Ludwig's new Signet 105 drum line!

Because if they built a kit in America... with North American Maple shells... with regular lugs already assembled by American workers... you'd have a Classic Maple kit and you'd be paying upwards of $2500.

It's a way to get an intermediate kit that's American-built, with American maple shells for a third of the price. When was the last time you saw a USA maple kit advertised for $8-900 like the Signets are?

See, I get that. But , at the same time, it's not a Ludwig kit, not really anyway. As a purely outsiders perspective, a ludwig kit has a pedigree...these do not.

On another note, why not regular lugs? Rocket science they are not.
 
I think the drums have a charming, unique and humble aesthetic that's all their own. In fact, they almost harken back to the days of Ludwig's rope-tension or single-tension lug drums in the way they simplify the hardware used to hold the heads in place. I almost feel like they won't be given a fair chance by some simply because they're a departure from the traditional "sparkle/keystone/blue&olive/classic lug" camp.
 
Sorry on the price transposition, numbers are fixed now. :)

Bermuda
 
Nicer shot of the Indian Teak finish:

signet3.jpg
 
I think the drums have a charming, unique and humble aesthetic that's all their own.

That's a great word for how I'd describe these: humble. They aren't glossy, there aren't huge chrome appointments all over, they just look nice and simple.

Nicer shot of the Indian Teak finish:

signet3.jpg

Gosh, they all look great. The Teak accentuates the "honesty" and looks even more humble, while the Ebony just looks... good. I am into these drums!
 
The Signa Gigabeat are 800.00 at MF. The Terabeat is 949.00 They should sell well. Any clue on the lead time Jon.?

I don't know, but GC definitely has a bunch they'll be selling. And we've seen that some stores have already put them on the floor.

I like the idea, but I have two concerns.

The first is that I would imagine that after a few years of playing (with all of the micro vibrations from the hitting the drum) that the lugs would "wear" against the wood, causing the hole to slightly enlarge. I can see head changes becoming "oops, that lug fell out...now that one did too!".

The second is...those are the ugliest finishes I've ever seen.

There's little danger of the lugs falling out, they're pretty snug from the start. As for the hole enlarging or wearing, does that happen to wood from with standard lugs that go through the shell and tension is applied? I've never seen that.

I have to agree, Brad. What is the draw to this kit? You have to build the thing yourself, your drums have huge holes cut in to them for these lugs to go in, the lugs are held in only by the tension of the head so any head changes will result in a mess of lugs falling all over the floor, the colors are horrendous, and for all that you get to pay $1000 for a basic 4 piece shell pack.

The holes are not huge, the lugs are not kept in place by tension - they will not fall out. I think a 4-piece American-made kit for $1000 is a pretty great deal. These are essentially Classic Maple shells. If you want a genuine Classic Maple kit with traditional lugs, completely assembled, I promise you will pay a lot more than $1000! If you can find another brand new, US-made shell 4-piece for that money, please let me know.

I still don't get what you are getting with this kit though. It looks like Ludwig make the kit intentionally inexpensively, they make you assemble the thing, and they charge quite a premium for it.

On the contrary, you are saving the premium price for having the folks in Monroe assemble it. The kit was designed so that it could be simply assembled, but with aspects that don't sacrifice sound. Again, these are basically Classic Maple shells - 6 plies of North American (Maine, if you must know) maple, with the 7th ply being the finish. They come with Ludwig's US heads, real hoops, newly designed isolation mounts. pretty nifty and again, a great price for US shell drums.

...it's not a Ludwig kit, not really anyway. As a purely outsiders perspective, a ludwig kit has a pedigree...these do not.

On another note, why not regular lugs? Rocket science they are not.

It is a Ludwig kit - they make the shell and heads in their Monroe facility. Only the hardware and mounting is different. Regular lugs involve far more assembly, and asking the customer to do all of that would really be nervy if you ask me.

As for the Ludwig pedigree - whatever that means with all of the changes they've gone through in just the last 50 years - no, they're not the familiar classic lug design. There's a new badge, new colors, and a new concept in making a quality sounding kit more affordable. I don't blame Ludwig for moving forward, and it's not like they're not abandoning their familiar lines and designs. For those who want the classic or traditional look, there are other lines available, or simply go vintage. There's a contingent of purists who can't get past the "clear maple" era, and I certainly understand the love for those drums. Not only are the Signets not for them, I doubt Ludwig could ever make anything to satisfy them. So, those overly-concerned with pedigree really aren't potential Ludwig customers anyway.

Me, I just want drums to sound great, and I find that the Signets do. But a lot of people just won't allow themselves to find out. Best I can do is present facts and my findings, and hope that people get a better understanding of the new line.

Thank you, long day, good night!

Bermuda
 
I wonder if they'll be adding any additional sizes?

Bermuda, will they be adding anything new to the Keystone line? Say different colors?

Thanks in advance.
 
See, I get that. But , at the same time, it's not a Ludwig kit, not really anyway. As a purely outsiders perspective, a ludwig kit has a pedigree...these do not.

On another note, why not regular lugs? Rocket science they are not.
I have to disagree here. Ludwig are stuck between a rock & a hard place when it comes to moving forward. Damned if they do, damned if they don't. It's the same conundrum faced by any legacy brand of any aspirational product. As for "pedigree", which era of pedigree do you refer to. The early years, or the 80's when Ludwig churned out poor quality rubbish in large numbers?

