Book Shopping - Vintage Drums Ludwig Book-which one should I buy?

[carolina1964]

The wife asked for a Christmas list and I'd like to give her a new book to buy me - I've never read any on vintage drums but love vintage drums especially Ludwig - can anyone suggest a good book do you prefer one over another? There are a lot of them out there!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!!!!!!

 

[Mark Cooper]

The wife asked for a Christmas list and I'd like to give her a new book to buy me - I've never read any on vintage drums but love vintage drums especially Ludwig - can anyone suggest a good book do you prefer one over another? There are a lot of them out there!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!!!!!!

Rob Cook's compilation of The Ludwig Drummer magazines is really informative. For me, it's a must have. It's mainly a collection of every Ludwig Drummer from the 1920's until the 1940's. There is another by Paul Schmidt that is mainly a collection of catalog pages but also of interest. There may be others.

 

[The Fossil]

"The Ludwig Book" (A Business History & Dating Guide) by Rob Cook is the one I have. It covers the Ludwig Company from the start up to about 2000. It has a lot of info on drums & hardware plus pictures of nearly every kit they made. Got mine from Amazon. It's published by Rebeats.

 

[carolina1964]

So its starting to sound like I found one and apparently its by Rob Cook! Thanks fellas I'll look into it - sounds like something I would enjoy for a long time.

 

[tillerva]

If you have interest in Rogers drums, I think his Rogers book is really good. The company history of moves, etc. is really neat.

 

[2000dan2000]

If you have interest in Rogers drums, I think his Rogers book is really good. The company history of moves, etc. is really neat.

+1... loved that one. Also, Mike's snare drum porn mag is fantastic!!

http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Snare-Drums-Collection-American-Made/dp/142340923X/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353130761&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=currotto+collection

 

[jonesy]

'The Drum Book' by Geoff Nichols is a favourite of mine. It's got lots of great colour photos and does the history of the drum kit.

 

[Troyh]

Rob's Ludwig book is the 'go to' book for me.

I would also suggest Harry's book, "The Great American Drums" is the quick reference choice for me.
CPJ calls it one of the bibles.

http://www.amazon.com/Great-American-Drums-Companies-1920-1969/dp/0793563569/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353154493&sr=8-1&keywords=harry+cangany

 

[carolina1964]

Ok I think I'm gonna have to get em all now!!

 

[K.O.]

Don't Forget Bill Ludwig Jr's autobiography "The Making Of a Drum Company".

But if you have to limit yourself to just one then Rob Cook's The Ludwig Book is the "must have".

 

[carolina1964]

Thx KO - it's at the top of the list.

 

[Dave in VA]

Hello...I would just call Rob Cook and buy directly from him....He will autograph the book personally to you and how cool is THAT !!!
Rebeats telephone number from his web page is 989-463-4757. ....or just Google Rebeats and check out the site yourself.

Dave in VA

 

[DolFan54]

I would start with Guide To Vintage Drums by John Aldridge. Although the pricing and where to find vintage drums are now obsolete and dated, the book covers all the major American companies along with a few of the smaller ones. Many new finds and information has surfaced since this book was released in 2000 but the info in this book still holds true today for the most part as John really knows his history.

From there I would pick up Rob Cook's books on Rogers,Slingerland, Leedy and Ludwig. I pretty much have them all and John's is still my favorite, well worth reading.

 

[mlayton]

Hello...I would just call Rob Cook and buy directly from him....He will autograph the book personally to you and how cool is THAT !!!
Rebeats telephone number from his web page is 989-463-4757. ....or just Google Rebeats and check out the site yourself.

Dave in VA

thanks for that info dave. i recently ran across a website in which b3 signs and sells ludwig stuff as well.

mike

 

[troutstudio]

I have 2 Rob Cook ones - Rogers and Ludwig. They certainly are wonderful resources, but I find them both slightly random in layout. The Ludwig one is better but the Rogers one seems to wander all over the place. It's all in there, somewhere. I really wish Longroll was still around because I feel his Rogers knowledge would have made a great book. $00.02

 

[studrum]

These are all great suggestions, and I also recommend contacting Rob at Rebeats to order - he's likely to have even the books he didn't write, as well as the ones he did. I have the Cangany, Aldridge and Cook's Ludwig and Rogers books. Make sure you get the 2nd Edition of the Rogers book; he made many corrections. The Nichols book is cool, too, and I have and dig Chet Falzerano's Gretsch book, though it's a very unique approach. I hear that there will be a different Gretsch book out in a bit.

Books remain a pleasure as we drown in digital overstimulation. There is a calmness and solidity in their finite nature. We will soon regret the passing of the vintage drum mags, or perhaps no one will care...just get bits of stuff from the web.

 

[Patrick]

I have picked up a few new books this past year that won't scratch the Ludwig itch but were all interesting and or enjoyable:

George Way's Little Black Book (fascinating working document) Some cool photos and a lot of line drawings by Way. N

Rifftide: The life and opinions of Papa Jo Jones: This one wobbles between 5 stars and 1 star. Transcriptions of interviews. Fascinating and maddening.

Billy Gladstone, by Chet Falzerano: Before reading this I didn't know much at all about Gladstone but for the kudos from other great drummers. This book fills in the blanks nicely as well as great background on the individual drums Gladstone created. Great pics.

Trix on Trixon by Ingo Winterberg: This is the history of Trixon. Winterberg had access to photos and info from the family. Created post WWII, Trixon crashed by the early seventies.
The text in this one is hobbled a bit by the translation. The book is full of info and insights on Trixon and the drum industry in Europe. Wonderful pictures and comes with a dvd of Trixon catalogs.