Ludwig Extended L-arm/ball

[Wolfman]

If anyone has one of these they'd be willing to sell, let me know. It's the one that extends the tom 4" from the mount and unfortunately Ludwig seems to have discontinued it. Thanks!

 

[squidart]

If you find a second one give me a shout. It's on my radar as well. Good luck!

 

[K.O.]

Discontinued by Ludwig. I have one and they are the perfect solution to getting the tom right where I want it from a center post style mount. I wish I had several and I would have bought 3-4 more had I known that the supply would dry up.

Perhaps the solution would be to mount an effort for everyone who wants one to individually contact Ludwig about it and maybe coax them into re-issuing this product. I don't know whether it would be better to lobby Ludwig directly or contact one of the bigger Ludwig dealers who has some clout (Steve Maxwell perhaps, or DCP ?) to try to get Ludwig to have their Asian suppliers make another batch. It would seem logical that if they saw that enough people wanted one they'd make another run. The fact that they sold out of them would seem to indicate that there is a market, particularly since it was an "under the radar" sort of product that they never really advertised...it was just there for sale....until it wasn't.

Original part number was P29541.

Ludwig Extended 9.5mm L-Arm w/ Ball Drums on SALE

The only other option would be to make your own. That would involve cutting an existing ball arm and then extending the rod with a steel sleeve. Not really that difficult but not nearly as neat as a factory made one.

I'd think that if enough people expressed an interest in buying one and badgered Ludwig about it they'd get more made to sell. Maybe if we're lucky they are lurking here and we wouldn't even need to contact them directly.

Surprising that Gibraltar doesn't pick up the slack here by offering a similar product.

 

[bassanddrum84]

The gig lites had these didn’t they

 

[K.O.]

The gig lites had these didn’t they

Not sure but whatever they were intended for originally they are perfect if you want to get the mounted tom in the same spot it would end up with if the set had a rail mount when it has a center post.

Here's how you could make your own....

Take the lower rod from a Ludwig shell mount cymbal holder to use as the arm (P17842)

Ludwig Lower Rod for Cymbal Arm - Parts Drums on SALE

take a 9.5mm ball arm and cut off the upright part, leaving just a ball with the straight rod extending out. Cut the smooth leg of the cymbal arm to the desired length of reach. Get a steel sleeve with a 9.5mm (3/8ths inch) inside diameter. The sleeve needs to be long enough to let both rods slide inside it at least an inch. I have found appropriate sleeves at the local hardware store. I think they were called "steel spacer sleeves". The two parts (ball arm shaft and cymbal arm) need to fit into the sleeve. Depending on how tight the fit is one or the other or both may need to be filed down a bit. Slather both sections with an epoxy based glue like JB weld and insert them into the sleeve so that they meet in the center of the sleeve. Let the epoxy set up. The purpose of the epoxy is to hold everything in position for the next step. Drill two holes in each end through the sleeve and the rods inside. Next drive 4 rolled spring pins into the holes (the drill bit used needs to be the correct size for the spring pins being used). Once the spring pins are in place the unit is done.

I have not done this exact procedure (yet) but did do a similar project where I adapted a ball arm to hold a spade style tom holder. It worked very well for that and I see no reason that a similar technique wouldn't work to add more length to an "L" arm style mount.

 

[K.O.]

The gig lites had these didn’t they

You're right, looks like they used it for the "floor tom".

 

[bassanddrum84]

Not sure but whatever they were intended for originally they are perfect if you want to get the mounted tom in the same spot it would end up with if the set had a rail mount when it has a center post.

Here's how you could make your own....

Take the lower rod from a Ludwig shell mount cymbal holder to use as the arm (P17842)

Ludwig Lower Rod for Cymbal Arm - Parts Drums on SALE

take a 9.5mm ball arm and cut off the upright part, leaving just a ball with the straight rod extending out. Cut the smooth leg of the cymbal arm to the desired length of reach. Get a steel sleeve with a 9.5mm (3/8ths inch) inside diameter. The sleeve needs to be long enough to let both rods slide inside it at least an inch. I have found appropriate sleeves at the local hardware store. I think they were called "steel spacer sleeves". The two parts (ball arm shaft and cymbal arm) need to fit into the sleeve. Depending on how tight the fit is one or the other or both may need to be filed down a bit. Slather both sections with an epoxy based glue like JB weld and insert them into the sleeve so that they meet in the center of the sleeve. Let the epoxy set up. The purpose of the epoxy is to hold everything in position for the next step. Drill two holes in each end through the sleeve and the rods inside. Next drive 4 rolled spring pins into the holes (the drill bit used needs to be the correct size for the spring pins being used). Once the spring pins are in place the unit is done.

I have not done this exact procedure (yet) but did do a similar project where I adapted a ball arm to hold a spade style tom holder. It worked very well for that and I see no reason that a similar technique wouldn't work to add more length to an "L" arm style mount.

View attachment 528066

That is genius. For a spade setup. My mij kit has spades I might have to try this or weld them and send them smooth. Would have to put a protective coating on so they don’t rust but killer idea.

 

[K.O.]

That is genius. For a spade setup. My mij kit has spades I might have to try this or weld them and send them smooth. Would have to put a protective coating on so they don’t rust but killer idea.

Welding is beyond my abilities so I opted to go the above route with a mechanical connection (spring pins) which seems to work just fine.

But my dad was still alive when I did the one pictured above and he could weld and had the equipment. I just wasn't sure how the ball might be affected by the heat of doing so.

I showed my idea to Steve Maxwell at one of the Chicago shows hoping that perhaps he'd be intrigued by the possibilties and maybe have a similar setup factory made but it didn't seem to interest him at all.

 

[bassanddrum84]

Welding is beyond my abilities so I opted to go the above route with a mechanical connection (spring pins) which seems to work just fine.

But my dad was still alive when I did the one pictured above and he could weld and had the equipment. I just wasn't sure how the ball might be affected by the heat of doing so.

I showed my idea to Steve Maxwell at one of the Chicago shows hoping that perhaps he'd be intrigued by the possibilties and maybe have a similar setup factory made but it didn't seem to interest him at all.

I didn’t even think about the heat that close to plastic. I’m honestly surprise maxwell didn’t jump on it. A lot of people are wanting updates spade arms. I had to make my own for a kit. Used a cut off boom arm and some steel plating

 

[Wolfman]

If you find a second one give me a shout. It's on my radar as well. Good luck!

Thanks!

 

[K.O.]

Cross reference for future searchers

(179) Arizona Drum Shop has the Ludwig Extended L-Arm/Ball!! | [DFO] Drum Forum