A LUDWIG "STANDARD" PROJECT

YES, THE misplacedmtnman IS STILL ALIVE AND POLISHING

I know, I know.  You've probably been coming here for months on end, wondering, Whatever happened to that maladjusted, mischievous misplacedmtnman?  Did he set up those Black Vistalite Ludwigs and then drop off the face of the earth?  Why hasn't he posted anything in so long?

Well, suffice to say,  I've been busy at work, I've had some major personal struggles (and by major I mean major f***ing struggles that I won't go into here - I don't post about my personal life), and I am pretty positive that I am dying from arthritis pain in all of my joints.  While I used to have trouble with my knees, the problem has now spread viciously into my shoulders, fingers, wrists, elbows, hips and anywhere else there is a joint.  But like I said, I'm not here to discuss my personal troubles.  LET'S LOOK AT SOME DRUMS!!!

Displayed here is a beautifully retro Ludwig "Standard" kit that a friend of mine asked me to clean up for him.  The "Standard" line was Ludwig's response to the growing popularity of lighter-weight, less-expensive drum kits pouring into the country from Japan in the late 60s, throughout the 70s and up until the 1980s when Ludwig then developed their "Rocker" series to appeal more to all the long-haired rock-'n'-roll types like myself who were watching early MTV and dreaming of becoming a tom-tom-pounding stage star.  But way before the "Rockers," Ludwig "Standards" were a lower-level line of drum kits adorned with exciting new wraps called "Strata" (shown here in blue but also available in gold, bronze, ruby [red], lemon [yellow] and avocado [dark green]), "Mist" (which was basically a silver, gold, red or blue "sparkle" or "glitter" finish), and "Astro" (a silver, gold, charcoal [black], red or blue wavy "satin" finish).

Ludwig Standard Finishes as featured on the back of the catalog [photo credit: Vintage Drum Guide].

The interiors of these drums shells were painted with a grey-colored "Granitone Acoustical Coating" and the exteriors were equipped with less-ornate, lighter-weight but still Ludwig-quality hardware.  Throughout their history, Ludwig had manufactured very strong 3-ply mahogany/poplar/mahogany and maple/poplar/maple shells, until the 1970s when they discovered a 6-ply maple and poplar combination was not only stronger but less expensive to make (These shells were covered on the inside with a clear-coated natural finish).  "Standards" utilized a cost-saving 4-ply shell (except for the bass drums, which needed a more-supportive 6-ply shell).

According to the literature of the time, "The attractive price tag put [Ludwig Standard drums] just a step away from the low-priced imports."  They offered "quality tone and response at a moderate price" (not cheap, mind you, just "moderate").  And best of all, these kits were "guaranteed and backed by LUDWIG, the most famous name on drums."  They weren't some randomly-named Japanese brand with strangely-threaded, difficult-to-find-and-replace parts and a generic wrap that would quickly fade and show glue bleed-through (a very common issue with MIJ drums).  Today these Ludwig drum kits are relatively rare and hard to acquire at a reasonable price, so if you have the opportunity to snag one, definitely do it!  There are many collectors that seek out these unique gems, and they are almost as determined and fervent in their enthusiasm for this particular line of Ludwigs as fans and collectors of the infamous acrylic "Vistalites."

So aside from the quick history lesson brought to you with the help of www.vintagedrumguide.com these drums cleaned up easily and I think I did an extraordinary job bringing them back to their original glory.  Imagine that.  But the very sad ending to this whole project was my friend came over, looked at the kit and said, "Wow.  Good job."  Then he loaded the kit into his vehicle and promptly drove away without offering me so much as a candy bar for my work.  I guess he figured I just love doing what I do and I do's it for free.  Well, maybe I do but you could at least offer to buy me lunch or something.  Geez.  Thanks a lot, friend.

This is why drum cleaning remains my hobby, not my full-time job.