"Deck the halls with"...green drums, of course. Christmas is coming with all the green decorations that we use to symbolize the season. Green drums have a special place in my heart. I just love all green drums. I know there are others who love green drums also. If you have a green set you love, leave a comment below. The set I am featuring in this article is a beautiful late 1960s Ludwig Standard S-330 five piece set finished in avocado strata. This finish is only found on the Standard series. The following was taken from an article about Ludwig Standard drums:
The Ludwig Standard drums were introduced in ’68 to compete with the lower value import drums made overseas. The unique thing about Ludwig Standard drums is that its shell was the exact mold found in all classic shells of that time. Consumers were getting quality grade shells offering the Ludwig signature sound. However, the standard series used less expensive hardware cutting the overhead cost. Standard series drums had most essentials belonging to a drum outfit distinctly unique to this line. Everything from utility hardware, shell hardware, finishes and badges. Standard drums were also the first to feature the Granitone sound enhancement coating on the inside of the shell. Standard drums debuted with 3 different configuration styles and 15 finishes.
Avocado Strata is most likely the rarest of the strata finishes used on the Standards. My set has some fading, but the colors are still strong, and the green tint is still there. The drum sizes in the S-330 configuration is: bass drum 22X14, floor tom 16X16, mounted toms are 13X9 and 12X8. A matching 14X5 snare drum is also included. The interiors on my set are coated with Granitone, but some sets have white Resicoat inside. Some Standard sets have Classic hardware instead of Standard hardware. In recent years there has been a surge in the popularity of Standard series drums. The distinctive finishes and more affordable prices may have something to do with the increase in collectors interest.
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