Seeking Advice on Vintage Ludwig Classic Maple Drumset Purchase

S

Sem

Junior Member
Hello everyone,
I've been searching for used drum kits online and came across what appears to be a vintage Ludwig Classic Maple that I really liked:
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According to the listing, the sizes are:
  • 24x14
  • 13x9
  • 14x10
  • 16x16
  • 18x16
One of the toms is missing from the pictures, the owner mentioned that it was disassembled but has all its parts, and that they would also include heads once it’s sold to someone

I have a few questions about the kit that the seller couldn't answer (or that I didn’t feel comfortable asking directly), and I’m hoping someone here can provide some insight. The kit is located in a different state from where I live, and I’d need to make a 4-hour drive just to see it in person—which I’m willing to do if it's worth the effort, however, before making that trip, I'd appreciate your opinions on a couple of things:
  1. The seller is asking $1,700 for the kit. He mentioned that it’s a 6-ply Ludwig Classic Maple, but didn’t specify the exact era, it seems to be from the 70s(?), the kit has been restored, professionally repainted with lacquer as shown in the pictures, and much of the old hardware has been replaced with new, original parts. My main concern is whether this price is fair, given the condition, it seems like a very fair price when comparing it to modern classic maple prices, but I don’t have much experience with vintage drum sets and haven’t had much luck finding a good price reference for similar vintage kits on sites like Reverb.
  2. If I decide to make the trip and check out the kit in person, what specific things should I focus on to ensure it's in good condition?
Thanks in advance for your help!
 
Can you give us the serial numbers on the badges?

But that price seems high based on my experience looking at Reverb, Facebook, etc…
 
Stx'n'Bonze said:
Hard to tell, but do those badges even have serial numbers?
Click to expand...

I don't think they do either, so they're almost certainly reproduction badges.

The whole kit seems to have a lot of new parts. That's why the price is high, the restoration was probably expensive.

Whether or not it's "worth it" is a tough question to answer for someone else. If you like the sizes and the finish and have the money to buy them, I say go for it. If the answer to any of those questions is "no", I say keep looking.

What to look for? My biggest concern would be the condition of the bearing edges, top and bottom. It looks like they painted onto the edges, which I'm not a fan of. If the edges are smooth and sharp, the next thing I'd look at is the general condition of all the metal, especially making sure everything turns freely and will tighten properly.

If you do decide to go see them in person, bring cash but be willing to haggle. One, you're driving four hours, and two, the seller is trying to get top dollar because they chose to put a lot of brand new aftermarket parts on there. If they're expecting full return value on parts and labor invested there's not much stopping you from essentially doing the same thing; find an old kit (or the individual drums) in the exact sizes you want, have them refinished in the exact color you want, and replace any less than perfect parts with new ones.
 
Lots of good advice already. Ask the seller to remove the heads before you get there to save time. That way you can check bearing edges and not have to waste time taking heads off yourself. Ask specifically what hardware was replaced and why. I assume it was because it was worn out or damaged.

Essentially, what you're looking at is a rehabbed set that was likely abused in a past life. Kudos to the seller who had them restored.

I think $1700 is a fair starting point for negotiation. He's trying to recoup his costs, of course. Guys who buy and restore collectible cars almost never recoup their investments when it's time to sell the car. They might pay $2500 for a beater, invest $25-35K getting it in shape, only to discover the car is worth $10K on the market. This happens with musical gear in some cases.

I'd really think it over before you drive four hours to see them, but if you do, don't feel obligated to buy them just because you made the drive. If anything seems fishy or weird, or if the owner acts like a serial killer psycho, walk away.
 
