A Ludwig Drum Company Ad from 1970

As I've stated in previous blogs, the Ludwig Drum Company in the 1960's and 70's always seemed to be a step ahead of their competitors in the advertising world. Thanks in no small measure to Ringo Starr and other British Invasion drummers, Ludwig executives realized the importance of aligning their company with the "Now Generation." Ludwig did everything it could to convince aspiring drummers that their drums were "hip" and that their brand was preferable to any other.  Slingerland, Rogers, Camco, and Gretsch were left at the starting gate. They all, eventually, took notice, but none of them could approach the visibility of the Ludwig name.

The pictured ad is just one of many that Ludwig placed in various periodicals. This ad appeared in Jazz and Pop magazine in 1970. Jazz and Pop was the main competitor to Downbeat at the time. Unlike Downbeat, the editors fully embraced the Rock, Pop, and Free Jazz scene that was happening across the country.

This ad is interesting in that it attempted to merge Roy Haynes and his Hip Ensemble with current rock cultural references. Although perhaps Ludwig's version of the rock scene wasn't that current. Light My Fire was already a few years old by this time. Nevertheless, the Doors and this particular song were one of the staples of the 60's music scene.  It also didn't make any difference that the music Roy's band was performing had absolutely nothing to do with the Doors, Light My Fire, or rock music in general.  It was the connection that was important, however tenuous. The implication was clear. You could light your own fire by playing Ludwig Drums....just like Roy Haynes.

Ludwig continued to pursue this advertising course throughout the 1970's. As I mentioned earlier, other drum companies soon caught on, but no other company did it quite like Ludwig.

The WFL Super Classic Snare Drum

Drum Companies, depending on the size of their advertising budgets, have always tried to build up an impressive list of endorsers. The Slingerland Drum Company, particularly during the Big Band era, had the most impressive roster of players.  Gene Krupa was Slingerland's best salesman and the famous Radio King Snare Drum soon became known as the Gene Krupa Radio King.

The Ludwig Drum Company,on the other hand, made great drums but their list of drummers wasn't nearly as impressive as Slingerland's. In the late 1940's, William  F. Ludwig set about rectifying the situation by signing Buddy Rich to endorse Ludwig Drums.(See blog dated Feb.3rd 2011). In 1947, Ludwig introduced the Buddy Rich Model Super Classic Snare Drum.  This 8 lug beauty came in one size only--5 1/2 x 14.  At the same time, there  was a snare drum called the New Classic or Ray McKinley that was sized  6 1 /2 x 14 (See blog dated  May 24th, 2011). But that drum was a different animal  entirely with 16 twin lug casings. Which brings me to the 6 1/2 x 14  Black Diamond Pearl sweetheart you see pictured.

I've never been able to find a picture of this drum in any WFL or Ludwig catalog. In the1980's, Ludwig produced a drum called the Rock/Concert model that was very similar, but that's about it. In the 40's, there was nothing like this. There were no 6 1/2 x 14 models with these lugs and this strainer.  There was a model called "the Contest" but it had a very different snare strainer on it. So this beauty seems to be a real one off.  Perhaps some Ludwig employee became creative while working on the snare drum line one day. I'm not even sure if the drum has a title. I'm calling it the WFL Super Classic Snare Drum only because it shares all the same qualities as the Buddy Rich model. The shell is made of mahogany and the strainer is the Classic P87 Snare Strainer that was remodeled in 1969.  The later strainer is still in use today.

What matters, of course, is how the drum sounds and, in this context, it's a real winner. It might not have a place in the official Ludwig Drum Company history book, but no matter. As the reader can see and I can attest to, Beauty is not simply skin deep.

The Ludwig Standard Swing Snare Drum

In the mind's of many drummers and musicians, the 1930's and early 40's belonged to the Slingerland Drum Company. Their roster of endorsers was impressive. The great Gene Krupa headed the list followed by Buddy Rich, Dave Tough, Cozy Cole, Big Sid Catlett, and Ray McKinley.

