Greetings Vintage Drum Friends!
I would like to wish a very Happy New Year filled with Peace & Music to all the folks who take the time to read the articles here at NSMD. May your 2021 be HEALTHY and filled with old drums! As with most of us, last year was quite the year and I have relocated (with about 40 vintage sets). So with my dream house, I thought I needed a new house “House Kit” as my new home incorporates both recording, live and rehearsal performances. And as fate would have it, a kit I was long after finally became available.
The set I was after is the Vintage Drummers Facebook Page kit. There is a great group of vintage drum fans from around the world and some years ago the set was posted up as the page kit and I instantly fell in love with it. The set is 1950’s Leedy Ludwig outfit in player’s condition. What does that mean?
Player condition IMO is the set has either been refinished (usually due to the original finish being in poor shape) or majorly repaired (due to damage or unoriginal parts added) and is not in original condition. It’s still playable, still sounds great but its not in pristine collectable condition as most of my collection is. Sometimes the original finishes on these old drum sets just don’t stand the test of time. In the case of this kit, it did not and it was beautifully refinished by musician Jim Lersh some years back and belonged to fellow collector, drummer and Vintage Drummer FB page moderator Bryan Herman.
So I was off to Kansas to visit Bryan, see his collection of great drums and pick these up! This wonderful old wood kit consisting of 14x22 bass drum, 8X12 and 9x13 toms, 16x16 floor tom and the great cracking 5x14 Utility snare drum is the recording kit of studio dreams. The drums are date stamped from 4904 in the bass drum (April 1949) through 5408 in the snare (August 1954). These old mahogany shells are warm and have great tone and projection. The bass drum is deep, warm and punchy and I am experimenting with different batter heads. The toms and floor tom have the usual great sounding Remo Coated Ambassadors for now. I was recently asked why I would bother to get a set that was refinished since I usually go after time capsule kits that look brand new.
My previous experience with the Leedy Ludwig line of drums is why. I already have a 1953 Leedy Ludwig Nite Cap Outfit in original condition and that set sounds incredible. You can read about that kit here at NSMD as well. So I knew already the set was going to sound great, and I have a 2 tom option now, which is rare and super fun for a vintage set. This is the kind of kit I can breathe a little easier around as well, as I am ridiculously overly careful when handling any of my vintage kits for gigs, recording etc. This set is not perfect, has some imperfections but all that is hard to see and does not hamper the great sound this old kit puts out. This kit is all about the Mojo. And it puts quite a bit of that out too.
Remember, underneath that beat up old finish may be some beautiful old wood shells that want to make music again. Until next time, PLAY those drums!