Sem said:
Hello everyone,
I've been searching for used drum kits online and came across what appears to be a vintage Ludwig Classic Maple that I really liked:
Click to expand...
The 6 ply shell is maple/poplar. So these are not "Classic Maple".
Sem said:
According to the listing, the sizes are:
  • 24x14
  • 13x9
  • 14x10
  • 16x16
  • 18x16
One of the toms is missing from the pictures, the owner mentioned that it was disassembled but has all its parts, and that they would also include heads once it’s sold to someone

I have a few questions about the kit that the seller couldn't answer (or that I didn’t feel comfortable asking directly), and I’m hoping someone here can provide some insight. The kit is located in a different state from where I live, and I’d need to make a 4-hour drive just to see it in person—which I’m willing to do if it's worth the effort, however, before making that trip, I'd appreciate your opinions on a couple of things:
  1. The seller is asking $1,700 for the kit. He mentioned that it’s a 6-ply Ludwig Classic Maple, but didn’t specify the exact era, it seems to be from the 70s(?), the kit has been restored, professionally repainted with lacquer as shown in the pictures, and much of the old hardware has been replaced with new, original parts. My main concern is whether this price is fair, given the condition, it seems like a very fair price when comparing it to modern classic maple prices, but I don’t have much experience with vintage drum sets and haven’t had much luck finding a good price reference for similar vintage kits on sites like Reverb.
  2. If I decide to make the trip and check out the kit in person, what specific things should I focus on to ensure it's in good condition?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Click to expand...
Ludwig went from the 3 ply (with re-ring) to the 6 ply shell in 1976. The Blue/Olive pointy cornered badge was replaced with rounded corners in 1979. Like Winston stated .... these badges might well be replacements. Ludwig kept producing the 6 ply maple/poplar shell past their move to Monroe, NC. The 1st Ludwig all maple "classic maple" shells came out around 1998, I believe.

Being restored and refinished ..... it's all a matter of if you REALLY like the build. Great sizes, I could certainly live with those. Because of the custom lacquer, it would be really, really hard to add on (but that might not matter to you).

I've owned 2 six ply kits. Great sounding drums. Than said, I WOULD NOT pay $1,700 for this kit.
 
Good-looking kit! Looks like it was restored by a pro. Good sizes for the 6-ply shells, too! I agree with what has been previously stated.

1. The lacquer going all the way to the bearing edges might be a problem.

2. You have to wonder WHY it was restored. Did the hardware just get pitted? Did the wrap warp in the sun from playing festival gigs? Or, did it get stored in somebody’s shed/attic/basement and get exposed to the damaging elements?

3. It seems like somebody is trying to recoup costs. In my neck of the woods, that price is significantly higher than I’ve seen comparable kits NOT sell for. If it floats your boat, though, you should do it. Make sure to talk the possibility of haggling before you check it out—no use traveling 4 hours each way if you aren’t willing to pay more than $1500 and he’s firm at $1700.
 
Sem said:
Hello everyone,
I've been searching for used drum kits online and came across what appears to be a vintage Ludwig Classic Maple that I really liked:

According to the listing, the sizes are:
  • 24x14
  • 13x9
  • 14x10
  • 16x16
  • 18x16
Click to expand...

Do you like very thick shells ? These are most likely very thick and I wouldn't ever go by "ply" like you see many in this thread doing because they were always switching out veneer suppliers or the actual supplier was changing the ply thickness. Some of those 6 ply are close to 10mm where as the current Ludwig is 6 ply and 6mm.

I would ask the seller to measure the thickness in mm
 
I agree with everything people have said so far. Bottom line: too many ifs about this kit, too expensive for what it appears to be, and too far away to bother checking it out in person... unless you can get the seller to agree to a more reasonable offer before you even go there. Which is probably unlikely to happen.

One thing that I will add though: If you aren't knowledgeable about Ludwig drums yet (in other words, unable to tell what parts are original/aftermarket, signs of previous abuse, mismatched shells/hardware/years, etc etc) and if the seller isn't all that forthcoming, you might be buying the proverbial pig in a poke. IMHO, best to pass on this one, take your time, and find something that you can trust is authentic and worth the money. There are plenty of kits out there, in that price range. Good luck with your search and with learning more about Ludwigs.
 
So far you've really received great advice. My two cents worth:

Without lug gaskets, the BD is showing a lot of splay with the tension rods. Where are the tom brackets, mounting hardware and floor tom legs? Are those extra holes above the badge on the tom setting on the BD? That tom also appears to have scuffed up finish between two of the lugs. IMO, a professional refinish job would NOT paint over the bearing edges -that’s just sloppy and not acceptable in my book. What is the discoloration inside the BD? Is it water damage? From what is shown in the pictures, the asking price seems high. Almost gives the impression the set was made to look like something it’s not (I hope I’m wrong about that).

