Ludwig Drums Sets – What They Did Not Tell You

The Truth About Ludwig Drum Sets

Ludwig Drum sets have been around for a very long time.  William Ludwig was a drummer in the vaudeville profession and he became very dissatisfied with the foot pedals of the time.  He and his brother developed a better petal that could accommodate a fast tempo and some power behind them.  They designed them from wood and had a cabinet maker make them.   That was the start of the company in 1908 and they have been going on ever since. 

Ludwig Drum Sets became the preferred brand after the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964.   Ringo Starr was playing a drum set made by Ludwig and their logo appeared above the name of the group on the bass drum.  They continued to be the number one drum manufacturer up until Japanese brands started to take hold in the economy during the 70′s. 

Although Ludwig Drum Sets are still being produced and sold the Selmer Company now owns them. Ludwig drums continue to be a good quality drum owned by many people.  They are sold to individuals, schools and professionals.  

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One of the most popular models of Ludwig drum sets is called the Black Beauty.   It has nickle plated brass shells on the drums.  Collectors love this set and it was made in the 1920′s and hard to find and expensive to buy.   In the 70′s the Vistalite series came into being and included the acrylic head on the base drum that you could see through.  The even had a stainless steel set but it tended to be hard to handle in set up because it was so heavy and it cost a lot of money.   It was discontinued soon after it was made.  It did come back recently in a limited edition of only 100 sets.  

Ludwig LJR106 Junior Drum Kit Ludwig LJR106 Junior Drum KitThe Ludwig LJR106 Junior Drum Set lets you start ‘em out early! The new LJR1064 features and bold new Wine Red finish and comes complete with throne and hi-hat stand. When Ludwig says complete, they mean it! This set also comes with the cymbals pictured, a bass drum pedal and all heads.


So much for the vintage style Ludwig Drum Sets.  Today they still make a very good set using modern technology to make them the best constructed and have the best sound they can have.  They do make some series the way they have been making them for years because they are that good. 


Ludwig LCB22RX Element Power 5-Piece Drum Shell Kit

Ludwig LCB22RX Element Power 5-Piece Drum Shell Kit

The beginner sets made by Ludwig are smaller in size yet they are all real instruments suitable for playing on stage.  These sets are for kids 4 to 8 years old and look like a miniature set from the adult size.  There are four Junior sets available from Ludwig that vary in sizes so you can fit any child to a set.  They have hardwood veneers and PVC finishes.  They come in black, dark red, silver and blue and you can find the new lines with white and purple. 


Ludwig Black Magic Snare Drum

Ludwig Black Magic Snare Drum

Ludwig drums are made by people that actually play the drums.  This gives them an upper hand over many other drum companies.  They pay attention to the suggestions of the employees and make improvements or discard ideas that don’t work very well.  They work with artists to make their signature product that is sold to the public.  Currently they have a snare drum that was made for Van Halen that Antos rosewood from Honduras.  This wood is extremely expensive but along with looking good it has a very brilliant sound. 


Ludwig Pinnacle 5-Piece Drum Kit

Ludwig Pinnacle 5-Piece Drum Kit

They make new versions of some of the vintage models like Black Beauty.  They know that some of the drums from the past can become the favorites of modern drummers.  They just make them sound a little better with the new technology but they look very similar to the old models.  Ludwig drum sets are very versatile.  They are well made and have been well loved by drummers all over the world.   They continue to make new and improved drum sets for the beginner, the seasoned player and the professional. 

Check Out theses Ludwig Drum Sounds!