Mitch Mitchell's Supraphonic

[donbseattle]

Mitch is one of my two main drumming inspirations. Mitch and Elvin for many years. I saw a Chris Layton video on youtube today. He said Mitch's widow gifted Chris with Mitch's Supraphonic. Do any of you know if it was an alloy shell or a COB? Do any of you know what year his Supra was dated?

I believe Bonham liked the regular alloy supra.

Also, I know Mitch started with his Zebra Premier Kit with Hendrix.

Does anyone know the first Jimi album on which Mitch was playing Ludwigs and no long the Premiers? I know Mitch had various Luddy kits. The silver sparkles, the black panther, the natural finished ones.

Very curious about his snare drum.

I recently bought a mid 60's alloy b flat supra on Reverb. Very nice shape. Not much pitting and that baseball bat muffler handle which I love. Screw the drum! I love the baseball bat! ho ho ho

Any I like this alloy supra better than the cob I was playing. My tastes change. Everyone else's do too, I imagine.


Thanks, dudes. The Supra may be the universal drum for the desert island gigs.

 

[equipmentdork]

I hear what I consider to be a big difference in the sound between Experienced and Axis, so I'm assuming Axis was the beginning of the Ludwigs. Maybe Up From The Skies was Premier still?


Dan

 

[Matched Gripper]

Mitch is one of my two main drumming inspirations. Mitch and Elvin for many years. I saw a Chris Layton video on youtube today. He said Mitch's widow gifted Chris with Mitch's Supraphonic. Do any of you know if it was an alloy shell or a COB? Do any of you know what year his Supra was dated?

I believe Bonham liked the regular alloy supra.

Also, I know Mitch started with his Zebra Premier Kit with Hendrix.

Does anyone know the first Jimi album on which Mitch was playing Ludwigs and no long the Premiers? I know Mitch had various Luddy kits. The silver sparkles, the black panther, the natural finished ones.

Very curious about his snare drum.

I recently bought a mid 60's alloy b flat supra on Reverb. Very nice shape. Not much pitting and that baseball bat muffler handle which I love. Screw the drum! I love the baseball bat! ho ho ho

Any I like this alloy supra better than the cob I was playing. My tastes change. Everyone else's do too, I imagine.


Thanks, dudes. The Supra may be the universal drum for the desert island gigs.

You might be able to find your answer here. Owner, Kevin Simon, did an interview on Drum History Podcast last year on Mitch Mitchell and is also a DFO member.

Mitch Mitchell Fan Club | Facebook

ABOUT US... We are passionate about educating the public on John Graham "Mitch" Mitchell and his lasting influence on Jazz and Rock music. Mitch has been rated by Rolling Stone...

www.facebook.com

 

[Markkuliini]

Bit sidestepping here.
Funny that Ludalloy supras (which are aluminium) are commonly known as alloy supras. Whereas chrome over brass supras are not called alloy.

Because in real life it's exactly the opposite: aluminium is element and brass is alloy.

Carry on.

 

[jptrickster]

CoB donny b goode see that small dial muffler knob? Indicates '61-'62

 

[wflkurt]

CoB donny b goode see that small dial muffler knob? Indicates '61-'62
View attachment 596769

You could be right but Ludwig used that small knob all through the 60's and even up on acrolites too. I know someone with a January 1968 mod orange 20,12,16 that has small knobs like this all around the set instead of BB mufflers. I also owned a July 1968 22,13,16 once that had large knobs at the top and small knobs at the bottom. I really should have kept that set as it was beautiful.

Honestly I think Mitch had a bunch of snares. I would be surprised if the snare he gave Chris was even used back in those days. Now I want to look and see if the snare Chris has came with the small muffler like this. Hmmmm.

