Now that 2023 is in the rearview mirror, it is my hope that 2024 will be a great year for you and your family. There are great deals to be found on vintage drums right now. It seems like some very nice collections that have been lovingly, safely kept for many years are becoming available as collectors are either thinning the herd or selling out for various reasons. Let's face it, we are not getting younger, except in mind, and we sometimes feel the need to let some things go. My greatest fear is leaving this world and my wife's new husband getting all my drums, or my wife selling my drums for what I told her I paid for them.
As I get older, I am buying less, but still enjoying the search for special drums that I want. The drum I am featuring today is one of the drums I have wanted since they came out in 2006. I am mostly a vintage drum collector, but I also recognize a potential future treasure and try to buy some of those when I see them. The Ludwig Chief L2006 snare drum is just such a drum. The Chief is a tribute to the great Bill Ludwig II, the son of the Ludwig Drum Company founder, who the drumming world refers to as the Chief. The drum is a special limited edition made to honor this great man's considerable achievements.
Here is some information I found about the model Chief snare drum I have. "The 14"X 6 1/2" shell supplied by specialist drum-maker Ronn Dunnett, is fitted with a specially minted gold keystone badge. It has 10 Imperial double ended lugs and the familiar central bead, so it looks just like a 402, although fitted with a quality Dunnett strainer. The shell is an extremely thin 0.035" of titanium weighing in at 800g, the thinnest and lightest metal shell around. The normal vent hole is replaced by Dunnett's screw-in adjustable Hypervent. More puzzlingly, there is an internal damper. This is presumably a nod towards history, but we can't think why anyone would want to use one. The drum comes in a handsome, fur lined presentation case with brass corners and carrying handle. The shell is polished to a luster and Ludwig recommends you maintain this with a jewelers' cloth. Finally, there is a guarantee certificate and a numbered card saying who packed the drum with pride at the plant in Monroe, North Carolina."
I was looking for one of these beautiful drums to add to my collection and found this one on drumsellers.com. I was able to contact George Lawrence who did a great job in helping me obtain it from a collector who was selling some of his collection. It was a pleasure dealing with people who are like-minded and honest in their dealing. There are scams and pitfalls in buying vintage and collectible drums on every corner. Have a great new year and keep looking for those great deals on the drums we love.