Do I Want A Ludwig Jazz Fest?

[K.O.]

Not sure if this takes anyone's interest, think it's about $810 for my friends across the pond (plus shipping & whatever import duty you're subject to on goods from EU).

Ludwig Snare/Snare Jazz Festival Black Oyster Vintage 60s Batteries Drum | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ludwig Snare/Snare Jazz Festival Black Oyster Vintage 60s Batteries Drum at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

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Looks like offers are possible too... looks like someone's changed the muffler out at some point though - thinking those are quite possibly original NOB hoops and lugs though, maybe I should have kept this to myself

If that's not a rewrap that's a particularly valuable drum with the badge on the panel next to the throw off. Like 5 figures.

 

[K.O.]

However, if anyone of you kind and knowledgeable people could point me in the direction of where I might begin to try to find a set of Jazz Fest NOB hoops of my own, I'd be eternally grateful. I have a lovely pre-serial KB in a remarkably intact black/gold duco. It has it's NOB lugs, but someone robbed the brass hoops before the drum and I met and replaced them with the later steel jobbies. I'd love to right the wrong.

Also, it has no muffler at all - no hole for it either. Anyone know why that might be? It also has a WFL butt-plate, but Ludwig strainer. Were they still using up surplus WFL stamped hardware even after the transition era do you think?

Ludwig used everything until it was gone. Including WFL stamped butt plates. I believe they continued to sell WFL snare stands into the 70s. Up until the casting die with that logo finally wore out.

 

[KeenAmateur]

If that's not a rewrap that's a particularly valuable drum with the badge on the panel next to the throw off. Like 5 figures.

Translates to, restored with original wrap. Looks awfully shiny to me, now I'm wondering should I take a punt on it myself...

 

[KeenAmateur]

Ludwig used everything until it was gone. Including WFL stamped butt plates. I believe they continued to sell WFL snare stands into the 70s. Up until the casting die with that logo finally wore out.

Thanks for the info K.O., much appreciated - with it's missing damper and it's 5.5 depth, maybe the shell is old WFL too and it's not really a jazz fest at all! More a Frankenfest perhaps.

 

[wflkurt]

Here is the one I made. I used bumwrap Ed Sullivan. The drum probably started out as an early 60’s jazzfest that was trashed. I bought as a clone in the late 90’s. It wasn’t all that great so I redid it and put the muffler in the correct spot. It came out pretty good and I probably have $400 into total.

 

[KeenAmateur]

Here is the one I made. I used bumwrap Ed Sullivan. The drum probably started out as an early 60’s jazzfest that was trashed. I bought as a clone in the late 90’s. It wasn’t all that great so I redid it and put the muffler in the correct spot. It came out pretty good and I probably have $400 into total.

That's gorgeous, lovely job.

 

[K.O.]

Here is the one I made. I used bumwrap Ed Sullivan. The drum probably started out as an early 60’s jazzfest that was trashed. I bought as a clone in the late 90’s. It wasn’t all that great so I redid it and put the muffler in the correct spot. It came out pretty good and I probably have $400 into total. View attachment 523340

Thanks Kurt! Beautiful drum.

 

[KeenAmateur]

Nice to meet you all by the way, I'm Dave. Been on the forum about three years, but never knew enough to contribute much. Always felt like I'd be asking stupid questions! Great place though, you're all extremely generous with your knowledge. Cheers

 

[Ludwigboy]

Here is the one I made. I used bumwrap Ed Sullivan. The drum probably started out as an early 60’s jazzfest that was trashed. I bought as a clone in the late 90’s. It wasn’t all that great so I redid it and put the muffler in the correct spot. It came out pretty good and I probably have $400 into total. View attachment 523340

Great job, Kurt. How do you think the Ed Sullivan wrap lines up with the original Ludwig oyster black pearl? I am curious....

 

[tbird8450]

Thanks for sharing! It looks great....enjoy!

Thanks!

I am. It's a bit quirky to tune (I don't know if it's the drum or the head), but now that I have that sorted it's been pretty awesome to play and a perfect compliment to my other snares.