I would also be checking all hoops to make sure there is no warping. Are all wingnuts in good condition and work well? Check the bearing edges to make sure they are sound and that all the plies are intact with no separation.

Overall, there are a lot of bits and pieces to be concerned with that aren't even shown in the above pics. Coupled with a high asking price, there seem to be way too many risk factors to give this kit a green light.

Best of luck finding your dream kit; it will happen and the guys here are all willing to give their sound opinions when that time comes. :cool:
 
Tamboreter said:
So far you've really received great advice. My two cents worth:

Without lug gaskets, the BD is showing a lot of splay with the tension rods. Where are the tom brackets, mounting hardware and floor tom legs? Are those extra holes above the badge on the tom setting on the BD? That tom also appears to have scuffed up finish between two of the lugs. IMO, a professional refinish job would NOT paint over the bearing edges -that’s just sloppy and not acceptable in my book. What is the discoloration inside the BD? Is it water damage? From what is shown in the pictures, the asking price seems high. Almost gives the impression the set was made to look like something it’s not (I hope I’m wrong about that).

I would also be checking all hoops to make sure there is no warping. Are all wingnuts in good condition and work well? Check the bearing edges to make sure they are sound and that all the plies are intact with no separation.

Overall, there are a lot of bits and pieces to be concerned with that aren't even shown in the above pics. Coupled with a high asking price, there seem to be way too many risk factors to give this kit a green light.

Best of luck finding your dream kit; it will happen and the guys here are all willing to give their sound opinions when that time comes. :cool:
Click to expand...

Good eyes, Tamboreter. More good points on why it's a pass, in my book.

Those two holes on the tom could be for a muffler, but they shouldn't be on the same panel with the badge.

Again, if the OP isn't familiar with Ludwig, or drums in general, there's a lot to inspect with the edges, shells in round, the discoloration in the kick, and who knows what else not shown in the photos.

Sem: Walk on, brother. Walk on.
 
Sem said:
Thanks for the advice everyone!, I think I'll just wait and get a different kit, I might just try to save some more and buy a brand new kit later this year
Click to expand...

Good on you for waiting it out! There's a lot to be said for being able to see something in person before pulling the trigger.
 
And...just one more thing mam....the laquer is applied to what exactly?....the original wrap?
if so?.....I don't think it's gonna stick....very well.
 
That kit is probably a refurb project of mongrel Ludwig shells. No t-rods on the bass drum is the big giveaway for me. (I prefer those, way easier to tune your bass drum)

If you want to rehome orphans it's way more fun to do the project yourself and you end up with something that looks and sounds amazing (plus you learn a lot about kit care). The kit in my profile pic is all orphan Ludwig drums. I loves it but I wouldn't try and get top dollar for it, not that I'd ever sell her.
 
Sem said:
Thanks for the advice everyone!, I think I'll just wait and get a different kit, I might just try to save some more and buy a brand new kit later this year
Click to expand...
Save and buy a brand new, or else a mint/excellent used kit. Best options. For $1,700 you can buy an excellent condition/ more modern kit.

For gigging, the kit in this thread would be really really heavy to haul around. 24" kick. Those two floor toms.

Restored with a lacquer, not a wrap. Lots of new hardware. It's no longer collectible with that sort of "restoration". It's a $1,700 gigging kit with way-big drums.

I'd for sure pass. Not even give it a 2nd look.
 
Looks good, but I'd pass too.
Save a bit more and get a new one as your forever kit, or find a used one that's closer to original condition.
 
I see you've already made your decision, but I'll chime in as well. Like a few others said, I would pass on this deal. Too many red flags, the biggest of which is a 4-hour drive. I wouldn't drive that far for any kit. Secondly, I'm unconvinced the kit has really been professionally restored. Paint over the bearing edges is the biggest indicator. No pro would do this.
 
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