The Radio King Snare drum was the cat's meow for drummers everywhere--the epitome of snare drum construction. It's thick steam bent maple shell with reinforcing rings was the Radio King's calling card.

But the Ludwig Drum Company, one of Slingerland's competitors, wasn't asleep at the wheel during this period. The Company had its own list of endorsers which included Haskell Harr, Ben Pollack, Ray Toland, and George Wettling. And both Buddy Rich and Big Sid Catlett switched to Ludwig in the 1940's.

Ludwig also had been producing some very fine snare drums beginning in the 1920's. The Ludwig Black Beauty, the Super Ludwig, and the Ludwig Super Sensitive were great snare drums and all of them have stood the test of time. Which leads me to the drum you see pictured here.

This beauty was known as the Ludwig Standard Swing Snare drum. It dates from the late 1930's, specifically 1938-39. She came in one size, 7 x 14. The shell was constructed of mahogany. Early Ludwig wood shells were solid mahogany, but by this time the company had introduced laminated shells. In any case, she does have an indented snare bed.

As the reader can see, she sports wood hoops with silver sparkle inlays. The lacquered Duco finish is a very cool dark green to white fade. This finish was cheaper than the pearl wraps that were offered. Indeed, blue and white fades and red and yellow fades were more popular than other Duco finishes.

The snare strainer was known as the 339. It was first sold in the late 30's and remained in production until 1950. This strainer was very functional and fit the bill perfectly. Finally, this cupcake has the self aligning Imperial lugs that were first offered in 1938. Before that time, the tension rods screwed directly into the lug causing numerous problems. After 38, small tubes were inserted into the lugs allowing the tension rod to float.

This particular model was offered only for a short time. Nevertheless, it's a fine drum that, with some tweaking, could handle many present day musical situations. Interestingly enough, this drum was traded in recently at my local drum store. It is currently up for sale. (But perhaps not for long.) Anyway, it just goes to show that great drum "finds" are still possible.

The Ludwig Supraphonic 402

The Ludwig Drum Company holds the distinction of producing perhaps the most recorded snare drum in history--the Ludwig Supraphonic 400. The number of drummers who have used this model in recording sessions is quite staggering. The great Hal Blaine used the drum on 40 top ten hits, 350 top 40 hits, and thousands of other recordings. Charlie Watts (Stones), Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix), Dino Danelli (Young Rascals) and John Densmore (Doors), to name but a few, all played the model for extensive periods during their careers.

The pictured beauty doesn't have quite the same pedigree, but she is no slouch by any stretch of the imagination. The Ludwig 402 is really a 400 on steroids. She's bigger at 6 1/2 x 14, but no less responsive. She has the famous self aligning Imperial lugs and P-83 snare strainer. The drum originally came with Ludwig's own batter head and extra thin snare head. And the drum was initially made of brass.

This particular model is from the late 70's, perhaps early 80's. By this time, Ludwig had stopped using brass shells and used whatever metal they could get their hands on. Interestingly enough, Ludwig returned to brass shells in the mid 90s, but that's another story. The competition, in this case Rogers and Slingerland, continued to use brass shells throughout this time period.

The popularity of the 402 rests on the shoulders of one John Bonham who used the model extensively with Led Zeppelin. It was a match made in heaven. The list of recordings he made with Zeppelin are now a part of Rock history. I have no doubt that somewhere in the world, at this very moment, a classic rock radio station is spinning a Led Zeppelin tune with John powering through with his 402.

The Ludwig Downbeat Snare Drum

The Ludwig Downbeat Snare Drum had a varied and short life in the history of the Ludwig Drum Company. But despite it's short life, this drum has a very interesting pedigree. The origins of this beauty really began with William Ludwig and his WFL company.

