1960s Ludwig Red Glass Glitter Player Set

July 31, 2022 Phil Wilson

The set I am featuring in this issue is a completely restored 1960s Ludwig Set in beautiful red glass glitter. The bass drum is 20X14, the mounted tom is a 12X8, the floor tom is a converted marching drum 15X12. The snare is a Jazz Festival. The rail consolette works great and all the chrome is in great shape. It is a very pretty set with the glass glitter wrap. Red sparkle looks great, but red glass glitter just pops. I have a humorous story about this set I would like to tell you.

Drums From the Eastern Bloc

July 31, 2022 admin

Those who lived in the Eastern Block in the communist era have different recollections of those days. Some miss them, some curse them. I am too young to remember it well, but what I do know is that it wasn’t very pretty. Communism was very efficient at sucking creative juices out of those less persistent, as well as the will to do things that weren’t widely accepted in the society.

Vintage Gretsch Round Badge Finishes

July 31, 2022 Rick Gier

Just how common are the various wraps and finishes that Gretsch used on its vintage drums? This study reviews data gathered from a representative sample of Round Badge Gretsch drums produced from about 1962 through about 1969.

One Sweet Ride

July 31, 2022 David Barsalou

On view at The Memphis Drum Shop -- Joe Morello's legendary 'Take 5' ride cymbal displayed in all of its historical significance. The provenance is without question.

The Search is Over!

July 31, 2022 Kurt Ekstrom

I have spent countless hours looking at Mod Orange sets and saving pictures of them. I have been to countless drum shows as well as music stores and in the last 30 years of looking, have probably seen no more than 10 sets in Downbeat sizes.

1926 Ludwig & Ludwig StipelGold Standard Professional Model Snare

July 31, 2022 Danny Bilan

I recently purchased a fully reconditioned Ludwig & Ludwig Stipelgold Standard Professional model snare drum. I purchased it from Bill Wanser at Olympic Drums in Portland Oregon who did an amazing job refinishing it. It is a beautiful example of the rare Stipelgold finish offered by Ludwig & Ludwig in their 1926 catalogue. You could also purchase the snare along with the bass drum as an outfit. Stipelgold is a coarse, textured finish with a yellow hue. The unique badge indicates Genuine Stipelgold above Ludwig & Ludwig.

Adventures in Arthritis

July 31, 2022 Bill Ray

I went to a sports medicine specialist, got X-Rayed and he pulls up
the picture, circles a spot in the middle of my hand and says “yep,
here’s your problem, you’ve got Osteoarthritis. See how the cartilage
is disappearing? And oh yeah, you’ve got a bone spur right here (adds
another circle). Happy day, Mr. Ray!”

The Jazz Cymbal Beat

July 31, 2022 Joel Rothman

Joel Rothman goes deep into time signatures and note values when explaining the jazz cymbal pattern.

A Conversation Between a Drummer And An Unwanted Visitor

July 31, 2022 Joel Rothman

A storm was brewing for hours. It finally broke with an ear splitting bolt of lightning that flashed across the sky, followed by a thunderous roar. All of a sudden there was a loud single paradiddle knock at the door. I called to my wife, “Honey, please see who it is."

The Myth of Independence

July 31, 2022 Richard Best

When I was at music school, we had a coven of enthusiastic drummers, and almost every week one of our members would see some note-worthy drummer at a club and dutifully report the next day that the player had '4-way independence. But there's a problem with that assessment.

What Color Is Your Metronome?

July 31, 2022 Richard Best

* I heard a better one at a big band practice. The leader called out one of the trumpet players and said, “You're time's sort of all shot to hell”.

Video & Review: John Crocken Drum Sticks - Premium Persimmon, Brazilian Cherry, Jatoba and Purple Heart

June 30, 2022 George Lawrence

Percussionist John Crocken has been manufacturing high end drum sticks by hand in Baltimore Maryland for forty years. Not your typical hickory, maple or oak sticks, but more rigid and dense, yet lighter woods that are preferred by symphonic percussionists and rope drum drummers. John sent four models for us to check out:

From editor George Lawrence

June 30, 2022 George Lawrence

Drum Shows: The Music City Drum Show is coming up next weekend. July 9 in Nashville TN. The St. Louis Drum Show has moved into a much nicer venue In conjunction with the UMSL Music Dept. This year will be at the beautiful Touhill theater. The date is October 8. AND.. There is quite a drum show going on lately at DrumSellers.com. Check out all the latest gear for sale that has been consigned to us by collectors.

The Rare 1930s Gretsch Heavy Brass Shell Snare Drum

June 30, 2022 James Anzelone

In the 1930s, Gretsch was in the early stages of developing their metal brass shell snare. These models started off with a center beaded shell that was one piece, seamless in design and plated nickel over brass. The very first models came equipped with six tubular lugs, single flanged hoops and an outsourced strainers from a major drum competitor. It is important to note that catalogs referencing these early 30s model snare drums are very rare and hard to come by. Most

What in the heck is this? Kitchen & Co. snare drum

June 30, 2022 admin

Hi, are you able to tell me anything about a brass snare drum I have, its marked 'KITCHEN & Co.MAKERS,LEEDS. 4 80'.

Enlightment! Ruffs and Drags - 16ths, 32nds, or 64ths?

June 30, 2022 Joel Rothman

Joel Rothman, our newest columnist, explains the different rhythmic values of ruffs and drags.

1929 Ludwig & Ludwig New Era snare drum, WMP, 5x14

June 30, 2022 admin

I just purchased a rare snare drum from Olympic Drums in Portland Oregon. It's a WMP, 5x14, 1929 Ludwig & Ludwig New Era wood snare drum.

Listen Up and Listen Good! "Speed Listening"

June 30, 2022 Richard Best

Wouldn't it be great if we could take a ‘speed listening’ course, one that would teach us to hear 'faster'? That way we’d be able to catch just about any turn in the road and respond immediately.

Impressions of Art Blakey: A Conversation with Carl Allen - Part I

June 30, 2022 Reader Submissions

I remember hanging out with Art on his birthday at one of the famed clubs here in New York called Sweet Basils. I said, ‘Art, Happy Birthday! So how old are you now?’ Art said, ‘I’m 65 years old.’ I said, ‘oh man, that’s beautiful.’ So the following year I’m hanging out with Art again on his birthday at Sweet Basils and of course I said, ‘Art, Happy Birthday! So how old are you now?’ Art replied, ‘I’m 65 years old.’ I said, ‘hmm, that’s interesting math.’ So later I call Freddie Hubbard at home, and I said, ‘Hey listen man, I was just hanging with Bu, it’s his birthday and he says he’s 65’ Freddie responded, ‘Man, he says 65? He was 65 when I was in the band.’ So, who really knows how old Art really was.

NSMD welcomes columnist and advertiser Joel Rothman

June 30, 2022 George Lawrence

Not So Modern Drummer proudly welcomes new columnist and new advertiser, Joel Rothman. Joel is the author of almost 100 drum instruction books, most notably the best selling “Basic Drumming”, a very thick all-in-one method book for beginning and intermediate students. I started using this big red book in 1996 when I encountered it at Fork’s Drum Closet In Nashville where I taught for a number of years.

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