Just how common are each of the wraps and finishes that Ludwig used during the 1960s? This study reviews data gathered from a representative sample of Ludwig Keystone badge drums produced from late 1960 through late 1969. This includes pre-serial badges used from October 1960 through November 1963 and badges with serial numbers used from November 1963 through November 1969. This study provides insight into the finishes used by Ludwig which are available in the resale market.

This study involved 9,613 of the about 900,000 drums believed to have been made during the period studied (about 1%). Information from 818 of these drums did not include the finish. A group of 154 wood shelled drums had finishes which were not original. Some of these were rewrapped, others were refinished in wood stain and some were repainted. It seems likely that some drums which now appear as finished wood shells started that way while others originally had wraps or paint. Unless the owner revealed the original finish, all drums known or thought to be sporting unoriginal finishes were excluded. Some Metal shells have been refinished or painted. It was easy to discern their original finish, so these drums were included in the study. Therefore, a group of 8,641 drums whose original finishes are known is used for this study.

The data was not from Ludwig production or sales records, but from drums encountered by the author during the last twelve years. The data supporting this article was originally compiled to document the correlation between date stamps and serial numbers. The majority of the information comes from drums listed for sale at online sites like eBay, Reverb and vintage drum sellers. Some drums were mentioned on online drum forums while information on others was provided by owners directly to the author. A few individuals shared lists they had compiled on their own. The data does not include drums quietly held by their owners, lost or destroyed during the last 50 to 60 years.

The total number of drums with each finish is shown below. The vast majority (92%) are in the first three finish types – Sparkle, Pearl and Metal.

A number of different colors of Sparkle finishes were available. Silver and Blue are the most often reported Sparkle colors.

White Marine Pearl was the most often reported color of Pearl finish. The ‘Bowling Ball” versions of the Oyster Black and Oyster Blue Pearl wrap begin to appear near the end of the 1960s.

Almost every metal shelled drum reported during the 1960s is a snare drum – Acrolite, Supraphonic or SuperSensitive.

The majority of Painted finish drums reported appear earlier in the decade. Many are snare drums (Pioneers, Jazz Festivals and marching drums) or Clubdate model sets.