In the late 40's, Be-bop was the rage and drum companies scrambled to add endorsers to their rosters. Smaller diameter drums became very popular, perhaps as a counter balance to the big kits that were used during the height of the big band era. There were Be-bop big bands, but most of the bop ensembles at the time had fewer musicians and didn't require the volume that bigger drums provided, or at least, that was the thinking.

In the late 40's, William Ludwig signed Buddy Rich to be his top endorser. Slingerland had Gene Krupa and Bill felt that he needed Buddy to compete in the marketplace. Ludwig promptly "married" Buddy with the Be-bop phenomena and in 1949, the Buddy Rich Be-bop Snare Drum was offered in WFL catalogs. The drum came in two sizes, 3 x 13 and 4 x 14. In 1951, the name of the 4 x 14 was changed to the New Compacto Snare Drum. In 1956, the drum was dropped from the Ludwig line up completely.

But in 1960, the 4 x 14 you see pictured above reappeared in the Ludwig catalogs. Called the Downbeat model, this little cupcake delivered " the goods." In production until 1970, the Downbeat was surprisingly versatile despite its smaller size. The wood shell was composed of a 3 ply mahogany/poplar/mahogany mix. At the same time, the 3 x 13 reappeared as the Jazz Combo model. This model lasted until 1970 when it was replaced by the Ludwig Piccolo Drum ( See blog dated Nov. 30th).

This particular Downbeat is wrapped in the very desirable Black Oyster Pearl covering. This, of course, is the same finish that Ringo had on his Ludwig Super Classic kit. The wrap alone increases the value of this drum immensely. But regardless of the finish, the Downbeat Snare Drum remains one of the finest 4 x 14 drums money can buy.

The book on these 3 x 13 and 4 x 14 snare drums is "still open." Ludwig, to this day, offers smaller diameter snare drums in their catalog. Among their Classic Maple Snare options, one can buy a 3.5 x 13 or 3.5 x 14 snare drum. They also sell the Carl Palmer "Venus" Signature Snare Drum. This 3.7 x 14 "power piccolo" sports a green lacquered metal shell, die cast hoops, and brass-plated tube lugs.

The Ludwig Super Sensitive 4 in 1 Snare Drum

From 1929 to 1935, the Ludwig Drum Company offered a snare drum it called the Super Sensitive. The drum had a metal shell, tube lugs, and two separate snare strainers. One stretched across the bottom head, but the other pressed up against the batter head. Ludwig called this device, " the sensitive mechanism." The drum was a success and in 1932 Ludwig even offered an engraved black shell as a buyers option. By 1935 however, the drum was dropped from production.

It wasn't until 1961 that Ludwig reintroduced the beauty you see pictured here. Ludwig called the drum the Super Sensitive 4 in 1. The 4 in 1 designation referred to the 4 sets of snare wires that were offered. These included an 18 strand wire, a 10 strand wire, all gut, and a 6 wire, 4 gut set.The drum has a heavy brass shell and has 10 self aligning Imperial lugs. The dual snare strainers can be controlled by a single lever and the individual snare wires can be adjusted from either side. But the internal "snare mechanism" from the earlier model was dropped.

Ludwig advertised this drum as "having more exclusive features than any other." Indeed, the whole idea here was to offer a drum that could be used in jazz, in classical, and even in rock situations. The drum came in two sizes, 5 x 14 and 6 1/2 x 14. The 5 x 14 listed for 120.00 dollars, the 6 1/2 for 124.00. Ludwig stated that " the drum was supplied in glistening chrome plate only."

As the decade of the 60's wore on, the drum changed somewhat. The brass shell was dropped and replaced with one made of metal. Ludwig called the metal Ludalloy. The snare strainer guards were changed and even more snare wire options were offered. The 1967 Ludwig catalog shows 6 different snare units offered. The 1973 Ludwig catalog shows 8 different snare units available. Each could be quickly changed and each snare wire strand could be adjusted individually. In addition, the drum came supplied with a specially designed "thermolene" plastic head.

