. EDIT has grown to be a household name in the EDIT scene and EDIT have secured themselves as one of the biggest underground metal acts EDIT. I know I can bring a lot of exposure to your company with the size of my bands and online presence as they are. The rate everything is growing doesn't seem to be slowing down, and with new releases and huge shows and tours on the horizon with both bands... I think 2014 could be an extremely good year for us both. Whether we can work something out or not, you can expect a new customer in the very near future. Thanks for considering. Kind regards, EDIT.

Don't people get paid after they've hit so many views on YouTube? I can imagine if this guy made a dollar for every view - he probably wouldn't need an endorsement deal, eh?

More power to him!
 
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