Vintage Cymbal Purchase and Care Tips

March 29, 2021 Edward Tucker

Let’s talk about buying vintage cymbals and caring for them.

1976 Rogers Londoner V Drum Set

March 29, 2021 Phil Wilson

They have a very nice KOA finish which was a Rogers finish from 1973 to 1976. The finish is hard like a counter top. This finish was according to Jack Propps, fellow vintage drummer, "The finish a lot of southern rockers used in the 70s, Monty Yoho- The Outlaws, Frank Beard-ZZ Top, Rick Burnett -Grinderswitch , Danny Darling-Jay Boy Adams and more. The finish was 'down home' but more durable than lacquered Gretsch or Slingerland and took bumps and bruises of 1 night stands across the USA."

Circa 1928 Leedy 5x14 Jade Green Pearl Snare Drum

March 29, 2021 Bob Campbell

I’d like to start this story by both thanking and blaming Mark Cooper (Coopers Vintage Drums) J. Many years ago, I met Mark at one of the Chicago Drum Shows. He was sharing his fabulous collection of vintage green-wrapped drums from Slingerland and Leedy.

Interesting Ludwig Drum Sets

March 26, 2021 Ting Tinpoti

When you have been a collector, seller and a repairman as I have
for 43 years you are bound to have owned some interesting musical
instruments. Luckily I had the foresight to photograph many of these
instruments because I just don't see as many nowadays unless of course I
visit one of the national drum shows. 95% of the pictures you will see
in my column were drums owned by me at one time or another. Today we
look at some interesting Ludwig drum sets.

WFL 7 X 14” Paramount snare drum Circa 1939

February 28, 2021 Bob Campbell

This 1939 WFL Paramount snare was produced in the year that Germany invaded Poland, and just over 2 years later, the U.S. would join the war. Bill Ludwig, Sr. had lost his name, much of his savings, and yet survived both the transition and WWII. In the end, his company thrived, and he regained his name. There is so much to be admired about Bill Sr’s. drive, fortitude, and relentlessness. This 1939 WFL Paramount snare is one representation of his work during this challenging time and embodies all those who appreciated its sound and construction over 8 decades.

1938-40 LUDWIG & LUDWIG 8 x 14 WMP/CHROME SUPER-LUDWIG (PROTOTYPE OR SPECIAL ORDER?)

February 28, 2021 Mike Curotto

Looking at the outside photo one would think that this is a normal Ludwig 8 x 14 Super-Ludwig from the late 1930s..well, there is more to it that makes this drum a tad more quirky. The drum came to me 100% original and in excellent condition, no cleaning or polishing was necessary. The WMP is in excellent condition with virtually no yellowing at all. The white enamel badge is very clean with a tight, untouched grommet. Now for the quirkiness; looking at the interior photo you can see that the shell is aluminum with top and bottom maple 2” re-wrings. This leads me to the question was this a prototype snare or a special order snare?

Observations of a Recovering Drum Collector

February 28, 2021 John Aldridge

Our favorite picture of John, founder of Not So Modern Drummer and #1 DrumScratcher

I guess the main difference between collecting then as opposed to collecting now is getting to know the person who’s selling the drums as much as knowing about the drums themselves. Some of my best friends, people I met through collecting and custom drum building and engraving, came from a vintage drum transaction that took us a couple of weeks to accomplish due to the delays of mail, photography, and the phone.

1960 Slingerland Gene Krupa Deluxe Ensemble 1-N

January 31, 2021 Phil Wilson

When we got to my friend's home, he had the Slingerland set on the porch and also a big 26" Ludwig clear maple bass drum and 14"mounted tom there also. Along with these he had a few extra goodies that he was willing to sell as well. Well, what to do? Buy it all even if it's going to be tight in the car getting it home, that's what. My wife is a good sport, but this was trying her patience with me. I briefly thought about leaving her with my friend. No, I'm kidding, I was determined to get her and the drums home and not make the three-hour trip back to get all the drums. We were crushed in the front seats, but we made it safely back home

A Young Drummers Story Of His Biggest Supporter.