In terms of construction, this kit line is no different to their existing "conservative" offerings. Shells made on site combined with shell hardware made in Asia. Same model as used by many companies. At least they're making their own shells locally FWIW.

no, they're not the familiar classic lug design. There's a new badge, new colors, and a new concept in making a quality sounding kit more affordable. I don't blame Ludwig for moving forward, and it's not like they're not abandoning their familiar lines and designs.

Bermuda
I think it's important to state this. The signet is another line of drums that branches out into an area not currently covered by their existing lines. The existing lines remain, & are there to satisfy the requirements of those requiring those features & that vibe.

There's a lot of negative comment about the lugs. Of course, lug appearance is a personal like/dislike thing, as is the whole aesthetic, but many here seem to be missing a trick. These new lugs are considerably lower mass than existing offerings, & that has quite an affect on sound. I haven't tried a set, but I'm fairly sure that the reduction in hardware mass will have a beneficial affect on the drum's ability to open up at lower dynamics. In other words, it's perfectly possible that these drums perform "better" than their more expensive stablemates in some respects.

As for the overall aesthetic, (wrap/finish ply/insert preferred term here) aside, I think these are the best looking kits from Ludwig I've seen in decades (there, I said it!). The reduced hardware real estate offers a clean & simplistic look that I personally find very attractive. Ludwig should be applauded for striking out, whether the new product appeals to you or not. I think the self assembly savings aspect is perhaps a little overstated. I mean, if I'm being very generous: if it took one worker 1 hour to assemble a standard drum construction, & that workshop time was costed at $50 (includes overhead recovery contribution), after all sales, marketing, distribution, & retail margin stackups, that makes a difference on the retail shop floor of about $200. Still nowhere close to their existing range offerings.

I wish them luck with this kit line. It's bold, it's modern, it's a good looking instrument, & has the ingredients to sound great too. Well played Ludwig!
 
When I first of the idea I thought it was a really bad one. My thinking was that the price point will compete with medium range kits and lose on that aspect alone. I realize now that I was completely wrong. im not 100% sold on the finish ( silver sparkle wrap for me these days) but the idea of cost savings for a top line kit like this has never been done before. it appears very simple to assemble. if it takes off and they offer more sizes this wil be a game changer in the industry and Ludwig did it first. as far as change, I wonder how many people freaked out in the days before internet forums about the B/O badges change etc. I would buy one if I was in the market for a kit.
 
I would assume that Ludwig has done enough testing that they didn't blindly pack these up and move them to the NAMM show where the pickiest crowd in the world would be looking at them with a fine toothed comb. And based on the idea what a great concept for all companies to now offer the DIY kit option for all kits. One box shipping with all of the drums in one box, a box sitting in the middle of the shells with all of the hardware, and maybe a 200.00 price reduction so that you could put them together. One box would cut their shipping costs in half or more, less cause for damage with no lugs bouncing around and hitting another drum packed in the same box. We have all seen that. I would wait and see if this truly is more of a convenience and money saver for the customer, or just a money saver for Ludwig and their crew. I tought about holes expanding etc, but if the drum is tuned and has any tension on the heads at all the lugs are not moving. 60 years old drums don't have widening holes so I would not fear these. Right on Ludwig.

Edit..I just spoke with MF and the drums, both models, ship in one box. Very cool.
 
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I would assume that Ludwig has done enough testing that they didn't blindly pack these up and move them to the NAMM show where the pickiest crowd in the world would be looking at them with a fine toothed comb.

Exactly, and I am personally making sure the kits are kept tuned nicely throughout the day, so there's never a time when they don't sound their best.

After tomorrow's NAMM meet-up, some other members can chime in on them.

Bermuda
 
I think they look really good, and I like all the finishes. Very interesting concept.
 
I don't get how the assembly is a selling point and I hate the finishes.

I also don't get the 10, 12, 16 configuration, I think a 14 needs to squeeze in there.

I cried and poo'd my pants.
 
When I first of the idea I thought it was a really bad one. My thinking was that the price point will compete with medium range kits and lose on that aspect alone. I realize now that I was completely wrong. im not 100% sold on the finish ( silver sparkle wrap for me these days) but the idea of cost savings for a top line kit like this has never been done before. it appears very simple to assemble. if it takes off and they offer more sizes this wil be a game changer in the industry and Ludwig did it first. as far as change, I wonder how many people freaked out in the days before internet forums about the B/O badges change etc. I would buy one if I was in the market for a kit.

I can only agree. An American Ludwig for the price of a Chinese mid range kit= no brainer. Love the finishes too- the ebony reminds me of the Sonorlite in Grant's Music in Glasgow in 1983 that I coveted!
 
I really like the finishes. That natural teak version is for me.

You can't always believe the Guitar Center "find in a store near me" functionality, but if it's working today, it shows a couple of kits near me. I may make a lunchtime trip to see them. If I do, I'll take pics and report back.
 
Sauder furniture compnay has made a mint on KD furniture for folks that don't want to pay 1000.00 for a stereo center,or computer desk, and almost amything we buy today has a "some assembly required" sticker on it. I also think this is not much different than buying Keller shells, staining them, putting on the hardware and saying we built a custom drum. Time will tell
 
Man, the Maccassar Ebony is beautiful...........I already have a snare with that finish...................so, I think I've found my next shell kit.
 
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