Vintage (70's?) Ludwig Kit!

hanman

Senior Member
Hey fellow Drummerworld forum users!

I love this forum, because I can always post something and learn a ton about my drums and the stuff that I own - I appreciate this tremendously!

This is the first kit I ever owned, it was given to me by my dad's friend - where he picked the kit up is unknown to me! It was described to me as a '70s Ludwig Kit!

I would love to know if anyone knows what model, or approximate year of this kit... It has no bottom hardware for any of the drum.. I would love to get them restored!

Will post more photos momentarily...
 

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I've now come across the 7 digit # on my kit... what do those numbers on the Ludwig badge mean?


& now to answer my own question with an answer from Google - I can confirm this is a 1976 Ludwig kit!



-Aaron H
 

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It looks to be a pre-1979 but post-1970 Ludwig, judging from the blue/olive badge, if the badges are original. The fact it has sharp corners on badge means mid-1970's, as they rounded them after awhile. You can also look up the serial# on this site to get a closer date.

http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/ludwig_badges.html

I like 70s Ludwig kits. Could use a different colour or finish , but looks to be a great catch.
 
oops, sorry missed your 2nd post, you answered your own Q. You just need some 2nd set of hoops and heads. If I were you I'd refinish in natural or stained wood for that kit (is it faded white or...?
 
Thanks for your post!

Yea, online research has led me to believe 1976 is the year. That is also the year that they switched from 3 ply to 6 ply... so I don't know what mine are!

It appears to be a bit of a faded Maple Cortex finish! Not sure how restoration would be done on the finish!
 
Yea, online research has led me to believe 1976 is the year. That is also the year that they switched from 3 ply to 6 ply... so I don't know what mine are!
You have the 3 ply shell ... easy to spot in the photo of the reinforcement ring in the floor tom.​
The high tension lugs were not a popular feature especially in the mid-70's ... 9 out of 10 Luddies probably had split lugs, not Mach 5 lugs.​
The only restoration to "really" do, would be to give the drums a good cleaning, and put reso heads back on the drums.
Further steps, doing a shell refinish, or a rewrap ... will "cosmetically" make the kit look primo ... but will actually "lower" the value of the kit ... as far as hard core collectors "everything's gotta be factory" dudes. But, put it all into perspective. Plastic wood ... in my opinion ... should never be put on cars ... and wood shelled drums. I like real wood. All 4 of my acoustic kits are some shade of blonde. I'd de-wrap those puppies, and put a nice "natural" finish on them. With maybe just a tint of yellow, give 'em that aged golden hue ... but that's just me. My drums are for me to enjoy ... I don't live to follow "collector" rules ...​
 
Plastic wood ... in my opinion ... should never be put on cars ... and wood shelled drums. ...​

Haha, I can appreciate, having a station wagon with plastic wood siding as a kid.

Anyway, some friend of your father! I wish my dad knew people with free Ludwigs..
 
I would clean them up and get the correct rims and put some remos on them and use them. They are not a high end model and the sizes look to be huge in comparison to the bass drum, I'll guess 12/14/18 with a 20 kick?? . If their 6ply maple their probably 8mm to 10mm, not a thin shell either. Set them up and use them for rehearsals and practice. Doc
 
You have the 3 ply shell ... easy to spot in the photo of the reinforcement ring in the floor tom.​
The high tension lugs were not a popular feature especially in the mid-70's ... 9 out of 10 Luddies probably had split lugs, not Mach 5 lugs.​
The only restoration to "really" do, would be to give the drums a good cleaning, and put reso heads back on the drums.
Further steps, doing a shell refinish, or a rewrap ... will "cosmetically" make the kit look primo ... but will actually "lower" the value of the kit ... as far as hard core collectors "everything's gotta be factory" dudes. But, put it all into perspective. Plastic wood ... in my opinion ... should never be put on cars ... and wood shelled drums. I like real wood. All 4 of my acoustic kits are some shade of blonde. I'd de-wrap those puppies, and put a nice "natural" finish on them. With maybe just a tint of yellow, give 'em that aged golden hue ... but that's just me. My drums are for me to enjoy ... I don't live to follow "collector" rules ...​

There were 2 mach lug kits in the mid 70's.Yours is the mach 5 model,the other was the mach 4.Both kits came with a 5x14 supersensitive snare.If want to clean then up and keep them original,just take them apart,and soak the hardware in a solution of 50/50 warm water and Dawn dish detergent.Use a solution of dawn and water to clean the wrap,and then use a product called Novus,which is a plastic polish to shine it up.When you're done the drums will look like new.
Don't use steel wool on the chrome.That is a common mistake.Instead use crumpled up aluminum foil,and coke to clean your chrome,and a good chrome polish to do the rest.
Seal the wrap and hardware with a furniture grade paiste wax.
Of coarse playing and enjoying them should be a prime consideration,but keeping them in original condition maintains their resale value.Altering them in any way will effect their resale value by 35 to 50%.Besides the expence of refinishing/wrapping,and unless you have experience and skill at doing this,I would stay away from it.
It does take a fair amount of skill to get a good lacquer type finish.