January 31, 2021 Edward Tucker

That weekend an old friend of mine Pat, that has since passed on, (RIP Brother, and thank you for this) stayed up with me for three days straight listening to Pink Floyd as we cleaned, polished and assembled this pile into a usable drum set. It was mismatched colors of red. Some were sparkle and some were swirl pearl, and it was also different brands, Ludwig, Pearl and Slingerland etc...., I didn't care, I finally had my first real drum set that was all mine!

1936 Leedy & Strupe (L&S) Drum Kit

January 31, 2021 Bob Campbell

15. LS_1936_Catalog_Dictator_BD_Pedal.jpg

One day in late 2020, I was doing my usual browsing through vintage drum-related social media posts and came across a 1936 Leedy & Strupe (L&S) white marine pearl drum kit for sale. This L&S kit consisted of a white marine pearl 14 x 28” bass drum (with calf heads), 9 x 13” tom (tacked bottom head), 6.5 X 14” snare, cowbell, and various hardware (original L&S bass drum pedal, hi-hat with lamb wool beater, Clamp-Rite trap holders, spurs). According to Harry Cangany (noted author, drum historian), this kit was, “a ‘Dictator’ model in white pearl (L&S name for white marine pearl)…1936 is probably correct.”

1950s Leedy Ludwig Refinished Recording Outfit

January 31, 2021 Mark Steven

This wonderful old wood kit consisting of 14x22 bass drum, 8X12 and 9x13 toms, 16x16 floor tom and the great cracking 5x14 Utility snare drum is the recording kit of studio dreams.

Mid 1960s Gretsch Round Badge Drums without Silver Sealer

January 31, 2021 Rick Gier

One of the many unexplained mysteries of vintage drums is the existence of vintage 1960s Gretsch Round Badge drums which lack the typical silver sealer interior paint. This was an era before clear drum heads, so few people saw the inside of their drums. However, Gretsch was marketing “The Great Gretsch Sound” and part of that sound was allegedly the silver sealer they applied to the interior of their drums starting in about 1954.

1951 BILLY GLADSTONE 6 x 14 8 LUG GOLD LACQUER/GOLD PLATED “CHARLES CORDES” SNARE DRUM

January 31, 2021 Mike Curotto

“This drum is known as the Charles Cordes Gladstone. Mr. Cordes machined all the Gladstone hardware and assembled most of the Billy Gladstone snare drums. There were approximately 50 Gladstone drums made of which fewer than 30 are accounted for as of this printing. Of these 50 snare drums the Charles Cordes drum is the only 6 x 14 gold lacquer/gold plated drum known.

Canister Thrones

January 31, 2021 Kurt Ekstrom

According to my WFL/Ludwig catalogs, the Ludwig canister throne was invented around 1953 and it was touted as the sensational new “seat-case” as it was designed to hold traps and accessories.

Sticky Wicket - Ludwig & Ludwig 1920s New Orleans drum set

January 31, 2021 George Lawrence

Ludwig & Ludwig 1920s New Orleans Drum Kit - Sticky WicketHere is our latest video featuring our favourite vintage drum expert Sticky Wicket and his 20s Ludw...

Sticky Wicket rides again!

1932-33 SLINGERLAND DUALL “RADIO” MODEL ALL METAL DRUM No. 40 (VERSION 1)

December 17, 2020 Mike Curotto

DUALLS are very rare. The Slingerland DUALL Model was manufactured from 1932-34 as compared to the L & L Super-Ludwig Model that was around from 1924 to the late 1930s.

Drum History Podcast - Episode 8 - The History of Ludwig Drums with William F. Ludwig III

December 16, 2020 Bart van der Zee

Bill Ludwig runs us through the fascinating history of Ludwig Drums! Grandson of the Ludwig founder, William F. Ludwig, his family has had a long and winding history with the Ludwig drum company - founding it in 1909 with a subsequent sale of the company in the early 80's. They

Kelli Rae Tubbs Back In Time Video Series - Hoop Mounted Cymbals

December 16, 2020 Kelli Rae Tubbs

n the early 1800s, Italian composers, Gaspare Spontini and Gioacchino Rossini, encouraged the use of cymbal mounting brackets in their compositions. French composer, Hector Berlioz, on the other hand, felt this practice was counter-productive and that it did not honor the quality of the music, saying it was only suitable for the accompaniment of "low brow" entertainment like sword swallowers and jugglers in his 1844 treatise on orchestration.