Ronnie Tutt 1969

trecool4444

Junior Member
Hi there, i've been listening to alot of elvis presley recordings from 1969, and the sound of ronnie tutt's kit is fantastic! i've been drumming for 15 years, had my kit for 10, and its a Performance Percussion and has never changed, i'm out to look for a new one, and i was wondering if ANYONE knows the sizes that Ronnie Tutt had during the 1969 shows? I've looked all over the net, i'm wondering if anyone just has that knowledge in their heads and can pass it on?

Thanks!! :)
 
Just took a look at some live footage.He's using a Ludwig chrome over wood kit,that could have been 3 or 6 ply,probably 6 ply,since the inside of the bass drums and the concert tom were clear coated. looks to be 2 -22x14 bass drums,10" concert to,8x12,9x13,10x14,16x16 ,16x18.Snare looked to be 5x14,and lots of Zildjian cymbals.He played Tama for a while also and DW

Steve B
 
The drums he had in 1969 were gold sparkle Premiers, with 20 and 22 inch bass drums.
Then in 1970 the black Sonors with 22 inch bass drums. 12, 13, 16, 18 toms.
In August 1970 he got an endorsement deal with Ludwig and got the blue sparkle drums, 24 inch bass drums, 13 and 14 inch rack toms, 16 and 18 inch floor toms, and 6,8,10, 12 inch concert toms. 3 ply clear maple interiors. The concert toms had white interiors.
Finally in 1974 he got the chrome Ludwigs. Believe it or not these were actually Chrome over Vistalite drums, with 26 inch bass drums.
With the Ludwigs he used a 6.5x14 COB Supraphonic.
 
I just found this site a few minutes ago. Has all the info on the various drum kits he used, even the Vistalites he used on a one-on-one-off performance with Elvis. He never used the kits he used live in the studio, he used a Thermogloss natural maple Pro Beat for that. It was also the same kit he used when he played for the Jerry Garcia Band from 1975-77.

http://michaelvanwerven.nl/drums.html
 
I just found this site a few minutes ago. Has all the info on the various drum kits he used, even the Vistalites he used on a one-on-one-off performance with Elvis. He never used the kits he used live in the studio, he used a Thermogloss natural maple Pro Beat for that. It was also the same kit he used when he played for the Jerry Garcia Band from 1975-77.

http://michaelvanwerven.nl/drums.html

Actually, Ronnie did use his "performance" kits in the studio with Elvis. Take a look at some of the footage from "Elvis On Tour" during the recording sessions for the songs, "Separate Ways" & "Always On My Mind". He's using the
blue sparkle Ludwigs on those songs as well as the concert toms. Listen to the song, "Fool", from that session and the huge drum roll that Ronnie does.

BTW, that link is dead, unfortunately. :( I would have liked to have read what it said.....:(
 
Last edited:
When I get my Tutt tribute kit setup in a couple of years after getting some huge debts off of the family, is it going to be possible to get the same tuning on my Ludwigs as Ronnie had for his (the blue Sparkle Ludwigs)?

Anyone know what tuning he used?
 
I know that Ronnie mostly played the Ludwig's with the fronts of the kick drums off of them. My question is: how did he still get such a great sound from them?? I know they were mic'ed, but, I still wouldn't think that you could get a great sound from them with the front heads not being on them??
 
Back
Top