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Since 1988, a treasure trove of info about vintage drums, custom drums & legendary drummers

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Database of Articles 11/13 to current

My Yellow Orange Kit

July 31, 2023 John Floyd
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a deal was struck with the Jacques Capelle company to produce drums under the Orange name. Capelle was founded in Paris in 1908 and was already well known for their uniquely designed bass drum pedals and hi-hats, which are still very desirable among collectors.

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In Vintage Drums, John Floyd Tags Orange Drums
Comment

At DrumSellers.com! Vintage Sonor Lite drum set

July 31, 2023 George Lawrence
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Ken Lovelett, owner of American Percussion Instruments has posted for sale this gorgeous and rare set of Sonor Lites in small (bop?) sizes at www.drumsellers.com.

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In DrumSellers, Vintage Drums Tags DrumSellers.com
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1970s Wooding Cristalline Kit

June 30, 2023 John Floyd

Wooding drums were produced by Hollywood Meazzi in Italy. Meazzi made several lines of high-quality drums during the 1960’s and 1970’s. At one point, their endorsee roster included Max Roach, who had his own signature kit. Jack DeJohnette and Billy Cobham also had Meazzi kits.

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In Vintage Drums, John Floyd Tags Wooding Drums, Wooding Cristalline, Meazzi Drums
4 Comments

1929- L&L Super-Sensitives--family portrait

June 30, 2023 Mike Curotto
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Family portrait time here at Curotto Acres. Ludwig & Ludwig Super-Sensitives were around from 1929 to 1935-36. They do not appear in a Ludwig catalog past 1935 but I have heard of a few wood examples from the early 1940s.

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In Mike Curotto's Medium Rare Drums, Vintage Drums, Ludwig Tags Ludwig & Ludwig, Ludwig, 1929 Super Sensitive
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Ludwig Re-issued Snare Drums

June 30, 2023 Danny Bilan
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I have 3 re-issued Ludwig snare drums in my collection.  The first one is the 6.5 x 14 Black Beauty snare that was re-issued for Ludwig’s 100 year Anniversary in 2009.  Although the shell wasn’t modelled after the original Black Beauty snares from the past, it was beautifully and skillfully hand engraved by John Aldridge.  I purchased one of the last of the limited 100 that John engraved.

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In Danny Bilan, Vintage Drums, Ludwig Tags Ludwig drums, Ludwig re-issued snare drums
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WIN a free pair of Crocken Moeller drum sticks

June 30, 2023 George Lawrence
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To win a pair of the Moeller Drum Sticks, or your choice of any of John Crocken’s stick models, send an email to…

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In Industry News, Vintage Drums Tags Gus Moeller, John Crocken
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From Editor George Lawrence

May 31, 2023 George Lawrence
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My first drum set was a three piece no-name Japanese stencil kit made by Pearl: 22x14, 9x13, 5.5x14 with one ride cymbal on the bass drum and a hihat. It seems I have come full circle now.

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In Vintage Drums, Gretsch, From Editor George Lawrence Tags Gretsch drums
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Finishes on Ludwig Standards

May 31, 2023 Rick Gier
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…relying upon what is believed to be the largest database of vintage Ludwig drums in existence, it provides insight into the finishes used by Ludwig which have appeared in the resale market in the last dozen years.

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In Rick Gier, Vintage Drums, Ludwig Tags Ludwig standard finishes, Ludwig strata, Ludwig mist, Ludwig Mist
3 Comments

Vintage Star Drums (1965 to 1974)

May 31, 2023 Ralf Bornmann
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…among the drum community many questions came up as to whether an old drum kit, that someone had found in the attic or as a bulky waste, was made either by Pearl or the other main Japanese company: Star. Star was founded in 1962 by the Japanese company Tama Seisakusyo (later called Hoshino Gakki) and first started manufacturing drums under the Star brand name in 1965. In 1974 the company changed
it’s name from STAR to TAMA

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In Vintage Drums, Ralf Bornmann Tags Vintage Star Drums, sixties Japanese drums
7 Comments

1920s Ludwig & Ludwig Wood Shell Separate Tension Snare Drum

May 29, 2023 Joe Czulinski
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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! 

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In Vintage Drums, Ludwig Tags Ludwig & Ludwig wood shell separate tension snare drum
6 Comments

My 40th Anniversary with my Gretsch Set

May 29, 2023 Kurt Ekstrom
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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

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In Kurt Ekstrom, Vintage Drums, Gretsch Tags Gretsch, Gretsch USA Custom
7 Comments

70s Zickos Rare Supersonic drum set

May 29, 2023 John Floyd
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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.

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In Vintage Drums, John Floyd Tags Zickos, fiberglass drums
1 Comment

Sponsor: John Crocken Drum Sticks - hand crafted historic designs

April 29, 2023 George Lawrence
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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

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In George Lawrence, Vintage Drums, Custom Drums Tags vintage drum sticks, John Crocken, Gus Moeller
3 Comments

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

April 28, 2023 George Lawrence
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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.

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In Vintage Drums, Ludwig, Slingerland, George Lawrence, GLA1 Tags Ludwig, Slingerland
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Ludwig Finishes of the Blue/Olive Badge Era

April 28, 2023 Rick Gier
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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.  

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In Vintage Drums, Rick Gier, Ludwig Tags Ludwig drums, Ludwig drum finishes, Blue and Olive badge
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Three Lang/NSMD Gladstone engraved gold Triumphal prototypes (#s 1, 2, 3) from 2004-2005.

April 24, 2023 Mike Curotto
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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.

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In Custom Drums, Vintage Drums, Mike Curotto's Medium Rare Drums Tags Lang Gladstone/ NSMD drums, John Aldridge
1 Comment

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

April 11, 2023 George Lawrence
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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.

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In Vintage Drums, George Lawrence Tags Lido Supreme, Japanese Sixties Drums, MIJ drums, Pearl drums, stencil drum sets
1 Comment

Ludwig Finishes in the 1960s

March 30, 2023 Rick Gier
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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.

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In Rick Gier, Vintage Drums, Ludwig Tags ludwig finishes, Rick Gier
6 Comments

Simmons Mania

March 30, 2023 Kurt Ekstrom
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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.

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In Vintage Drums, Kurt Ekstrom Tags simmons drums, Alex van halen
2 Comments

1920s Ludwig White Enamel Snare Drums

March 30, 2023 Danny Bilan
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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. 

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In Vintage Drums, Danny Bilan, Ludwig Tags 1920s Ludwig white Enamel Snare drum
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