Steve B
 
Just to clarify; the sizes are 22x14, 12x9, 13x10, 16x16 !!
They're 3 ply maple with reinforcement ring. From 1976 according to the serial number!

I am looking for an outer wood hoop with that finish... that would almost complete what I need to fix it up! It would sound great with bottom heads!!!
 
Just to clarify; the sizes are 22x14, 12x9, 13x10, 16x16 !!
They're 3 ply maple with reinforcement ring. From 1976 according to the serial number!

I am looking for an outer wood hoop with that finish... that would almost complete what I need to fix it up! It would sound great with bottom heads!!!

So...on to the online bay auctions for you?! You will need to hunt daily to get the right items at the right price.I've been doing the same (hoop/rim replacement) with a 1960s' Slingerland. takes time. good luck.
 
You have the 3 ply shell ... easy to spot in the photo of the reinforcement ring in the floor tom.​
The high tension lugs were not a popular feature especially in the mid-70's ... 9 out of 10 Luddies probably had split lugs, not Mach 5 lugs.​

The lugs on my drums are Mach 5's? What does that mean - it doesn't seem much different than a "split" lug ... or is that just about aesthetics?
 
Just to clarify; the sizes are 22x14, 12x9, 13x10, 16x16 !!
They're 3 ply maple with reinforcement ring. From 1976 according to the serial number!

I am looking for an outer wood hoop with that finish... that would almost complete what I need to fix it up! It would sound great with bottom heads!!!

Your drums actually measure from edge to edge,12x8 and 13x9.Ludwig didn't start making deeper drums till later on.So 12x9 and 13x10 did not yet exist

Steve B
 
The lugs on my drums are Mach 5's? What does that mean - it doesn't seem much different than a "split" lug ... or is that just about aesthetics?

No..the lugs on your kit are called mach lugs,not mach 5 lugs.They are completely aestheticly different from Ludwig large,and small classic lugs which are normally placed on Ludwig drums..The mach 5 is the model of your set,because it came with 5 drums.Ludwig also made a Mach 4 set that came with 4 drums.I guess you didn't read my first post.

Steve B
 
@Tamadrm -

I did miss your first post! That's extremely helpful!!

Makes sense! Too bad I never got the "super-sensitive" snare to come with the kit. I also never got bottom hard-ware, or the front hoop or t-rods & claws.
I have now purchased bottom rims, t-rods and claws - the hoop however still eludes me!

I will clean the kit with your recommended solution, sounds like it would do the trick just fine!

Thanks again for the knowledge!
 
The lugs on my drums are Mach 5's? What does that mean - it doesn't seem much different than a "split" lug ... or is that just about aesthetics?
The long lug ... is a high tension lug. Most marching drums use them. The Yamaha Recording Custom has them. As for uses on a kit, yeah, mostly aesthetic. My Yamaha RC's have them. My Luddies, I have the Classic (split) lugs. My Round Badge Gretsch kit, split lugs (of course). My RMV's, also split. It's all good.​
 
That dawn/water solution sure did work great! Cleaned up the drums - they were in much need of it and the hardware as well; the tin-foil was great for getting residue out of the rims and grooves in the hardware!!
 
Cool kit. The mach lugs are heavier, thus making each drum a little heavier than other Ludwig drums. Definitely post some pics when you are done with the kit hanman.I have a buddy who has two recent builds, in which he used the mach lugs. A Blaemire Citrus mod kit, and a Stainless Steel kit. They both look great. BTW, if anyone really likes the stainless kit, PM me, its for sale.

BTW, I hope you didn't mind the slight hijacking of your thread hanman, I just thought you would like to see some other mach lug Luddies.
 

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The lugs are supposed to help with focus and decay!! I think the focus part sounds like a salesman pitch but the decay makes sense with the added weight they bring, I guess its possible. I owned a chrome over maple years ago that was one heavy set a 16x22// 10x12//16x16 and that bass drum was one of those thunder cloud monsters hahahaha!!! I think I recorded with them also and they performed very well. Had a full stainless Ludwig too and they were surprisingly good, loud as hell but pretty good for rock I'd guess. They weren't here very long but I thought they were much better than my original thought of them was.
Always liked the psycho colored wrap back in the day, reminds me of the "ripple" finishes all the companies used back then. They were nice pearloid finishes. Doc
 
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