History of Ludwig Drums

For 100 years, Ludwig has ranked among the premier drum companies. From its initial success with bass drum pedals that enabled drummers to play faster beats, Ludwig has rightly earned a reputation as a cutting edge company. This reputation first took hold during the Big Band Swing era of the 1930s and 1940s, and went into overdrive during the 1960s--when Ringo Starr lent his Beatles credibility to Ludwig's products. Classic kit designs from the 1960s and 1970s remain in demand today, but Ludwig is not about to rest on its laurels--as shown by its present list of endorsers, who come from every genre of today's music scene.

History

Formally known as Ludwig-Musser, the company began in 1909 as Ludwig & Ludwig, which stood for the brotherly team of William F. and Theo Ludwig. The Ludwigs initially made their mark by producing a bass drum pedal that allowed for the playing of faster beats without losing volume, or force--a feature that perhaps stemmed from William's drumming aspirations. The brothers followed their initial triumph with a hydraulic action tympani, and in 1916, developed a spring mechanism that became the basis for the current balanced action pedal.

Time Frame

During the 1920s and early 1930s, the company expanded into two types of ukulele-banjo instruments that remain highly prized by collectors. However, the Great Depression ushered in some severe changes for Ludwig--notably, a merger with the C.G. Conn Company. Dissatisfied with his lack of involvement on the design and manufacturing side after the merger, William Ludwig abruptly quit in 1936 and quickly opened W.F.L. Drum Company. He wasted no time rolling out a new product, the so-called "Speed King Pedal," which Ludwig still manufactures today. In 1955, William bought the old company back from Conn and renamed it the Ludwig Drum Company. In 1966, Ludwig scored another coup in buying a rival, the Musser Marimba Company, which dedicated itself to making percussion instruments. Conn-Selmer is the present owner.

Significance

However much the big band players appreciated Ludwig's instruments, it took rock 'n' roll to push the company's profile where it really mattered--in front of the young generation wanting to become the next Ringo Starr, who became the first major rock musician to endorse them. Sales shot up exponentially, leading the company to reward Starr's patronage in 1965 by giving him a specially-inscribed, gold-plated drum kit. Other heavyweights quickly followed during the 1960s and 1970s, including Cream's Ginger Baker, the Jimi Hendrix Experience's Mitch Mitchell, and Led Zeppelin's John Bonham. Ludwig kits, whose drums were made of maple and other selected hardwoods, were desired for their ability to cut through the murk of a '60s live performance. This was hardly a small issue, since drum miking did not become a common practice until the decade ended.

Considerations

Throughout its existence, Ludwig has distinguished itself by experimenting with materials and finishes--such as the so-called "Black Beauty," a nickel-plated brass shell drum made during the 1920s, and still prized by collectors. Another example occurred in the 1970s, when Ludwig introduced the Vistalite series, essentially, a see-through acrylic design that found favor with musicians from the hard-rocking Bonham, to soft-rock specialist Karen Carpenter. Ludwig also experimented with stainless steel kits, which Bonham favored during his later Zeppelin years. However, the cost and weight of these drum kits forced their discontinuation, although Ludwig resurrected them in 2007 for a special Bonham tribute model made in a limited edition of 100 units. Ludwig also excelled at producing snares like its Supraphonic--which Baker, Bonham, Deep Purple's Ian Paice, and ace sessioneer Steve Gadd used extensively--and the Super-Sensitive, so named for its precision wood finish and response capability.

Potential

The current design lineup offers something for everyone. In 2001, for example, Ludwig revived its Vistalite series, and sales of that model--along with the Bonham-era replica kit--have even been strong enough to inspire other companies in offering their own acrylic models. Another major development occurred in 2007, when Ludwig reintroduced its classic shell design of maple reinforcing rings and supporting poplar wood plies. With endorsers like Tre Cool of Green Day, Jim Riley of the country-rock band Rascal Flatts, and Meg White of the retro garage band White Stripes, there's little question that Ludwig's products continue to straddle the past and the future--no mean trick for a company that has managed to stay in business for 100 years

Resources

• How To Date 1960s Ludwig Drums By Serial Numbers
• Vintage Ludwig Drums
• Williuam F. Ludwig: The History of the Ludwig Family