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I know these Ludwig 100 year anniversary Triumphals are pretty well known amongst collectors but there are some little known facts that you may enjoy and that add to the story….
Read moreI encourage everyone to attend the 2022 show, exhibit at the show, spread the word! Having to go through 2020 with no Chicago Drum Show was a drag, wasn’t it? We did not realize how much we appreciated it until it was taken away from us by the pandemic. We were going through withdrawals! Support all the drum shows in the nation and other parts of the world. It’s a good thing.
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My friends, Allen and Gina Blaxton of Nashville, have come up with a device that could solve a particular problem for a lot of drummers. It’s called the Snare Skirt, a heavy cloth baffle with plastic hooks to attach to your snare drum.
Read moreMajor Kevin John simon has gone to great lengths to compile tons of rare photos, information and general knowledge on all things Mitch and decided to take things further when he took on the incredible task of recreating the three Ludwig sets Mitch used with Jimi Hendrix from 1967-1969. When Kevin made the decision to showcase the sets and the group at the famous Chicago drum show that happens in May, a decision was made to recreate the Black Panther Ludwig set that Mitch used at Woodstock.
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Bill Ludwig III and George Lawrence at the 30th annual Chicago Drum Show, 2021
Tidbits and morsels from that rascal sage, prophet and soothsayer, George Lawrence
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In 1991, Jack Hutchinson of Jack’s Drum Hutch organized a Drummer’s Swap Meet which was held in a lower level conference room of a Holiday Inn in Loves Park, Illinois. Participants included Rebeats, Randy Rainwater and Bun E Carlos, Chuck Scalia, Joe Luoma, Blair Holben, Jack Brand’s Percussion Express, Skins N Tins, and a couple of others.
Read moreAaron Latos is a young drum maker from Newburgh, NY who is making hand crafted nickel/brass snare drums.
Read moreAnother new chapter in our ongoing series of conversations, quotes, commentary, and updates with jazz/funk drumming legend Mike Clark… Mike’s keen observations provide numerous insights into ‘All Things Music’. -- Mike always just tells it like it is.
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See, play, and win the new Famous Drum Company “Celebrity” single ply snare drum at the Chicago Drum Show.
Read moreNo drummer can deny that Made in Japan drums had some of the most eye-catching wraps on the market. This is why Ludwig created 15 unique wraps that had that M.I.J. mojo—most notably, the strata wraps.
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By the time the Quintet had taken the stage, most of the crowd had left, not willing to endure the weather. I stood amongst a small group of die hards at the front of the stage. It was a torrential downpour at this point. Herbie Hancock had drops of water dripping from his sleeves and onto the piano. I seem to remember it was during Pinnochio when Tony started dropping bombs on the bass drum that the crackle through the PA became more pronounced with each bomb. Eventually the PA went completely out! The band kept on cooking as though nothing had happened. We were listening to them acoustically.
Read moreAt that time, the Allman Brothers Band was the archetype. We decided to try the double drum sets, which worked out really well. To play double sets requires a lot of intuition and acute listening, as well as a solid assessment of each player’s strengths and weaknesses. I had studied snare drum with a noted classical percussionist, so the double stroke press rolls and the fancy things were mine. Bob had a very organic approach, so I usually had him lay down the floor and I danced around it, but always trying to keep it unified. There is some forethought involved. You have to pre-decide who fills where and when so that you don’t over crowd the aural bandwidth. When done tastefully, having two drummers allows for great shading and dynamics and also looks great on stage.
Read moreThis seems to be an uncatalogued finish as it is nowhere to be found -- that I know of -- in any Ludwig literature. I have seen 1 or 2 other Ludwig Butterscotch Pearl snares and I also own a Duplex Spirit of St. Louis in this finish so I personally know that this finish exists. So my best guess is that this is an uncatalogued or special order finish. As always I welcome any other information that may be out there regarding this finish.
Read moreThis Multi-Model Marvel is truly a lovely drum and extremely well-preserved. The Marvel strainer works quite nicely and smoothly, applying even tension across all snares. So why do I think it wasn’t successful? First off, the bridge mechanism extends about 1 3/8” from the bottom. For snare stands of the time, this overhang could be problematic.
Read moreThis is a companion article to one about Gretsch round badge drums published in December 2020.[i] This study involves Ludwig Keystone badge drums with serial numbers produced from late 1963 to late 1969. Many collectors place a premium on born together drum sets. However, very few vintage drum sets come with original receipts or reliable histories which can assure owners or potential buyers that the sets were originally purchased as one unit from the factory or music instrument retailer. When documentation is not present, many look for sets with closely grouped serial numbers. But how close is close enough?
Read moreNormally I write articles on vintage drums or drum history as I have a love for that stuff. I felt this article would be a great chance to pay tribute to those individuals that have taught drums for many years.
Read moreLet’s talk about buying vintage cymbals and caring for them.
3 over 4 overkill
Read moreI’ve always had a slightly strained relationship with 12/8, so I decided to work on a lot of variants to gain some control. Results turned out to be better than I’d hoped for.
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Good news! The 30th Anniversary Chicago Drum Show originally set for May, 2020 was delayed, and rescheduled for May 15 and 16 2021. It will be held at the Prairie Events Center of the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles Il., a suburb of Chicago. Go to Rebeats for exhibitor, ticket and policy details.
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