1960s Ludwig Standard S-330 in Avocado Strata finish

November 30, 2018 Phil Wilson

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.

Slingerland Photo Shoot

October 29, 2018 Phil Wilson

I recently had an idea after looking at some old black and white vintage drummer photos. What I wanted to do was set up a photo shoot with one of my vintage kits and pose like the old drummers did in those cool promotional photos.

Slingerland 1960s Modern Jazz Outfit

September 11, 2018 Phil Wilson

The drum set I am featuring from my collection this month is a Slingerland Modern Jazz Outfit catalog number 9N. The drum sizes are 20X14, 14X14, 12X8, and a 14X5 Sound King chrome over brass 8 lug snare drum with a "Zoomatic" strainer. All drums have "Rim Shot" rims. I always call these rims "Stick Savers", but I saw that they weren't called that in the late 60s catalog. The interiors are coated with the tan or "chocolate milk" paint used in the late 1960s. The Niles, Illinois badges are black and brass ovals with serial numbers. The awesome feature about these drums is the ultra-cool Gold Satin Flame Pearl wrap. I just love the Satin Flame wraps. The wrap looks so good on these drums. I'm always looking for the "pot of gold" and this sweet drum set is just that.

1930s Engraved Leedy Broadway Parallel

August 17, 2017 Phil Wilson

This is an awesome drum find. It is really amazing to find a survivor drum like this in original unmolested condition. Everything is there. The tension rods, washers, even the snare wires are original. This is truly a work of percussion art. It is a 1930s black nickle over brass 6.5"X14" engraved shell Leedy Broadway parallel with gold plated engraved hoops and hardware. I can't even imagine how beautiful this drum must have been when it was brand new almost 90 years ago.

1972 Gretsch Emerald Green drum set

June 12, 2017 Phil Wilson

One reason for buying these drums with the 24" bass drum is because my wife told me I needed to start playing a larger bass drum at my shows. I was so impressed that she even thought about my drums and let alone was interested enough to make a comment about drum sizes. I had in recent years played a lot of 20" bass drums. She said I needed to move up to a 24" or maybe a 26." I finally asked her what prompted her to suggest I play a larger bass drum? Was it to get more "boom" in the music? She replied, "no, it's just that you are getting so fat you look like a bear on a tricycle behind that small bass drum." Good thing she lets me buy drums. I'll let that one slide. Keep looking for those great vintage drumsOne reason for buying these drums with the 24" bass drum is because my wife told me I needed to start playing a larger bass drum at my shows. I was so impressed that she even thought about my drums and let alone was interested enough to make a comment about drum sizes. I had in recent years played a lot of 20" bass drums. She said I needed to move up to a 24" or maybe a 26." I finally asked her what prompted her to suggest I play a larger bass drum? Was it to get more "boom" in the music? She replied, "no, it's just that you are getting so fat you look like a bear on a tricycle behind that small bass drum." Good thing she lets me buy drums. I'll let that one slide. Keep looking for those great vintage drums

Rogers 1980 XP-8 Series

May 16, 2017 Phil Wilson

My featured drum set this month is a Rogers Big R Londoner 5 set from the 1980s. It has all maple 8 ply shells with clear interiors and no reinforcement rings. These drums were called XP-8 series because of the shells. I copied the following information from a Rogers discussion forum, "XP-8s have 8-ply rock maple shells and were made from 1979 up until the demise of Rogers in 1984. They're excellent quality and comparable to modern day DWs but can be had at a fraction of the cost. The Memriloc hardware is strong and sturdy and ensures that they'll set up exactly the same every time - a real time saver. These sets are battleship tough and built to last. XP-8s are some of the best drums Rogers ever produced."

SOLD: 1964 Ludwig Hollywood Set

April 12, 2017 Phil Wilson

Selling is a part of what I do. It is bittersweet to sell a kit, but it gives me joy to see someone else get a cool vintage drum set that they really like. I was a little bit sad to let this sweet Ludwig drum set go today. I had owned this 1965 Ludwig Hollywood set for a long time. I had a buyer come over today, and he was trying to get a great drum set to put in a music room he was building. One of my close friends told him to check with me before buying a kit. He called me and asked if I had any drums for sale? I assured him I had several nice drum sets that would be perfect for his new music room. I told him there was nothing wrong with getting a new drum set, and they would work just fine, but a vintage set would be better. What do you guys and gals think, isn't vintage better?