 

[wflkurt]

Thanks for the responses guys. Honestly I am not any kind of a handyman or someone with any kind of carpentry skill. This thing looked horrific before I put the wrap on it. Actually a guy at my work (who no longer works here) helped me wrap it as he had done it before. I did it with him sort of guiding me through it telling me basically that I had one shot to get it right as the glue was very strong and not very forgiving. From there I filed down the edges and drilled through the existing holes to put hardware back on. The other thing I did prior to wrapping was I had to move the muffler. It was in the wrong spot and well, I couldn't have that. I bought a short dowell from the hardware store, stuffed in in the hole, cut it at both ends, sanded the area, repainted the inside and drilled the new hole. I think it turned out OK for what it is. I certainly don't have builder skills like some of you guys. I would probably be afraid to sell this thing knowing that I put this together. Lol. It looks and sounds pretty good though so I can't complain. It would have probably been easier if I had all the right tools and a proper workshop to build it in. here is my drum matched with the real deal that is Ringo's drum.

 

[K.O.]

How do you think the Ed Sullivan wrap lines up with the original Ludwig oyster black pearl? I am curious....

I have a piece of the "Ed Sullivan" wrap so I have seen it up close. In a perfect world a piece of the vintage style oyster black traditional wrap is going to be the closest to the original. The problem there is the variation in this wrap ranges from almost exact to not even close. If you get a good piece it is the closest you can come. If you get a not so great piece then you're stuck, and drum wrap is not inexpensive.

The advantage to the Bumwrap is it is consistant. You know what you will get. However it lacks the depth that a real piece of pearl can exhibit. So it's a trade off as far as the risk of what you might get.

If you lived within a reasonable distance of Precision ( or Jammin Sam I suppose) and could go personally pick out your piece of wrap from multiple sheets that would perhaps be the best situation. Short of that the real wrap represents a bit of a crap shoot.

 

[Ludwigboy]

I have a piece of the "Ed Sullivan" wrap so I have seen it up close. In a perfect world a piece of the vintage style oyster black traditional wrap is going to be the closest to the original. The problem there is the variation in this wrap ranges from almost exact to not even close. If you get a good piece it is the closest you can come. If you get a not so great piece then you're stuck, and drum wrap is not inexpensive.

The advantage to the Bumwrap is it is consistant. You know what you will get. However it lacks the depth that a real piece of pearl can exhibit. So it's a trade off as far as the risk of what you might get.

If you lived within a reasonable distance of Precision ( or Jammin Sam I suppose) and could go personally pick out your piece of wrap from multiple sheets that would perhaps be the best situation. Short of that the real wrap represents a bit of a crap shoot.

I see, thanks for the information. I will continue looking at options .

 

[Ludwigboy]

Thanks for the responses guys. Honestly I am not any kind of a handyman or someone with any kind of carpentry skill. This thing looked horrific before I put the wrap on it. Actually a guy at my work (who no longer works here) helped me wrap it as he had done it before. I did it with him sort of guiding me through it telling me basically that I had one shot to get it right as the glue was very strong and not very forgiving. From there I filed down the edges and drilled through the existing holes to put hardware back on. The other thing I did prior to wrapping was I had to move the muffler. It was in the wrong spot and well, I couldn't have that. I bought a short dowell from the hardware store, stuffed in in the hole, cut it at both ends, sanded the area, repainted the inside and drilled the new hole. I think it turned out OK for what it is. I certainly don't have builder skills like some of you guys. I would probably be afraid to sell this thing knowing that I put this together. Lol. It looks and sounds pretty good though so I can't complain. It would have probably been easier if I had all the right tools and a proper workshop to build it in. here is my drum matched with the real deal that is Ringo's drum.

View attachment 523533

Kurt, it looks great and just the fact you attempted it and it turned out looking great means you deserve kudos.

I have rewrapped 3 snares and am, by no means, an "expert" but to me, yours looks just fine.

You're right, there are some very talented restorers/builders on this forum and I have been amazed at the work they do.

In my opinion, 3 points about your Jazz Fest ....

1) It looks and ( I'm sure) sounds great when you sit behind the kit
2) you mentioned what you have in in $ amount invested in it so it didn't cost you a fortune like an original can
3) from the audience point of the view, it looks good.


.... so it checks all the boxes.

For myself, I have 2 rewrapped OBP and an original '66 Pioneer. All sound great but more there for the "look" with the kits. For general gigs, I use my '65 Supra which I think, in my opinion, has a "better" sound (though I love the Pioneer as my go-to wood snare)

I also have a rewrapped Oyster Blue snare that I have with my '65 Oyster blue set (photo enclosed) ; again, I didn't want to pay a lot for a Jazz Festival in Oyster Blue so this is the next best thing.

