Ludwig Fan Club

[Drummer Karl]

Mhhh, delicious thread!
Though I have got a question for you...

Were those Ludwig Jazzette kits also available with a 14x18" bass drum instead of the more shallow 12x18"?

thanks,

Karl

[baz]

...these are the Ludwigs that I picked up this past summer.

from behind

from the front

My old Ludwigs, I was sorry to see these ones go.

There is a story behind these drums. The snare is a Premier supra-faux-nic

I called this my MCA kit,(mixed clear acrylic) It had a Vistalite bass drum, Zickos 18x18" floor tom, Fibes 13x9" rack tom, and a 14x5" solid black vistalite snare.

The only drums that I have from these ones is the Fab Faux kit.

Like most over fourty year olds, I have a soft spot for Ludwig, and will probably own another kit when one falls in my lap.

barry

[ludwigvondrumcrazy]

Originally Posted by Drummer Karl

Were those Ludwig Jazzette kits also available with a 14x18" bass drum instead of the more shallow 12x18"?

Karl, technically speaking, the 12 x 18" Bass, along with an 8 x 12" & 14 x 14" FT, is what makes a Ludwig "Jazzette," a true Jazzette......

With that said, there was nothing stopping someone from walking into a Ludwig Dealer back when the Jazzette was listed in the Catalogs (late 60's, early to mid-70's) and ordering their own version that had a 14 x 18" Bass since the "larger size" was available as a Component Drum.

LVDC

[Breakaway Faction]

Heres my kit....BIG little kit!

Originally Posted by Breakaway Faction

Heres my kit....BIG little kit!

Whoa! Is that a 15" rack tom? What are the specs?
.

[fogeybeat]

Ludwig lovers,

Any thoughts on Ludwig Accent Custom Elites? There is a set for sale in my area. Thoughts on quality, sound, decent price? They are 2 years old.

Thanks for any feedback.

[golions]

I'm now a fan of Ludwig snare drums. My new 6.5x14 Classic Maple in Macassar Ebony:

[Breakaway Faction]

Originally Posted by Colonel Bat Guano

Whoa! Is that a 15" rack tom? What are the specs?
.

Yes 14x15, 16x18, 16x16, 18x26,6.5x14 all classic maple.

[Drummer Karl]

Originally Posted by ludwigvondrumcrazy

Karl, technically speaking, the 12 x 18" Bass, along with an 8 x 12" & 14 x 14" FT, is what makes a Ludwig "Jazzette," a true Jazzette......

With that said, there was nothing stopping someone from walking into a Ludwig Dealer back when the Jazzette was listed in the Catalogs (late 60's, early to mid-70's) and ordering their own version that had a 14 x 18" Bass since the "larger size" was available as a Component Drum.

LVDC

Hey,
thanks very much for your answer, helps a lot!
I was just looking at some vintage sets in a German vintage drum shop (www.magicdrum.de) and detected the Jazzette. For some sets the depth was 12"...for one green sparkle Jazzette the bass drum depth was missing...so I was wondering.

Are those made from Mahagoni btw? African Mahagoni...or a completely different wood?

Karl

[ludwigvondrumcrazy]

Originally Posted by Drummer Karl

I was just looking at some vintage sets in a German vintage drum shop (www.magicdrum.de) and detected the Jazzette. For some sets the depth was 12"...for one green sparkle Jazzette the bass drum depth was missing...so I was wondering.
Are those made from Mahagoni btw? African Mahagoni...or a completely different wood?

You're welcome Karl!
For the most part, any 1960's Ludwig, with "Classic Shells," should be 3-ply, African Mahogany / Poplar / African Mahogany for the Toms with Maple / Poplar / Maple on the Bass, both types having Rock Maple Re-Rings. In the very late 60's Ludwig did start switching over from Mahogany to Maple, eventually phasing the Mahogany out of the picture.............

With that said, I'm not so sure about the Shells on the Jazzette, which was Ludwig's "Top of the Line Outfit" while it was around............

Below you will see it's Catalog debut, which it made in 1966.
To purists, this configuration, with one of the listed finishes, is the true Jazzette and is probably the most sought after Ludwig Outfit today.
Most "Jazzette" Kit's one comes across were either ordered as individual Drums, kinda like a Kit Builder deal, or pieced together from different Kits over the years.......




