Need help IDing a Ludwig kit

[UptownShakedown]

Hey gents, is this a super classic? 3 ply shells? Looks pretty clean to me. Seller is offering $1400. He is also saying it’s a 1969, does that track? The spot on the bass drum is unfortunate but not a deal-breaker to me. Any thoughts or things to look out for?

 

[JDA]

small lug on the 12 era.
I'd say possibly slightly earlier than 69
definitely in the golden period : )

(i was going to say golden boomer period..

 

[K.O.]

Small lugs continued on the 12s into the 1980s.
Clear interior, early block style font on the holder post, fold out spurs. Has a 13 instead of dual 12s. I'd say that 1968 is a good probability for this Hollywood outfit.

 

[UptownShakedown]

Small lugs continued on the 12s into the 1980s.
Clear interior, early block style font on the holder post, fold out spurs. Has a 13 instead of dual 12s. I'd say that 1968 is a good probability for this Hollywood outfit.

Thank you, professor!

 

[JDA]

not many 20" bass, twin tom of that era survived; were maybe-even built; I had one.
1st set purchased used in early 69 must of been a mid early 60s clip tom holder;
that's a 22' I know.

 

[idrum4fun]

Small lugs continued on the 12s into the 1980s.
Clear interior, early block style font on the holder post, fold out spurs. Has a 13 instead of dual 12s. I'd say that 1968 is a good probability for this Hollywood outfit.

K.O. knows Ludwig! I will definitely second that this is a 1968 Hollywood outfit! The serial number and block logo "Ludwig" dual tom holder say 1968. Now, that isn't to say that the kit wasn't purchased until 1969, but they were probably built in 1968. Given the overall condition, and the wonderful looking White Marine Pearl, $1400 seems very fair. Of course, it never hurts to haggle just a little! Best of luck obtaining this wonderful set!

-Mark

 

[richardh253]

John Aldridge's book 'Guide to Vintage Drums' has a small piece on removing yellowing from WMP. Not sure it would work on what looks like a nicotine stain but you could write and ask him at https://drumscratcher.com/about/

 

[JDA]

put brass plaque " Special built for John Smith May 14th 1967"
right on the spot

 

[Rich K.]

John Aldridge's book 'Guide to Vintage Drums' has a small piece on removing yellowing from WMP. Not sure it would work on what looks like a nicotine stain but you could write and ask him at https://drumscratcher.com/about/

Avoid all those tricks to bringing back white marine pearl. There are few folks that have pulled it off, but likely more folks that ruined some drums.

 

[UptownShakedown]

Avoid all those tricks to bringing back white marine pearl. There are few folks that have pulled it off, but likely more folks that ruined some drums.

I actually am a fan of the yellowing as long as its even across the drums which these seem to be.

 

[UptownShakedown]

not many 20" bass, twin tom of that era survived; were maybe-even built; I had one.
1st set purchased used in early 69 must of been a mid early 60s clip tom holder;
that's a 22' I know.

Pretty sure its a 22? Thats how its listed.

 

[UptownShakedown]

K.O. knows Ludwig! I will definitely second that this is a 1968 Hollywood outfit! The serial number and block logo "Ludwig" dual tom holder say 1968. Now, that isn't to say that the kit wasn't purchased until 1969, but they were probably built in 1968. Given the overall condition, and the wonderful looking White Marine Pearl, $1400 seems very fair. Of course, it never hurts to haggle just a little! Best of luck obtaining this wonderful set!

-Mark

Thank you - 3 ply shells? Maple, poplar, maple?

 

[Hop]

Thank you - 3 ply shells? Maple, poplar, maple?

The bass drum photo reveals a three-ply shell, so I think you can assume the others are too.
And good chance for clear interior toms too, like the bass (however, the Standards had the Granitone around that time period if I'm not mistaken).
You can say with certainty that the bass is at least maple-poplar, but there is no telling what the outer ply may be without viewing the bearingedge/ply layup.
There are some variants where the drum was a mix of Mahogany-Poplar-Maple (or the inverse), not always as the ideal Maple-Poplar-Maple or Mahogany-Poplar-Mahogany variant. With that, it's a good probability it's a Maple-Poplar-Maple lay-up.

From Ludwig Tiemline:
1968 - Beginning in September / October 1968; most shells were made with 3-ply Maple / Poplar / Maple.
1970 - Through the 1970s mahogany was occasionally still used internally or externally. (Most commonly on large floor toms and large bass drums.) Nearly all shells began to receive interior granitone paint.

 

[richardh253]

Pretty sure its a 22? Thats how its listed.

22s have 10 lugs, 20s have 8. Ringo Downbeat vs. Ringo Super Classic as example

 

[richardh253]

Avoid all those tricks to bringing back white marine pearl. There are few folks that have pulled it off, but likely more folks that ruined some drums.Agree caution is the byword, hence my suggestion to check with Mr. A first. "Kids, don't try this at home!"

Agree hence my suggestion to contact Mr. A first. "Kids, don't try this at home!"

(oops somehow my post got into the quotation above, but you get the idea...)

 

[K.O.]

Thank you - 3 ply shells? Maple, poplar, maple?

Everyone seems to believe that but wrapped 3 ply Ludwig drums will be mahogany/poplar/maple....usually.

Even Ludwig gets this wrong but when you look at the actual clear interior (68-78) drums 95% of wrapped ones will have a mahogany outer ply. It worked better for the wrap glue. Every one I've owned (and that's quite a few) has had a mahogany outer ply. I know that maple/poplar/maple wrapped 3 ply Ludwig drums do exist, but they are the (rare) exception, not the norm. Of course, the natural finished drums had a maple outer ply, as they always had.

 

[idrum4fun]

I would also feel confident that the shells are maple/poplar/mahogany. I had a 1970-71 Super Classic (13/16/22) that I sold about 5 years ago. Attached is a picture of the floor tom. It had a small piece of wrap missing from the top and you can clearly see that the outer ply was mahogany.

-Mark

 

[JDA]

someone over at VDF is going to look at these tomorrow..
Looks like a Pro Beat with still some original heads..
never heard of the website:

1960's Ludwig drum set for $600 in Greensboro, GA | Finds — Nextdoor

$600 — 1960's Ludwig drum set near the Reynolds Lake Oconee neighborhood in Greensboro, GA. Find items in Finds on Nextdoor - all listings are local.

nextdoor.com

 

[K.O.]

Pro Beat and Hollywood were the same drums but the Pro Beat came with Atlas stands and the Hollywood had the flat based numbers. I tend to use the Hollywood name for the standard 12/13/16/22 five piece setup as it was the original name when they only offered one line of hardware. Of course the Hollywood started out as 12/12/16/22 but it seems to be the more recognizable name for Ludwig's "standard" five piece outfit.

As with all these names the drums were identical, the names just referred to a particular cataloged combination of sizes and hardware.

 

[JDA]

Pro Beat was twin toms and twin floors
wasn't it (are you commenting of what I called a Pro Beat?
I was talking about this set. $600
13/14/looks like 16/18 can't tell bd

1960's Ludwig drum set for $600 in Greensboro, GA | Finds — Nextdoor

$600 — 1960's Ludwig drum set near the Reynolds Lake Oconee neighborhood in Greensboro, GA. Find items in Finds on Nextdoor - all listings are local.

nextdoor.com

Seems "too" good to be true. A VDF member is looking at it in the morning.
Thought someone would comment on.
Pro Beat 6pc were larger drums too.