Steve Maxwell Vintage Drums (Vintage Videos - Ludwig Intro '50s-'70s - 10/29/13)

[@Markmelcho]

I still own my 1971 Ludwig walnut thermogloss double bass kit 24". They are 3 ply and sound huge. I ordered them new from the factory for $850 with hardware. Best investment I've ever made.

[@foundation922]

Steve you are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to drums. It would be great if you could put all that knowledge into a book.

[@brianchisnell1548]

The Ludwig book is already there.

[@brianmcknight6136]

Wonderful information. Thank you.

[@johnmarkstanley77]

This vintage video series is just great! Thanks for doing this.

[@wooltonboyfergie3173]

I believe it wasn't until late 1968 that the shells went from Mahogany/Poplar to Maple/Poplar construction Steve. All of Ringo's 4 Beatle kits were Mahogany/Poplar up until he used the double rack tom Super Classic in '69/70

[@brianchisnell1548]

Mahog outer ply unless a thermo or stain kit. My '69 has mahog/pop/Maple inner ply wrapped in champagne sparkle

[@mwdollar]

Sept./Oct of that year the switch occurred.

[@richnoorigian2319]

Thanks for this great series. They are quick but the information you provide is essential. Steve's great, natural presentation is beautiful. Look forward to Slingerland, Camco and maybe a focus on hardware.

[@bobby9727]

Love these videos.Thank you Steve.A history lesson on my true passion Drums and Drumming.

[@kendalltrotter9846]

Great Video!!! Very informative...Got my 1st Ludwig kit in 1979 and haven't looked back.Thanks for posting.

[@cfalzerano1]

Good historical perspective Steve...'yesterday and today.' I like it! More

[@Jayoforshow]

Great info as always, keep up the good work. Thank you Steve

[@suthiti]

Wonderful !!!! Thank you Steve

[@TheZomba1965]

Thank you Steve, Nice work!

[@omdthe9382]

Thanks for the lesson! Love it

[@drumday]

Very informative and straightened me out on a lot that I knew in only the most general sense.

[@mellilore]

6:05 to the end: 1728 North Damen Avenue Chicago. The building is still there (apartments now).

[@joecap2919]

Great job Steve, I have a 1972 original Ludwig 3 ply with Bonham sizes 26,14,16,18 and a1977 kit with 12,13,16,22 with the 6 ply. Both sound great with little distinction between them. Both kits toms are more musical than even the best DW kits made today and both record very well.

[@uwepetersen]

Great video steve, thanks.

[@angelgroover]

Wonderful thanks! So interesting and helpful .

[@gordgibson6654]

I own and play a 1961, 3 ply set has a red pearl oyster wrap but looks pinkish/champagne now. Guessing they were made right after WFL went to Ludwig, a 13"-16" and22" they sound amazing and so different from my '82 Gretsch

[@jaensminger]

The only problem I have ever had with my 1939 (26"bass) WMP kit has been the pot metal used prior to the war. The elephant hide snare case, all original including the drum seat is a pretty awesome Dixie Land Jazz kit.

[@panhead55]

Hi Steve. Have you done a video on the Ludwig bass drum logos? It looks like the logo on Mitch's bass drum is the smaller type positioned close to the rim. Weren't these early decals small and big water decals? Lately I've seen only replacement logos available in vinyl. I did locate a company in the UK that would make me custom "small" water decal Ludwig logos. Thanks!

[@jimflys2]

I really appreciate Steve. I like his videos. There is however a lot of factually inaccurate information here in this episode. Ludwig didn't move exclusively to Maple Poplar Maple in the 60s. I think they had a pattern, but used what they could get. Thus variations. I have a 66 Ringo kit with Mahogany outer plys, poplar center and what I believe is maple or poplar on the inner face. All with re rings. The 1970s. Big change. The 6 ply shell of the 70s was not all maple. At all. Bill Ludwig the 3rd set me straight on that back in 1984 when I was talking about their all maple shells they came out with that were really nice. My assumption. "We've never made an all maple shell." Said it to my face. Then he explained a few things to me. Like gluing maple to maple and the problems with that. The 1988 catalog sitting on my repair bench states it clearly. Top of the line Ludwig shells are made from select rock maple and American white wood laminations. Read: poplar and maple shells. Maybe there is basswood, or pine or alder, but probably not. The white wood is most likely Poplar. Outer and inner face plys being the maple. People, including me, read right past that in the catalogs, saw the maple faces on the inner and outer and said "all maple shell." That was false. Now they do make Legacy classic, which is poplar at the core, inner and outer plys of maple. Thin maple. The classic line ( which should not be interpreted that they used to be made this way) are made of 7 plys of maple. They also offer Birch. Accents are made with Juniper and Mahogany. I'm using catalogs, so I don't know what is offered in 2022. I hope that clears things up. I used to believe Gretsch shells were all maple. Boy was I wrong. But you know what, maple is not the gold standard. It depends on what you want . Certainly there are great drums with zero maple in them.

[@roybeckerman9253]

I’m surprised at the number of big name drummers that have switched from Ludwig to DW. Give me Ludwigs any day. Is it the drums, or the service and endorsements that DW provides.

[@sticksbass]

didnt they go away from 3 ply in the 80's rather than 70's?

[@jesseroman3]

Fascinating! "Ludwig for Dummies" !!!

[@roybeckerman9253]

Today's Ludwig hardware is far superior to the vintage, but is there much difference in the drums themselves.