The Jazzette remained this way in the Catalogs until around 1974, at that time the description was changed a little reading "High Quality Shells," with a Mahogany Cortex Finish shown. The sizes remained the same but this was the last time that the Jazzette was shown with the 18-inch Bass Drum. The next time it was shown, which I think was the last, was 1978 and by then it was simply a re-named Downbeat (14 x 20, 8 x 12 & 14 x 14,) the 12 x 18 Bass wasn't even listed as a component Drum in 1978. BIG had finally taken over........

Here is the Jazzette as it appeared near the end of it's run, after "stealing" the Downbeat's configuration and kicking it out of the line-up.
Note 6-ply (Maple / Poplar) Uni-Mold Shells, which Ludwig started using around 1976.



LVDC

[Stixxs]

Originally Posted by ThroneAmbition

I've enjoyed viewing all the Great Looking Ludwig kits in this thread. After many months of waiting for different components to arrive I finally got my Ludwig kit in presentable condition.

TA, Beautiful kit!

Is that a matt finish, and shell spec's would be great?

-thx

[ThroneAmbition]

Originally Posted by Stixxs

TA, Beautiful kit!

Is that a matt finish, and shell spec's would be great?

-thx

Thanks Stixxs. The kit is a Classic Birch in a Satin Finish. The shells are 7 ply, 7mm thick.

18x22 Kick
5x14 Snare
10x12 Mounted Tom
14x14 Floor Tom
16x16 Floor Tom

I also have the 8x10 and 8x12 Toms though I prefer to play the 1-up 2-down configuration. BTW, your DW's in Tobacco Fade are very nice!

Hugh

[KarlCrafton]

Man, some great kits on this.
Yes I'm a member of the Ludwig fan club too!

[baz]

Originally Posted by SmoothJazz

I'd say the SS is in a close running in a contest with Bernhard's Ringo set, LVDC's red sparkle downbeat, and Stickers champaign sparkle downbeat for best vintage ludwig :)

...These are the ones that get my vote.

Barry

[Michael G]

Originally Posted by baz

...These are the ones that get my vote.

Barry

If only I kept them!

They are quite delicious, just wish they didn't take on so much minty green tint as opposed to yellow. If they looked close to like they did when they were brand new it would be my favorite over any other finish.



^^That is a catalog picture that came from LVDC.

[baz]

Originally Posted by SmoothJazz

If only I kept them!

They are quite delicious, just wish they didn't take on so much minty green tint as opposed to yellow. If they looked close to like they did when they were brand new it would be my favorite over any other finish.



^^That is a catalog picture that came from LVDC.

...White marine pearl has always been my favorite wrap.

From your picture, it looks like the tint is even on all of the drums. I have seen some drums where the fading is blotchy and uneven.

Those silver sparklies of yours are gorgeous, and look like they came out of a time capsule. If I was faced with a choice between those two kits, I would have to get them both.

Barry

[Michael G]

Originally Posted by baz

From your picture, it looks like the tint is even on all of the drums. I have seen some drums where the fading is blotchy and uneven.

Yeah they were very even. They were sitting in a drum collectors room for about 25 years until I bought them. He had another one exactly like it so he let them go.

I haven't seen a pristine WMP Ludwig where it still has a dominant white look to it. Very hard to come by I imagine.

[crdirtRider856]

FIRST POST! my best friend-a mid 1960's wmp ludwig kit with modern hardware

[LM201]

you're all so lucky. I wish I had money

[Suds]

Thanks for all the great Ludwig pics. Here are a few of my Classic Maple Cherry Zep Set:

[tmardrummer]

Here is my favorite kit, with 26" kick (woofer on the wall behind!) and Epic snare drum.

[RogerLudwig]

My relatively new (Oct. '08) set of Ludwig classic maple in WMP, one up/two down; 12/14/16/22

[chewaz]

wow you gotsome sexy ludwigs this is mine hehe...

Does a Ludwig/Blaemire count?

Orange mod wrap over 1/8" fiberglass.

[BrokenGlass]

I'd like to get have a full vintage kit one day, but for now my 1965 snare will do!

[PaiceFan]

Tmardrummer that is a great looking kit are those new? They look vintage. maybe a re wrap? Love 26" Bass drums. I wanna join the Ludwig Fan Club here's mine

[pix]

There's some really awesome kits in this thread, keep them coming. Here's my 2008 Classic Maple, in natural finish. Had it about 6 months now.

Here's a silver sparkle Ludwig kit from 1966 I use to own, 9x13,14x14,14x22, and a newer 6.5 x14 Classic Maple snare in a blue finish that I still own.