THis is why I like rewrapped snares.

Thanks again for sharing, Kurt.

 

[Ludwigboy]

In recent times I've had "only" two snares in my stable, a Supraphonic and an NOB Black Beauty, both 6.5" deep. Just last week I received the new Peter Erskine Signature snare (14" x 4.5") and I love it. I'm thinking of adding one more wood snare to the rotation and calling it done for the time being.

I've always loved the look of the Jazz Fests, especially in OBP. It just has that quintessential, classic snare aesthetic to me. However, I've never played one, and I'm not as familiar with how they sound as some of the other "classic" snares. Obviously Ringo propelled it to legendary status (whether deserving or not) but it's difficult to get a good read on its subtle sonic qualities as it tends to sit back in the mix on most Beatles recordings, with a few notable exceptions where it does sound very good.

I think if there's something missing at all from my current lineup, it's a more warm quality to the sound, which the Jazz Fests seem capable of providing. I'm thinking that one with something like a Fiberskyn Diplomat batter head would fill in that gap.

I would certainly look for a deal. The current street price for the reissue is rather ludicrous, but if I could shave a chunk off of that with a slightly used one or something, I'd probably be willing to jump.

Who has spent time with these and what do you like / dislike about them? Thanks!

Sorry, TBird8450, hope I didn't hijack (or go down a rabbit trail) your thread with my comments on WFLKurt's Jazz Fest but figured it was in the same "vein" of the fact that you were looking for opinions on Jazz Fest....

 

[K.O.]

In recent times I've had "only" two snares in my stable, a Supraphonic and an NOB Black Beauty, both 6.5" deep. Just last week I received the new Peter Erskine Signature snare (14" x 4.5") and I love it. I'm thinking of adding one more wood snare to the rotation and calling it done for the time being.

I would certainly look for a deal. The current street price for the reissue is rather ludicrous, but if I could shave a chunk off of that with a slightly used one or something, I'd probably be willing to jump.

Getting back to the original query....if you want the sound of a jazz festival and aren't stuck on it being Oyster Black Pearl, which as we've clearly shown opens up a whole lotta extra baggage, then here is an option and a nice looking one at that.

(151) Ludwig 5x14 Standard Snare Drum - 1960's? - Gold Astro | [DFO] Drum Forum

This drum is for all practical purposes a Jazz Festival with different lugs on it. Same shell, same edges and snare beds, same throw off and butt, and the same hoops. Different badge, wrap, and lugs (although the Bowties will bolt right on using the same holes).

This isn't my sale, frankly if I had the money I'd seriously consider snagging this myself. I have around a half dozen Jazz Festivals (maybe more) and a like number of these Standard snares (one in every color of Strata) and I can attest that they sound the same.

 

[Ludwigboy]

TBird8450, if you want one that produces a warm sound, someone above mentioned a Pioneer, .....you may want to consider that my '66 Pioneer sounds great and its sound gives the warmness a wooden snare gives.... plus there are several Youtube videos on demos on different Pioneers.
Just another option to consider....

 

[wflkurt]

Kurt, it looks great and just the fact you attempted it and it turned out looking great means you deserve kudos.

I have rewrapped 3 snares and am, by no means, an "expert" but to me, yours looks just fine.

You're right, there are some very talented restorers/builders on this forum and I have been amazed at the work they do.

In my opinion, 3 points about your Jazz Fest ....

1) It looks and ( I'm sure) sounds great when you sit behind the kit
2) you mentioned what you have in in $ amount invested in it so it didn't cost you a fortune like an original can
3) from the audience point of the view, it looks good.


.... so it checks all the boxes.

For myself, I have 2 rewrapped OBP and an original '66 Pioneer. All sound great but more there for the "look" with the kits. For general gigs, I use my '65 Supra which I think, in my opinion, has a "better" sound (though I love the Pioneer as my go-to wood snare)

I also have a rewrapped Oyster Blue snare that I have with my '65 Oyster blue set (photo enclosed) ; again, I didn't want to pay a lot for a Jazz Festival in Oyster Blue so this is the next best thing.

THis is why I like rewrapped snares.

Thanks again for sharing, Kurt.

Thanks! I am happy with it so I don't really know why I want a new Ludwig version. I certainly don't want one at a new price as I don't really even need it. Someone locally sold an oyster blue one that was practically brand new for like $350. I should have grabbed it but I would have just ended up trying to resell it.