I know Mitch used a Rogers chrome snare at Woodstock. I sold one to Kevin that he used in his black panther set for the Mitch Mitchell display. The only thing that threw both Kevin and me off on the panther set were the floor toms. We knew Mitch had 12" deep bass drums (Kevin used 14" deep as finding 12"s was nearly impossible), but looking at the floor toms we assumed 14 and 16. Mitch's first floor tom is shorter in depth than the second one so the natural assumption was 14 and 16 since Ludwig 16 and 18 floor toms are the same depth. we were both extremely surprised when Kevin got to inspect the real set out in Seattle and discovered that the first floor tom is actually a 14x16 and the second is a 16x18. Mitch certainly had some custom stuff going on with that set! never seen a 60's 14x16 floor tom before!

Now I want to see that snare that Chris has.....

 

[Mark Titcombe]

Bit sidestepping here.
Funny that Ludalloy supras (which are aluminium) are commonly known as alloy supras. Whereas chrome over brass supras are not called alloy.

Because in real life it's exactly the opposite: aluminium is element and brass is alloy.

Carry on.

It's true that aluminium is an element, however virtually all aluminium produced for production is alloyed with other metals.

 

[K.O.]

My guess would be that Mitch had an aluminum Supra. Most likely he just got a standard new one with his set. Back in the day they were just drums and folks weren't obsessed with shell materials and other details. Unless he just happened to latch onto a brass model by coincidence him getting a brass one would require actively seeking out a nearly decade old snare drum or having Ludwig custom make one. Much more likely he just got a brand new off the shelf model.

Although you never know...

 

[Matched Gripper]

You might be able to find your answer here. Owner, Kevin Simon, did an interview on Drum History Podcast last year on Mitch Mitchell and is also a DFO member.

Mitch Mitchell Fan Club | Facebook

ABOUT US... We are passionate about educating the public on John Graham "Mitch" Mitchell and his lasting influence on Jazz and Rock music. Mitch has been rated by Rolling Stone...

www.facebook.com

I forgot to mention that Kevin Simon painstakingly assembled replicas of several of Mitch Mitchell’s drum sets including the Rogers mounting hardware which took years and $ to acquire. IIRC, he included period correct snare drums as well.

 

[jptrickster]

You could be right but Ludwig used that small knob all through the 60's and even up on acrolites too. I know someone with a January 1968 mod orange 20,12,16 that has small knobs like this all around the set instead of BB mufflers. I also owned a July 1968 22,13,16 once that had large knobs at the top and small knobs at the bottom. I really should have kept that set as it was beautiful.

Honestly I think Mitch had a bunch of snares. I would be surprised if the snare he gave Chris was even used back in those days. Now I want to look and see if the snare Chris has came with the small muffler like this. Hmmmm.

I know Mitch used a Rogers chrome snare at Woodstock. I sold one to Kevin that he used in his black panther set for the Mitch Mitchell display. The only thing that threw both Kevin and me off on the panther set were the floor toms. We knew Mitch had 12" deep bass drums (Kevin used 14" deep as finding 12"s was nearly impossible), but looking at the floor toms we assumed 14 and 16. Mitch's first floor tom is shorter in depth than the second one so the natural assumption was 14 and 16 since Ludwig 16 and 18 floor toms are the same depth. we were both extremely surprised when Kevin got to inspect the real set out in Seattle and discovered that the first floor tom is actually a 14x16 and the second is a 16x18. Mitch certainly had some custom stuff going on with that set! never seen a 60's 14x16 floor tom before!

Now I want to see that snare that Chris has.....

I believe that picture was from ‘67. Your theory could be right although I’ve never seen a small knob on a Supra Acro or a jazz fest between ‘63-‘68

 

[bellbrass]

It's true that aluminium is an element, however virtually all aluminium produced for production is alloyed with other metals.

I think this is the case...Aluminum snare drums are alloyed Aluminum, I think 7000 series (maybe 7075)...containing Zinc as the primary alloying agent.

 

[donbseattle]

Thank you all, guys!!!

 

[donbseattle]

I believe that picture was from ‘67. Your theory could be right although I’ve never seen a small knob on a Supra Acro or a jazz fest between ‘63-‘68

jp, those 60's ludwig kits are cool. I had a 22, 13, 16 in GOLD SPARKLE. It was so cool. Like MANY PIECES OF GEAR I ONCE OWNED, I wish I still had that kit. It practically glowed in the dark!