Rogers 1978 Londoner V kit

February 14, 2017 Phil Wilson

I showed Jack MacFeetes a photo of one of the drums from this set and asked him to give me some comments I could use in this article. His comments were; "Five ply, maple birch. Color, Mohave Red, #84. 1976 Catalog shows this color in the Studio Ten Outfit, pg4. This drum made approximately 1978, Top hoop not correct. Memriloc hardware was developed through a collaboration with Dave Donoho and Roy Burns, and Rogers, of course mid 70s. Mounts are rock solid, stand up to the heaviest of hitters. Well made drums even though there were numerous moves during the Big R period, some of them very unnecessary, and quality at times affected by this. The hardware was about the best one could have at the time."

Late 80s RSD 146G Rogers Gold Plated Dyna-sonic

January 15, 2017 Phil Wilson

This gold plated drum was produced for Island in the late 1980s. Photos of the gold plated Dyna-sonic and the following text is found in Cook's book. "Apparently only a couple dozen of the RSD-146G gold plated Dyna-sonics were made for Island Music. The retail price was a quite reasonable $495.00, but the poor quality of the plating impeded the sales."

1960s Ludwig Downbeat Drum Set in Oyster Blue Finish

November 4, 2016 Phil Wilson

The bass drum on this set has two sets of disappearing spurs. Maybe they added the second set to keep Joe Morello's bass drum from creeping off during his solos! :-)

1970s Ludwig Standard S-330 drum set finished in bronze strata

October 11, 2016 Phil Wilson

Standards have their own unique triangular shaped badge. The interiors of the bass and toms are coated with grey speckled paint, but some Standards have white painted interiors. Standards usually have smooth low mass lugs. If your Standard kit has Classic lugs that might also be correct. Ludwig would use the Classic lugs if they were low on Standard lugs.

1970s Ludwig Green Vistalite Big Beat outfit

September 3, 2016 Phil Wilson

I don't understand why green was not a very popular color among the Vistalites produced by Ludwig in the 1970s. Some collectors claim, that Mr. Bill Ludwig said, there were only about fifty green sets made in the 1970s. I have my doubts about that number, but we know there are a lot fewer green sets than clear or blue. The darker green and red sets just didn't sell as well as the clear and lighter colors. The amber color got a big boost from John Bonham's using them on tour with Led Zeppelin.

1963 Ludwig Galaxy Pearl Superbeat Set

June 3, 2016 Phil Wilson

Galaxy Pearl is a very rare finish, as you know, and the prices reflect that when they come up for sale. This finish was only available for a couple of years, so there is a very limited number of these sets out there. The badges on all these drums are pre-serial number Keystones.

1960s Ludwig WMP "Super Beat" Set

March 20, 2016 Phil Wilson

The Ludwig set I'm showing you from my collection is a real beauty. This is a very niceLudwig Super Beat set. I am not totally sure who started calling this configuration "Super Beat" but I like it. The set is a Super Classic set with a 20X14 bass drum. Since it has a 20X14 like the "Downbeat" and 16X16 and 13X9 toms like a "Super Classic" the collectors have named these sets "Super Beat".

1977 Ludwig engraved Black Beauty

February 12, 2016 Phil Wilson

The 1977 Black Beauties were the first ones Ludwig had made since 1940. They were offered in 14"X5" and 14"X6.5" with a p-85 throw, and also Ludwig offered these in Super Sensitive model too. The shell was made of a single sheet of brass drawn and spun into a seamless construction. The black chrome plating gave it the striking appearance. These drums were provided with the Blue and Olive badge and an internal muffler. Factory machine engraving was offered in 1979. These 1970s Black Beauties are great collector drums.

1970s Ludwig congas, sky blue pearl

January 19, 2016 Phil Wilson

The drums I have chosen from my collection to show you this month is a cool set of Ludwig Congas.They are not the best sounding congas you will ever hear, but they are definitely the coolest. I have always liked the conical congas like Ricky played on the "I Love Lucy Show".

