jbas Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 My son has a 1967 Silver sparkle set (22/16/13/12) with white interior. Serial numbers around 4362xx. I have heard that various woods was used for these drums. True or do somebody know what wood was used. / Christer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 I stand to be corrected but I've always assumed that the 67's were maple. Want to sell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 My '70 red sparkles are maple. My only question (and I don't know the answer to it), is if Ludwig did what Fender did...used paint to hide inferior/flawed wood. My kit is natural on the inside, always has been. Don't know that the white paint had any particular acoustic qualities versus cosmetic. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbas Posted January 17, 2004 Author Share Posted January 17, 2004 I've heard a rumour that Ludwig used "any" wood in their shells. Don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfenergy Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 I believe they were ... Poplar and Mahogany,with the inner most ply made from Maple. Or they may be Maple and Mahogany. Out, rfenergy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbas Posted January 17, 2004 Author Share Posted January 17, 2004 Selling them? Ouch, that's a tough one ! The son, who's the owner of the drums (14 yrs and have been playing them since he was 6) wants some better, I guess more modern sounding drums (talking Pearl Master and Tama Starclassic maple). But on the other hand, they are mint and definitely "keepers", and he says he probably would regret if they were sold for another set. Me think he's right I believe the Luds could be tweaked by finding the right heads. Not said they will sound like the drums he wants, but ... BTW, what heads do you recommend ? rgds/ Christer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 Originally posted by chr: Selling them? Ouch, that's a tough one ! The son, who's the owner of the drums (14 yrs and have been playing them since he was 6) wants some better, I guess more modern sounding drums (talking Pearl Master and Tama Starclassic maple). But on the other hand, they are mint and definitely "keepers", and he says he probably would regret if they were sold for another set. Me think he's right I believe the Luds could be tweaked by finding the right heads. Not said they will sound like the drums he wants, but ... BTW, what heads do you recommend ? rgds/ ChristerMeKNOWS your son is right about you regretting selling those drums. DON'T. I've had my kit since '74, when I was 11. I'll be 41 this year. I SAY: Get the bearing edges 'trued up' by a reputable shop, so they're nice and even. Then put Remo coated Emperors on them. You'll be in love with their sound all over again. Methinks he will, too. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeq Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 do NOT sell those drums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbas Posted January 19, 2004 Author Share Posted January 19, 2004 Thank's all for answering my questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Gervais Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 Originally posted by offramp: My only question (and I don't know the answer to it), is if Ludwig did what Fender did...used paint to hide inferior/flawed wood. Ludwig did not do this to hide inferior wood - they offered it as a standard available finish. You could choose natural or painted. However this does not mean that the white interior is the original finish - sometimes people painted them. Most often they did not want to go through the hassle of completely removing the hardware - so painted washers (etc.) would be an indicator that the finish was not original. ROd Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbas Posted January 20, 2004 Author Share Posted January 20, 2004 You could choose natural or painted. However this does not mean that the white interior is the original finish - sometimes people painted them. Most often they did not want to go through the hassle of completely removing the hardware - so painted washers (etc.) would be an indicator that the finish was not original. ROd Rod[/QB]What could be reason for offering both natural and white interior? Seems a little bit odd to me. (BTW, these shells still have the date mark inside so I guess the paint is original) Another one; was the reinforcement rings in all 60's shells, and for what reason? Structural (mechanical) aid or because improving the sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Speers Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 Just a guess: It could be that the white interior finish is heavier, and thus protects the drum better from the elements, while the clear finish let the drum resonate better as long as you were willing to take good care of them. I guess it could have been purely cosmetic, but that seems odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Gervais Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 Here's an interesting link, you can check out some of the old Ludwig catalogs..... from 1922 to 1980. http://www.ludwigdrummer.com/Catalogs.html Seems to me that a painted interior would make a drum brighter and a natural would make it warmer - a manufacturer might like to offer that choice to their customers, especially back in the good old days. The reinforcing rings were a structural aid. Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Speers Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 Rod, I love that cover from 1928. those are the biggest floor-toms I've ever seen! Also, pity that poor drummer: He's playing kit in a full tux, and someone set him up right in front of a giant radiator. -Must've been a club-date. (things haven't changed very much, have they?) I bet he had to load those tymps in through the kitchen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrik Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Christer, If your son does change his mind, let me know. Cheers, Henrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 chr: Couple of things here: My first two drum sets were a 1965 "classic" model ludwig white marine pearl covered set with white interiors. Those sizes 22/14sn/13/16 and a 1967 mint (still in the boxes when I bought them in 1980!) "jazzette" model white marine pearl covered set with white interiors. Those sizes 18/14x4/12/14. Were those great drums! Oh, man ... can you say s w e e t! Did I sell them over a crazy desire to update my gear? Yes! Traded that Jazzette set for one of the first Jeff Pocaro Pearl Racks. Someone should have just shot me! Don't sell. As far as the wood: Most sets in that era were Mahogony with maple reinforcement hoops. Why? A cheap measure? No. This was just the trend of the day. Mahogony did not become associated with "cheap drums" until the late 1970s through middle 1980's with the advent of many Taiwanese sets. Honestly, ... Ludwigs and Slingerland kits of that era were some of the most recorded drums ever and nothing sounded better. White Paint? Several schools of thought. Yes, mahogony was not the best looking wood, so cosmetically covered wood flaws. Also, white was just cleaner looking. Some schools of thought were that there was a projection aspect to the paint. Gretsch still holds true to this school of thought. That is what they say contributes to that "Great Gretsh Sound." Most of those drums of that day were fitted (and designed to be fitted) with Remo white coated ambassador heads on the top and a smooth white or clear ambassador or diplomat head on the bottom. But, you have to chose according to the sound you want. Hope this was just more info than you needed to know! Thanks, DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dayvel Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Unless the bearing edges are pitted, I'd leave them alone. Vintage Ludwigs have rounded bearing edges, not the ultra-sharp ones that are popular now. It would be a shame if some not-so-knowedgeable drum tech messed them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbas Posted January 21, 2004 Author Share Posted January 21, 2004 Again, thanks for all interesting info. rgds/ Christer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 I've got a set of 60s Ludwigs. I did that bit from the drummer's bible where you set the shell on a counter top and shine a flashlight inside and look around the outside to see if there's any leakage to indicate a warped bearing edge. Mine were fine. -David http://www.garageband.com/artist/MichaelangelosMuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 In 1983, I VERY lightly sanded the inside of my drums( so as not to erase the date), and applied a new coat of clear lacquer on the insides. Talk about tone and projection. Holy shit! I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 offramp, Although I'm happy with the sound of my toms I would not rule doing what you did (sanding & laquering). There is not a laquer coat on the inside of my new Ludwigs though. Would you recommend this to me or just leave well enough alone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dayvel Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Leave 'em alone. The point of having a set classic Ludwigs is that they don't sound like modern drums. If you want drums that project get a new set. The old Ludwigs are about a warm and round sound. I have two sets of 60's Ludwigs and I love playing them, but for most of the stuff I do they just don't work. They're great for jazz and retro rock type stuff it's hard to get them to fit in a more modern context. Just let them be what they are and don't ruin their resale value by trying to "improve" them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted February 20, 2004 Share Posted February 20, 2004 I'd do it. It would help them maintain their humidity instead of warping or cracking. That's me, though...YMMV. An eye on the bearing edges, though...mine were/are not the most carefully done, and as a result, the seam point where the sparkle covering goes into the wood layers (for anchoring) made an odd bump in the consistency of the edge, which ended up being the source of a tuning headache on one of the drums. It took some effort, but I managed to get it into control. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.