 

[ThomasL]

I recently bought a mid 60's alloy b flat supra on Reverb.

b flat? Can you tune it any lower?

 

[jptrickster]

jp, those 60's ludwig kits are cool. I had a 22, 13, 16 in GOLD SPARKLE. It was so cool. Like MANY PIECES OF GEAR I ONCE OWNED, I wish I still had that kit. It practically glowed in the dark!

Dude get another one you’ll be amazing the chicks will love you more!

 

[wflkurt]

I believe that picture was from ‘67. Your theory could be right although I’ve never seen a small knob on a Supra Acro or a jazz fest between ‘63-‘68

I think it is extremely rare but I have seen them on various drums between 1963-1968. Obviously the small knobs were used before the ball bat mufflers, which I think were introduced in either late 1960 or early 1961 and phased out by March/April of 1968 in lieu of the large round knobs they had just come up with. Here are a few examples on sets that I have saved pictures of (I like to collect serial number/date info) but I know I have seen a full 1967 psychedelic red super classic that had the small knobs everywhere, including the supra. I was a bit surprised to see that honestly.

 

[Rich K.]

b flat? Can you tune it any lower?

It can double on soprano and clarinet.

 

[DrumWhipper]

If the story I heard is correct Mitch’s wife also gifted Chris one of his drum kits when SRV and Double Trouble went into the Hall of Fame.

 

[K.O.]

I think it is extremely rare but I have seen them on various drums between 1963-1968. Obviously the small knobs were used before the ball bat mufflers, which I think were introduced in either late 1960 or early 1961 and phased out by March/April of 1968 in lieu of the large round knobs they had just come up with. Here are a few examples on sets that I have saved pictures of (I like to collect serial number/date info) but I know I have seen a full 1967 psychedelic red super classic that had the small knobs everywhere, including the supra. I was a bit surprised to see that honestly.

I have a mid 60s tom in Burgundy sparkle that has double mufflers both small knob. They appear to be factory. Makes sense as the BB wouldn't work too well for the reso side if someone wanted double mufflers.

 

[jptrickster]

If you read the juliens auction description Mitch’s first SS Ludwig kit was pre serial. which brings me back to my original statement that the snare is most likely COB

Description
A Mitch Mitchell vintage Ludwig Silver Sparkle drum kit used by Mitchell while performing numerous concerts as a member of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, including tours in the United States and Europe, as well as within the recording studio. According to Mitchell's estate, this kit was purchased while Mitchell was in the US for the Monterey Pop Festival. Mitchell had hoped to purchase a drum kit while in the US and knew what he wanted: an American vintage kit. In a secondhand music shop, he found this Ludwig Silver Sparkle kit. The estate described it as Mitchell's first "I'm in love with it" kit. He knew that the kit had an unusual finish for Ludwig, so he invested in the kit and in its return cost to London. The kit was not large; Mitchell preferred to have a kit with a great sound and not many pieces. Mitchell used the kit to perform on tour with Hendrix until 1969. Originally, the kit included two floor toms. While performing in Germany, a roadie was putting the band’s gear into a van, and as he turned his back, one of the floor toms was stolen. From that point on, Mitchell kept his drums in the studio and used borrowed drums on stage. The theft angered him so much that he didn't want to leave himself open to that kind of loss again. The kit includes a 14” x 22” bass drum; 16” x 16” floor tom with legs; 9” x 13” rack tom; 5” x 14” brass Ludwig snare drum; a group of vintage hardware, including one hi-hat stand, two straight cymbal stands, and one snare stand; and a set of vintage Zildjian cymbals, including a 21” sizzle ride, 16” crash, and two 14” hi-hat. Together with a vintage Silver Sparkle drum throne. No serial numbers are present on the drums.

PROVENANCE From the Estate of Mitch Mitchell