1960s E.W. Kent set

October 10, 2015 Phil Wilson

My latest drum set acquisition is a beautiful Black Diamond Pearl 1960s E.W. Kent kit. Many young drummers received a set of Kent drums for their first set.

1960s Ludwig Super Classic

September 7, 2015 Phil Wilson

This set of Ludwigs from my collection is covered in Sparkling Burgundy Pearl. This is one of the rarest sparkle finishes found on vintage drums today. Ludwig introduced this finish in 1967 having cancelled Galaxy Sparkle, the rarest of the Ludwig sparkle finishes.

1970s Ludwig Blue Big Beat Vistalites

August 2, 2015 Phil Wilson

This set I am featuring from my collection is a 1970s blue Big Beat set. The clear and blue colors have been Ludwig's best sellers through the years. I suppose Amber and yellow also sold well thanks to the Bonham influence.

1960 English Rogers Set

February 1, 2015 Phil Wilson

It is hard for me to believe we are already in to February. Where did January go? My Mother told me when I was young and wishing for my birthday, Christmas, or school to be out that time would go a lot faster when I grew up. She was right, as always, and time now really get away in a hurry. I am looking forward, but not wishing my life away, to some great drum shows this year. I hope you can attend one in your area this year. Keep watching for the places and dates to be listed here in the magazine. Getting together with other vintage and custom drum collectors and players is always fun and educational. I am constantly learning information about vintage drums from my drum collector friends. A lot of my contacts and friends were made at drum shows.

I decided to feature a set this month for your enjoyment that I recently acquired. It's an early 1960s English Rogers set in rare Madi Gras finish. I have wanted a Rogers or Slingerland set in Madi Gras finish for years. I just love that finish. By the way, Madi Gras is this month in New Orleans. I've never been to Madi Gras, but I have that trip on my bucket list, but back to my desire for a Madi Gras drum set. I have been looking for a Madi Gras set to add to my collection, and as I was searching E-Bay a few weeks ago a set was there for sale. I really wanted them and had decided to place a bid when the end of the sale came around. I usually wait to bid until the end of the sale. I have jumped in right at the beginning, but usually I wait. Maybe you could leave a comment and share your E-Bay bidding strategy. The Madi Gras set on E-Bay was a Rogers set and that was fine with me. It's no secret to my readers that I love Rogers drums. While I was watching that set, another Rogers Madi Gras set showed up on Facebook. The set for sale on Facebook was the English Rogers set I am showing you. Yes, I made a deal with the seller and he shipped them to me from Canada. I am so excited about them.

English Rogers drums were made in the 1960s at the Boosey & Hawkes drum factory in London. They had Ajax three ply shells with reinforcement rings. The interiors are clear coated not painted like American Rogers. The lugs are Bread and Butter style, and the mounts are Swivomatic style, but they are different from the USA parts. The Madi Gras finish is also different from the American version, not as busy. The script logo badges also look different. The sizes of this set are: bass drum 20"X15", floor tom 16"X16", mounted tom is 12"X8", and the matching snare is 14"X5". Many of you know that Dave Clark of the Dave Clark Five played English Rogers drums. English Rogers drums were not a huge success, but they are very cool drums. Many collectors want to have a replica of John Bonham's set or a Ringo's set. I would like to have a red sparkle English Rogers set with a Dave Clark logo head. He was one of my greatest influences.

My set was owned by a member of the Toronto Symphony who brought them from England. When he returned to England to retire he left the set in Canada with a new owner. There is a cool Drum City London sticker on the bass drum. I was tempted to try to finish removing it. It looks like someone started to take it off but didn't go through with it. I have decided to leave it. It has been there fifty years, and it adds to the story of the drums, so for now the sticker stays. The man who helped me buy these drums from the owner who acquired them from the symphony percussionist was a super guy. He did a great job handling the sale and shipping the drums from Canada to my door. I want to thank him again for the great job he did. Leave a comment if you have an English Rogers set or if you liked Dave Clark Five. Keep looking in those unusual places for a great old drum.