How to Date a Vintage Ludwig Snare Drum
Ludwig Drums began making drums in 1910, but achieved real popularity in 1964 when fans and other musicians saw that The Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr used a Ludwig drum kit during the Fab Four's tour of the United States. According to drum collector Ned Ingberman, vintage Ludwig drums are highly collectible.
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Instructions
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Look for a serial number inside the snare drum. Prior to the surge in demand for drums in the 1964, Ludwig did not put serial numbers on its products. If your snare drum has a serial number on it, consult a chart to find out exactly what year it was made (see Resources).
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Look for additional identifying marks on or inside the snare drum. These include nameplates, labels, and handwritten notes or marks in pencil, pen, or crayon. Nameplates and labels often carry date stamps, and some owners (especially school bands or other organizations) mark the year a drum is acquired.
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Check the snare strainer wires. Ludwig's snare drums from the 1920s have strainers that do not completely detach. If the strainer on your snare doesn't come off, it was probably made between 1910 and 1930.
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Check old Ludwig catalogs for a visual match of your snare drum. You can find many of these online (see Resources). However, as the Vintage Drum Guide says, "As collectors and historians we have to settle for a date range or a specific year at best." With a little luck and some research, you should be able to find out at least what decade your drum was made.
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Resources
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Comments
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tamadrm
Dec 12, 2010
This artical is misleading and mostly incorrect.Ludwig NEVER stamped serial numbers inside their drums as stated above.You show a photo which is correctly labled as a DATE stamp but then in the text ,then refer to it as a serial number.This is completely incorrect.Also the photo you show is of a wood shelled drum,but your lead in photo is of a metal drum.Model numbers of these and other Ludwig drums are usually found on paper tags inside the drums.
