tamadrm,
Thanks for the help, this is my first vintage Ludwig so I dont really know much about them.
Here is some more info, the racks are both 9x13 and the floor is 16x16 bass 14x20. I took a pic of the badge and the seam. If you can give me more info that would be appreciated.
Thanks
That serial number is consistant with a drum built in late 64 to early 65.The mufflers should be red felt(possibly white),baseball bat style and the interiors should be white resa-cote,with either a red or possibly a black ink date stamp.The shells are 3 ply either maple/ poplar/mahogany or mahogany/poplar /mahogany, Ludwig was in a transition,or they would just run out of material and use what ever they had around.They were building 100 kits a day,plus everything else they made,....6 days a week 24 hours a day at the time.
The wrap ....must be part of the scarf joint,and you have to remove the heads to see that.If the wrap isn't stuck into that joint,then the drums were deffinately re wrapped.The grommet looks unmolested,but replacements can be had,and there's a way to age the brass to look 45-50 years old.In those days,Ludwig just took a 3 ply piece of ply wood,and glued the wrap on first,before forming the shell,so the wrap was part of the joint.If you tried to get that last piece of wrap out of the joint,the shell usually came apart.There has to be a small hump at the seam/joint,because the shell is slightly thicker under that seam/joint because of the wrap.They should also all be under a lug.
The snare that usually came with the kit was usually a 5x14 LM400 supraphonic aluminum alloy shell,possibley a jazz festival snare.,if it was a hollywood set,or a downbeat snare if it was a downbeat set.I'm pretty convinced your kit was altered ...after leaving the factory,by adding on another rail mount and tom.Another reason is that on the right side of the bass drum,your kit has a shell mounted cymbal holder bracket.That would not be possible if it were originally a double mounted tom on the bass drum set,like the Hollywood.That pink champagne wrap looks almost brand new,which is why I might suspect a re wrap.The only other explaination would be ,that the drums were put into cases,a very long time ago,and not used,or used very little.I see the bass drum has the original weathermaster head and Ludwig script logo,and those L arms are still upside down.The long section should be verticle,pointed toward the ceiling.
So ...your kit although in great condition,isn't factory original and not collector grade unfortunately.Hot rodding a vintage kit,simply devalues it,and contrary to belief,dosen't "upgrade " it,or make it more valuable.The collector resale value is 30-35 % less than if it were factory original.But they're are still great drums.Threw some coated ambassarors or emperors or Ludwig weathermasters on both batter and reso side and the magic will happen.And no more mods.
Steve B