[ludwigvondrumcrazy]

Since I mentioned these at the beginning of this thread I might as well add some after shots of my 1971 Blue Oyster Pearl's (12,13,16,22)





LVDC

[Mendozart]

Originally Posted by ludwigvondrumcrazy

Since I mentioned these at the beginning of this thread I might as well add some after shots of my 1971 Blue Oyster Pearl's (12,13,16,22)

Beautiful kit there Jack!

[ludwigvondrumcrazy]

Thanks Greg! It was one of toughest projects I've done, well, the toughest on my Parts Stash that is. I knew it was rough when I picked it up but also knew that the wrap was in like almost new condition so I had a good base to work with, which is everything.......

My wife's least favorite colour is Blue so when we talk about this set with each other it's known as the "Ugly Kit." Personally it's not my favorite but I dig that it is different than most Kits out there and after all the time I have into it this Outfit & I have become one, so it's now part of the Family.................

Take care my Ludwig friend!!
LVDC

[slyone]

My '68 Hollywood in Burgundy Sparkle. Not the best photo, taken at a rehearsal this past summer. I've owned 'em since '72 or '73, and they're the only set I've owned until a recent purchase of an electronic set to use for rehearsing.

Lyle

[ludwigvondrumcrazy]

Nice Lyle, very nice! I always like to see those 1968 Kits that still have their original Cast Logo Double Tom Post, which were only offered for a short time.
I also like to see Kits that still have their original color and are not faded out, harder & harder to find as time passes...............

Thanks for posting it and welcome to Drummer World!!

LVDC

[slyone]

Thanks much. I'm quite proud of them. After a bit of a layoff from performing, I've gotten back in public with them (never stopped playing them, just wasn't gigging). Only recently through an online forum or two have I learned some of the uniqueness of the set I have. The Burgundy Sparkles were dropped by Ludwig a year or so after these were built, so the color is a little extra 'desirable'. For whatever reason, even tho there were fewer four piece sets made than three piece, the four piece set doesn't seem to be as desirable as the three piece in that color.

These are all '68 drums, all but one was delivered with a clear interior. The 12" tom had a white interior. They were put together as a set right at the time Ludwig was stopping the white interiors. If they needed a 12" tom that had a white interior to complete a set where all the rest were clear, then it was used, not a problem. This past summer I finally got around to have the interior stripped by a drum rebuilder. I did lose the date code as a result, but the serial # shows it's genuineness. In the photo in the first post of these, the 12" looks different, but that was due to camera angle and lighting. In person its very well matched to it's mates.

I played the 70s and a lot of the 80s with no reso' heads for the typical 70s dry sound. The single painted interior always seemed odd, but only last year did I decide to finally make it match. Attached are some before images. In the one image with resos, I have no recollection as to why the reso's have been battered, I probably exchanged heads. That was a Valentine's Day dance ('74?) . I was still in high school, probably couldn't afford heads all the way around, so I recycled. Way before recycling was the 'in' thing to do!! LOL

Again, thx for the compliments
Lyle

[A Super SpaceNinja]

Hello!!!! I figured this would be the best place to ask this question, being that its a ludwig thread. Whats are the best heads for a classic maple 26in kick? I was thinking that an ambassador smooth white or evans emads would be best but i wanted the opinions of those with more experience.

[PaiceFan]

ASuperSpaceNinja If your looking for that classic 26" Bonham type sound. The Recipe is a coated Emperor on the batter side. And a smooth or coated Ambassador on the reso side. Don't forget the felt strips. This head combo comes straight from Jeff Ocheltree Bonhams drum tech from the 70's

[Morbid Koala]

This might hinge on one of the dumber questions you've fielded but .....


Would you straight up swap a mid 70's clear Vistalite (24, 16, 15, 13) for a 71 three ply natural (14, 15, 16, 18, 24) ?

This seems too good to be true but someone has offered me this trade.

[PaiceFan]

I think the condition of each kit would be the determining factor. If your vistalite is in much better shape than the 3 ply then who's doing better on the deal?

[PaiceFan]

Here's my latest addition to the Ludwig Fan Club. 1978 Stainless Steel Big Beat KIt with the optional 24" Bass Drum

[mcbike]

70's ludwig 3 ply
24 kick
12" tom
16" floor tom

i also have the 13" and the matching snare but I don't use them.