For sale from Metz Music is this groovy player-grade vintage 1969 set of Ludwig drums in the well loved Oyster Black Pearl "Ringo" finish. The "Hollywood Outfit" is comprised of 12" and 13" toms, a 16" floor tom, as well as a 22" bass drum. Also paired with this kit is a 1968 Ludwig Pioneer snare drum that has been rewrapped in Bum Wrap's matching wrap. These drums have seen plenty of stages and clubs, but have most recently been stored by a novice collector for about a decade. They have been outfitted with Evans Calftone heads, and the eye-catching and familiar Beatles "Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" bass drum head. Also included are Humes & Berg Fibre Cases and some tea towels, just for fun!
Something you might notice is that there are 2 varieties of Oyster Black Pearl on this kit. After researching and speaking with the appropriate authorities, we have found that while this kit did come complete from the factory, the kick drum was an earlier built shell that had been wrapped and shelved before being matched with the included toms for sale.
All of the toms are in quite sound condition, with some minimal wrap seam lifting on the 13". There is some decent amount of pitting on all of the chrome hardware, but nothing that compromises the structural integrity. The plies have not separated and the bearing edges are in good shape, albeit imperfectly cut as somewhat commonly seen on Ludwig drums of this era. The eye-bolt mounts on the toms do not match, one uses a wing nut while the other a standard nut. The same goes for the "LUDWIG" tom mount on the bass drum. Only one L-arm is included, so the 12" tom is on a DW snare stand that will be included with the listing. Pictured, you will see an imperfection/blemish on the wrap of the floor tom that is believed to be a cigarette (or something else) burn. Its little things like this that make the history of a kit come alive, the stories it could tell!
It seems the bass drum has taken the biggest portion of aging on this kit. The T-rods and claws have a fair bit of rust and pitting, but again all seems to be sound. The hoops show a significant amount of wear in hoop rash, peeling paint, and the hoop on the batter side has been broken and re-glued at some point in its past. Sometimes you do what you have to do in order to keep the gigs going!
The 1968 5.5"x14" Pioneer snare drum that was paired with this kit is far from perfect, but it does have a vibe that works well with these drums. The drum has gone out-of-round, and the bearing edges are quite rounded making for a less lively "boxy" tone. As mentioned above, it was also rewrapped with a Bum Wrap OBP wrap and due to the lack of adhesion, it has warped and wrinkled in several spots around the drum.
All in all, its important to remember that this is NOT a museum piece, but a set of drums that has been loved and used by several drummers over their more than 50 year lifetime. Nearly everything is original, aside from some minor hardware aspects. These are the drums for you if you are looking for a true American classic sound and look. There are no drums more recognizable than these, and the true rock'n'roll nature of their sound has withstood the test of time!
Professionally packed and shipped fully insured.
