Ludwig Legacy Classic Maple vs 67 Super Classic

montgom01

Member
Hi there,
Im new to the drumming world but have been in the music scene for a while producing. Ive been trying to justify to myself that i dont need a kit for my productions but after years of programming drums, and spending just one day in a big studio and being able to brutishly bash on some and record, ive now been seduced. So ive got some flexibility with budget and am really trying to go for that holy grail of tone. I really like that vintage ludwig timbre, the Bonham, keith moon, ringo, etc. I kind of got curious after Kevin Parker from Tame Impala talked about his drum setup.

So im sold on ludwig, now its just which model to go for. Im aiming vintage because, i seem to have a predisposition towards things being a little more tone than utility. Ive got the opportunity to get a 67 Super classic for around 4500 AUD including shipping. Ive also got the ability to get some Legacy ludwigs at around 5000 AUD that includes a snare drum, and is only a few years old.

Both kits are in great condition, no bearing issues or shell problems. The legacy does come with a snare so theres that.

So im really just looking for a general consensus as im not a drummer by trade, but guitarist and producer. So im willing to invest in something for long tern so im not bouncing around.

Anyway thanks for reading!
 
I'd go vintage. Provided the '67 kit is in fabulous shape (which you say it is). For me, there's just something about these drums ..... with some real history and age to them ...... a "je ne sais quoi" ..... so to speak. Love the sound of both ...... but I'm a "vintage" guy thru and thru.

PS ..... screw the old hardware, though. I'm a Yamaha guy, for that.;)


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It’s not the same shell, right? The Map/pop didn’t come till 68’ I believe.

For studio, I’d go for the Hogs. But sight unseen and for the quality consistency and hardware, I’d go for the new legacy. As much as I like my 60s vintage, the hardware experience required several upgrades to make it livable. The quirky nature of vintage is both the unique charm and inconvenience. Plus vintage stuff gets more delicate over time so may do better in a studio rather than frequent gigging.
 
It’s not the same shell, right? The Map/pop didn’t come till 68’ I believe.
It's a very narrow time frame, that the maple/poplar/maple shell was standard, it seems. Early 60's shells were mahogany/poplar/mahogany. The exception was ..... Duco finished drums. Those had a maple exterior, to give the Duco finish a smother underneath surface to adhear to. I have three shells of this type.

I have natural maple/thermogloss drums. Those are deffinitely maple/poplar/maple shells. I'm not totally convinced ALL the shells coming out of Ludwig were of that lay up. And the Ludwig shell guide states "Through the 1970s mahogany was occasionally still used internally or externally. (Most commonly on large floor toms and large bass drums.)". So, that gives a '68/'69 window that they say they made maple/poplar/maple shells.

And that, I can confirm that they used mahogany in the 70's, because I have a 14x10, and the serial # dates it 1976, and it has a mahogany exterior, and granitone painted interior.
 
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I have natural maple/thermogloss drums. Those are deffinitely maple/poplar/maple shells. I'm not totally convinced ALL the shells coming out of Ludwig were of that lay up. And the Ludwig shell guide states "Through the 1970s mahogany was occasionally still used internally or externally. (Most commonly on large floor toms and large bass drums.)". So, that gives a '68/'69 window that they say they made maple/poplar/maple shells.

That seems to make sense. I’ve been wondering what exactly were the Jazzette shell Lay-out since they both offered a mahogany and maple exterior both perhaps both on how you outlined here. I’ve never seen one up close and last one I saw selling is ~$7k

 
That seems to make sense. I’ve been wondering what exactly were the Jazzette shell Lay-out since they both offered a mahogany and maple exterior both perhaps both on how you outlined here. I’ve never seen one up close and last one I saw selling is ~$7k
Yeah ..... expensive kits. Well ..... those 18x12's ..... they will break your bank;) 14x14's go for some pretty good money, too ...... so the combination of the two ...... adds up. Two on Reverb, right now. One has a Slingerland tom holder. So .... modded .....$2500 = shipping. The other, nayural maple ...... $7500 + shipping.
 
It’s not the same shell, right? The Map/pop didn’t come till 68’ I believe.

For studio, I’d go for the Hogs. But sight unseen and for the quality consistency and hardware, I’d go for the new legacy. As much as I like my 60s vintage, the hardware experience required several upgrades to make it livable. The quirky nature of vintage is both the unique charm and inconvenience. Plus vintage stuff gets more delicate over time so may do better in a studio rather than frequent gigging.
So from what i was told, and looked up, the shells on the super classic are the mahogany/poplar/mahogany. I also wont ever be gigging with these kits, so it will be solely for studio purposes if that helps
 
So from what i was told, and looked up, the shells on the super classic are the mahogany/poplar/mahogany. I also wont ever be gigging with these kits, so it will be solely for studio purposes if that helps
Over the years, I've consistently liked the sound of shells with maple over ones where mahogany was the exposed plies. So between those two, I'd get the Legacy Maples. I don't think you'll have a lick of problem recording with either...strictly a taste thing...but the maple shells just sound better to me.
 
Hmm. I'd hate to say it, but I'd go new(er). Vintage drums can be advertised as being "in great shape", but anything more than 40 years old will have quirks (whether you like it or not). I've seen alot of vintage Ludwigs that just weren't as round as they should be and it's just an age thing, especially if you don't really know what the drum has been through since it was made. Heck, you could probably go to a brand new Classic Maple (cheaper than a Legacy kit) and get the tones you want - you just have to know how to get that with tuning and head choice - and you'd have a warranty and you would know that the set was perfect upon purchase. If you're talking investment, I'd go new.
 
So from what i was told, and looked up, the shells on the super classic are the mahogany/poplar/mahogany. I also wont ever be gigging with these kits, so it will be solely for studio purposes if that helps
If the drums are wrapped ..... the shells would "almost" certainly be mahogany/poplar/mahogany. Club Dates could be had, in a lacquer finish ..... so those would have a maple exterior ply. The Jazzette was available in natural maple finish ..... so those would have a maple exterior ply. Ringo's "natural maple" kit. I read, is date stamped Mar. 1967. White interiors. And he didn't get the drums until 1968. So I think it's safe to say, Ludwig held onto the maple exterior ply shells ..... until they needed to use them.
 
Hmm. I'd hate to say it, but I'd go new(er). Vintage drums can be advertised as being "in great shape", but anything more than 40 years old will have quirks (whether you like it or not). I've seen alot of vintage Ludwigs that just weren't as round as they should be and it's just an age thing, especially if you don't really know what the drum has been through since it was made. Heck, you could probably go to a brand new Classic Maple (cheaper than a Legacy kit) and get the tones you want - you just have to know how to get that with tuning and head choice - and you'd have a warranty and you would know that the set was perfect upon purchase. If you're talking investment, I'd go new.
Thats some good advice. Ive play on some classics and they sounded good, but the vintage ones ive banged on sounded surreal. Never play on legacy ludwigs but after listening to as many recordings as i could, they sounded as close as you can get.
 
Damn those are noice!
I had the edges recut on the burgundy set and they sound fantastic. The gold sparkle drums have the original edges and they also sound fantastic. I have owned the Legacy Maple drums before and I like them. If I was going on tour, I'd look at them, but for a studio situation, I think the vintage Ludwigs would be perfect.
 
I had the edges recut on the burgundy set and they sound fantastic. The gold sparkle drums have the original edges and they also sound fantastic. I have owned the Legacy Maple drums before and I like them. If I was going on tour, I'd look at them, but for a studio situation, I think the vintage Ludwigs would be perfect.
Okay well definitely wouldn't be touring so just studio applications which is making me think them!
 
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