Vintage Ludwig & Ludwig drums

SAINTDRUMS

SAINTDRUMS

Senior Member
I recently purchased a 1938 Ludwig & Ludwig kick drum, 14x28, totally virgin and has a beautifully yellowed WMP wrap that is very tight. For those of you who like pictures, I will post some once I get it back from a proper "refresh" - not a restoration. I also am in the process of buying a 1941 matching Ludwig & Ludwig snare in excellent condition. I should have that this weekend and I'll take some pictures of that as well.

I have some questions for the vintage Ludwig guys. I would like to complete this set with some toms - at the very least one up and one down. As I understand it, the toms from the late 30's had a "normal" (for its' time) double flange top hoop and was tunable, but the bottom resonant heads were calf skin and were riveted to a wood ring. Does anybody know the first year that Ludwig & Ludwig went over to the tunable resonant heads? I'm just learning about (and appreciating) vintage Ludwig drums. All I can say is, I think I'm in trouble.... G.A.S. may be kicking in!
 
SAINTDRUMS said:
I recently purchased a 1938 Ludwig & Ludwig kick drum, 14x28, totally virgin and has a beautifully yellowed WMP wrap that is very tight. For those of you who like pictures, I will post some once I get it back from a proper "refresh" - not a restoration. I also am in the process of buying a 1941 matching Ludwig & Ludwig snare in excellent condition. I should have that this weekend and I'll take some pictures of that as well.

I have some questions for the vintage Ludwig guys. I would like to complete this set with some toms - at the very least one up and one down. As I understand it, the toms from the late 30's had a "normal" (for its' time) double flange top hoop and was tunable, but the bottom resonant heads were calf skin and were riveted to a wood ring. Does anybody know the first year that Ludwig & Ludwig went over to the tunable resonant heads? I'm just learning about (and appreciating) vintage Ludwig drums. All I can say is, I think I'm in trouble.... G.A.S. may be kicking in!
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Those tacked bottom toms,actually used pigskin,which was thicker.Ludwig & Ludwig started using lugs to tune the resonant heads in the early 38,and even offered tacked bottom toms till the late 40's,along with tunable toms

As for the one down,Ludwig & Ludwig used a basket to hold the floor tom,and didn't offer legs till the late 40's.

Drums fron that vintage a hard to find,and usually reside in collections,vintage drum shop,or mom's attic.The first two choices,will cost,as these guys know exactly what they have.

Steve B
 
Here are some pictures of the bass drum. It's 14x28 and has long Imperial lugs. As far as completing the kit, I will pick up decent pieces as I come across them - as long as they're from the same general era. I didn't buy them to collect them. They'll see plenty o' playing. My plan is to play them mostly at home and also on some chosen gigs.
 

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That's a nice bass drum there! It's good to see vintage things restored to be played!

Although, I think a huge set of Roto-Toms would go well with that bass drum.


;)
 
That kick is way cool.

Here's the potion to bring a yellowed WMP wrap back to like new whiteness.

This formulae is top secret, so be careful who you give it out to.
 

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Although, I think a huge set of Roto-Toms would go well with that bass drum.
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You're a funny guy Bo! Good one! The purists around here would hate me...

Here's the potion to bring a yellowed WMP wrap back to like new whiteness.
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Les, I thought about this, but I can't bring myself to reverse that beautiful patina that took decades to develop. I am having my local and highly trusted drum shop refresh the drum, meaning he'll strip the lugs and tension rods, give them a polish and lube where necessary, and polish the wrap (using Novus polish) to bring back its' glossy sheen. The inlays on the hoops also needed to be glued back down in some spots and polished. That's pretty much the extent of the refresh. It came with the clamp-on spurs and the clamp-on felt muffler. The pictures I posted were actually from the place I bought it from, or let's call them "before" pictures. I'll post the "after" pictures when I get it back from the drum shop.
 
As promised, here are some pictures of the 1941 snare I picked up over the weekend to go with the bass drum. It's in excellent shape. Sorry for the less than quality pictures - I used my phone. Now to find some toms!
 

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Those are two very cool drums. I can see a rack in the front with four or five round wood blocks, a triangle, a really beat splash cymbal........and you of course will be wearing black wingtips with spats....
 
An old Ludwig showed up on CL yesterday for $300. I immediately emailed the seller and offered to buy, but someone got there before me. The seller didn't email a response and the ad came down while I was looking at it. I want to know what I missed on. From the pics: three drums with keystone badges, 12,16,20 (maybe 22) in either gold or orange glitter and the wrap looked to be in good condition. All of the drums had single/center lugs and came with a set of modern stands and a Pearl steel snare. Again the price was $300. Anyone know what kit this is. I'm pretty sure I just missed on dandy.
 
If the badges were keystone,then the drums were WFL or Ludwig transition or Ludwig as oppose to Ludwig and Ludwig or Leedy and Ludwig,or maybe late 30's WFL Lyra badge,which was keystone shaped,and they had imperial lugs.Confusing ...YES.Bill Ludwig left Ludwig and Ludwig in 1936 .Ludwig and Ludwig was owned by Conn,who also owned Leedy.Bill formed WFL .Conn eventually merged Leedy and Ludwig in 1950 ,and was eventually bought out by WFL,and Slingerland 50/50.WFL eventually became Ludwig Industries,and Slingerland distributed Leedy drums,as a second line from Slingerland.

The drums you mention could have been Ludwig club dates or also ,which were center lug mounted drums.

Steve B
 
SAINTDRUMS said:
As promised, here are some pictures of the 1941 snare I picked up over the weekend to go with the bass drum. It's in excellent shape. Sorry for the less than quality pictures - I used my phone. Now to find some toms!
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I have that exact, identical snare drum!!! Mine is dated 4110 (Oct. 41).

This is the first time that I have seen the same year and wrap! Beautiful drum buddy!
 
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