1920s Ludwig & Ludwig Wood Shell Separate Tension Snare Drum

May 29, 2023 Joe Czulinski

This snare drum model is listed in the 1923 Ludwig & Ludwig catalog as No. 21 Wood Shell Separate Tension. Although the Deluxe finish does not appear to have been a standard catalog offering for this particular model, I believe William Ludwig Sr. would have approved such a request from an enquiring and eager customer. Of the many restorations I’ve done over the past thirty years, this one is still my personal favorite, and I hope you enjoy it!

My 40th Anniversary with my Gretsch Set

May 29, 2023 Kurt Ekstrom

You were all I thought about from the time I started taking drum lessons the year prior. When the time had come to get you, you were not at all what I had pictured in my head as my 12 year old mind was set on finding a nice shiny Ludwig set that would stand out. The choice that fateful day back in June of 1983 was between you and the Ludwig Tivoli lighted set of Vista-lite drums set up in the window of Looney Tunes music that was at the southern end of Main Street in Concord NH

70s Zickos Rare Supersonic drum set

May 29, 2023 John Floyd

This Supersonic kit is made of fiberglass and according to my research was only produced in prototype form with about ten of them being made.

Sponsor: John Crocken Drum Sticks - hand crafted historic designs

April 29, 2023 George Lawrence

i endorse Crocken Drum Sticks. No one else hand crafts sticks like these and nothing else feels like them. As Mr. Crocken says, they are fun to use. -George Lawrence

In Search Of (not with Leonard Nimoy) Vintage Drum Parts

April 28, 2023 George Lawrence

My cousin, Dean Stewart who lives in Alabama, is a drummer and vintage drum collector (yes, the disease runs in the family). He’s looking for a number of parts.

Ludwig Finishes of the Blue/Olive Badge Era

April 28, 2023 Rick Gier

This study reviews data gathered from a representative sample of Ludwig Blue/Olive badge drums produced from very late 1969 (earliest date stamps are Thanksgiving week 1969) through about 1984.

Three Lang/NSMD Gladstone engraved gold Triumphal prototypes (#s 1, 2, 3) from 2004-2005.

April 24, 2023 Mike Curotto

Here are three Lang/NSMD Gladstone engraved gold Triumphal prototypes (#s 1, 2, 3) from 2004-2005. I purchased these from John Aldridge who was the engraver of these snare drums. John’s company at the time, NSMD Co., also supplied the shells for these drums.

Update: my MIJ Lido Supreme 4 pc. jazz kit in "Fantasia Pearl" project

April 11, 2023 George Lawrence

I disassembled, cleaned and refurbished this four piece drum kit made by Pearl in Japan. 12/14/20/14 .It’s one of the rarer MIJ sixties stencils - LIDO SUPREME - and one of the rarest and zowiest colors - fantasia pearl.

Ludwig Finishes in the 1960s

March 30, 2023 Rick Gier

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.

Simmons Mania

March 30, 2023 Kurt Ekstrom

Alex played a monstrous set with the core of the set centered on Simmons bass drums and toms with an acoustic snare drum and an array of Paiste 2002 cymbals. I had thought the Simmons drums sounded pretty cool and unique when the album came out that March but that night at the concert, the sound of those Simmons drums coming from the PA rattled my teeth and just exploded with low end. One round house fill around the toms sent chills up my 15 year old spine and it was then and there that I knew I wanted a set.

1920s Ludwig White Enamel Snare Drums

March 30, 2023 Danny Bilan

In 2020, I traded a few Slingerland snare drums for this 1923 – 1926 Ludwig All Metal Separate Tension snare drum. It was in rough shape and needed a lot of work.

Rare 1952 Leedy & Ludwig Broadway Parallel Snare Anomaly

March 30, 2023 James Anzelone

This drum is a leftover 1930s Leedy 6.5”x14”, “Broadway Parallel”. The finish is blue and silver Duco, and is equipped with a solid, 1-ply maple shell.

Kenny Aronoff Tama prototype and Trackmaster snares

March 30, 2023 Mike Curotto

I’ve had these drums for a while but they were only seen on pages 148-153 in my book: VINTAGE SNARE DRUMS THE CUROTTO COLLECTION so here they are offered to a wider audience.

My Wood Snare Drum Collection, Part II

February 28, 2023 Danny Bilan

1956 5.5x14, White Marine Pearl Classic Porto-Pak Snare Drum I recently purchased this drum from Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault in Seattle, Washington. Donn gave me a really good deal in exchange for some inside stories about a band called Moxy that I played with in the 70s. Donn was a big fan of that band, so when I mentioned I played with them we immediately hit it off!

1969-1970 Slingerland Green Glass Glitter Duet Set

February 28, 2023 Bob Cianci

Like so many collectors, I regularly look through DrumSellers, Reverb, Ebay, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for vintage drums and cymbals. Early last summer, I came across a 1969-70 Slingerland Duet set in Green Sparkle (actually glass glitter), offered by someone who lived out near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Ludwig Standard, Pioneer, or Universal?

February 28, 2023 George Lawrence

My problem is that I have read that the Pioneer also had 8 lugs, and I don’t know the difference between a Standard, Pioneer, and a Universal.

1920s L&L Peacock Pearl

February 27, 2023 Mike Curotto

In my early days of collecting I was drawn to engraved DeLuxes (Black Beauties) and out of the ordinary finishes. One of my favorite 1920s-30s finishes is Ludwig & Ludwig’s Peacock Pearl. Over the years I have tried to collect as many different “runs” of this finish. The following is what I have collected as of this writing. There are a few standouts that I will explain later in the article.

New project - MIJ Lido Supreme 4 pc. jazz kit in "Fantasia Pearl"

January 31, 2023 George Lawrence

Whenever I buy one of these “beautiful ugly duckings”, I plan on playing it and using it for at least a while before passing it on to some other vintage drum geek who just can’t live without it. I remember a crowd of drummers at one of the Chicago Drum Shows laughing at me as I walked out of the building with a brand new Remo PTS “fiberboard” drum set that I bought at the end of the last day for $100. Man, I got my money’s worth out of that kit..

Stories From the Hunt: Part Two - Purple Passion Slingerland

January 31, 2023 Kurt Ekstrom

As I drove the 45 minute drive, it felt like I was getting further and further away from any civilization. Whoever this person was lived pretty far out in the middle of nowhere. As I approached the house, it was kind of a run-down farmhouse and there were chickens and other livestock roaming about the yard. A big guy with a long white beard and a pair of overalls came out to greet me. He actually reminded me of Uncle Jessie from the Dukes of Hazzard and explained that because of his line of work, his hand were messed up and he had not played drums in years.

My Wood Snare Drum Collection

January 30, 2023 Danny Bilan

This month I will highlight 6 of the Ludwig & WFL wood snare drums in my collection of nearly 50 snare drums. People often ask me why I need so many snare drums. The answer quite simply is that they all look different and have their own unique sound. For this reason, I will continue on my infinite quest for more snares.

Database of Articles 11/13 to current