Shame on you, Ludwig! (product order rant)

AModestRat

Member
On December 27th, I ordered a set of Ludwig 400 series hardware from my local music store, having traded in my Pearl Roadshow kit with the hardware that I was using (from the kit). I've been waiting on the hardware since then, and as time went on I kept calling just to be told that my local music store was waiting on shipping confirmation from Ludwig (they were told the 400 series hardware was still in stock). For the first half of January, no contact or shipping because of NAMM. A couple of weeks ago, the store manager got a call that it would be shipping out soon.

Well, yesterday I received a call from the him to tell me that Ludwig told them that the 400 series hardware was discontinued in November and was unable to be shipped, despite them telling the store manager for the last month that the product was in stock. We have basically been waiting on nothing, and Ludwig told the him that I would have to choose between the Atlas Standard, Classic, or Pro packs; none of which I can afford.

This is why I still support local music stores though: halfway through January, the guys at my local store made a hardware pack from spare things around the store and let me use it since then. They've asked nothing in return, and have kept the Pearl kit (and hardware) in storage in case I wanted it back. I'm going there tomorrow to return the hardware and maybe invest in a Tama or Yamaha hardware pack, even though I may have to eat ramen for another week.
 
I can fully understand that you are frustrated. Most problems that exist in this world are communication problems, and I guess in this case, it was also a "simple" communication problem that lead to what it is.

Just buy another hardware pack. Yamaha, Tama, Mapex,... whatever you can afford.
 
PM me with your contact info and the name of the store you're dealing with. We may have some B or C stock hardware packs that you can get a deal on. BTW, I'm with Yamaha.
 
All this for $170 - amazing. So what's the BD pedal and/or HH stand like?

My accent combo came with a 400 series HH stand. While the piece that joins the top of the rod to the bottom is made of brass, the top rod was such shitty steel that the threads stripped. I had to drill through the brass and top-rod to fit a cotter pin, making it function again.

The older 400 series pedal (no bottom plate) is somewhere between bad and horrible. It has not yet broken completely yet, but is nowhere near as nice as my $75 Yamaha 7210.


My advice would be to beg/borrow/steal a Yamaha 7 series pack.
 
PM me with your contact info and the name of the store you're dealing with. We may have some B or C stock hardware packs that you can get a deal on. BTW, I'm with Yamaha.

Jump on this. Yamaha's hardware is unsurpassed. Even their 600 series is top notch.
 
I get that you're upset by being misled, but in my opinion you dodged a bullet. There is really nothing to recommend about the 400 line. It's heavy, clunky, less featured than many other hardware lines, and you can get so much better for just a bit more money. As has been mentioned, the Yamaha 600, 700, and 800 lines are all magnificent. If it absolutely has to be Ludwig, take a gander at the Atlas Standard line - affordable and modern.
 
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