Selling is a part of what I do. It is bittersweet to sell a kit, but it gives me joy to see someone else get a cool vintage drum set that they really like. I was a little bit sad to let this sweet Ludwig drum set go today. I had owned this 1965 Ludwig Hollywood set for a long time. I had a buyer come over today, and he was trying to get a great drum set to put in a music room he was building. One of my close friends told him to check with me before buying a kit. He called me and asked if I had any drums for sale? I assured him I had several nice drum sets that would be perfect for his new music room. I told him there was nothing wrong with getting a new drum set, and they would work just fine, but a vintage set would be better. What do you guys and gals think, isn't vintage better?
I said I was a bit sad because I can't help but get attached to my drums. One of my close collector friends once said to me, "you can't keep all of them." That has always been comforting to me when I sell a set. When people ask me if I sell as well as buy I always say," everything in my drum room is for sale at some price." There are a lot of nice drums and cymbals in my drum cave, but nothing that I can't live without if the money is right. Do you have a set or snare that is absolutely not for sale at any price? The guy I sold to was very happy with Hollywood Ludwigs, and the deal I gave him.
When Hollywood sets began, Ludwig used matching 12"X8" mounted toms, like this kit has. Later the Hollywood sets would have a 12'' and a 13" mounted tom. The floor tom is a 16"X16" and the bass drum is 22"X14". One nice feature of this Keystone badge set with 1965 date stamps is the matching 14"X5" Jazz Festival snare drum. Fold out spurs and slide on tom brackets work great on this awesome vintage silver sparkle set. The wrap has "ginger-aled" with time. To me, the color change gives this set a wonderful vintage vibe. The chrome is nice and there is very little damage to the set. There are a few character marks on the drums, however, you must remember that they are over fifty years old. It is funny to me that guitars can have character marks without diminishing the value, but drums must be "without spot or blemish" to get the best price.
The buyer left with a smile, I had some good cash in my pocket, and I was looking on E-bay again tonight. My wife wanted to know what was going to use the money for? Is that any kind of question to ask a vintage drum lover?