To my knowledge, the Super Sensitive wasn't associated with, or endorsed by, any particular drummer. The Ludwig Supraphonic 400 was the drum of choice for most Ludwig players. Nevertheless, the Ludwig Super Sensitive is an excellent playing drum that offers a drummer a whole world of tonal possibilities.

As a brief historical footnote, William F. Ludwig II presented Ringo Starr with a gold plated Super Sensitive Snare Drum during the Beatles fall tour of the US in 1964.

I believe Ringo still has that drum.

The Ludwig & Ludwig Standard Concert Snare Drum

As mentioned in an earlier blog, the Conn Musical Instruments Company at one time owned both the Ludwig and Leedy Drum Companies. ( See Blog dated Feb 14th). William Ludwig Sr. had sold his company because of financial difficulties due to the stock market crash in the late 20's. At the time of the sale, the Ludwig badge on the drums read " Ludwig & Ludwig" referring to William Sr. and his brother, Theobald. The brothers got their start in the drum business by opening a drum store in Chicago.

In any case, both Ludwig and Leedy were manufactured on the same drum line in Indiana. The drums had different hardware, strainers, and badges. Conn Executives viewed Ludwig as the "weak sister" and focused most of their attention on the Leedy Drum Line. Ludwig & Ludwig had its own sales office in Chicago and they did their best without much support. Meanwhile, in the 30's, William had quite enough of Conn, quit the company, and started the WFL Drum Company. Thus, Bill Sr. found himself in the unenviable position of competing against his own "old" company.

In 1951, Conn merged both Ludwig & Ludwig and Leedy into one new drum company--the Leedy and Ludwig Drum Company. This venture lasted but a few years and ended up with Conn selling Ludwig back to Bill Sr.

The pictured beauty is from the late 40's/early 50's. The badge reads, "Ludwig & Ludwig, Chicago, Illinois". She has a thick 3 play wood shell and self aligning Imperial lugs which were revolutionary for the time. This lug was introduced back in the 30's and a variation is still in use today. She also has the Controlled Response Extension Snare Strainer. This ingenious 3 way strainer was only available from 1941 until 1950.

Initially, this model was offered in a mahogony or lacquer finish. But as the 40's turned to the 50's, pearl finishes became available. As the reader can see, this green pearl wrap is stunning. Her sound matches her looks.

Two of the most famous drummers in history played Ludwig & Ludwig Drums--Baby Dodds with Louis Armstrong and Big Sid Catlett with a later version of Louis Armstrong's band.

Joe Morello--Drummer

The pictured drum book by George Lawrence Stone was my first introduction to Joe Morello. The preface reads, "Dedicated to Joe Morello,Oustanding Perfectionist in Modern Drumming." This book and its companion book, Stick Control, were THE books for hand development among drummers back in the day. My teacher , Max Mariash, viewed these books as bibles for any aspiring drummer. But Joe Morello? I didn't really know much about him. Max raved about his playing, particularly his finger control. I had to find out more.

I was aware of Dave Brubeck because of the success of Take Five, a million seller jazz record. This was quite unheard of. Pop records were million sellers, not jazz tunes written in 5/4 time. Brubeck crossed over and his group appeared on various TV variety shows. I think I first saw him on one such show. I don't remember which show, perhaps Steve Allen, but it was a revelation. Joe swung like crazy, yet with a light touch. He had loads of technique which he used judiciously. Joe stayed with Brubeck until the group broke up in 1967.

In 1968, I finally saw Joe Morello in the flesh. It was a moment to remember. In the 60s, there were 2 major drum stores in Chicago, Franks Drum Shop and Bill Crowden's Drums Unlimited. The shops were close to each other....they both were on the same block downtown. They both put on drum clinics and one of them, I don't remember which one, put on a Drum Festival in nearby Grant Park. This was right at the time of the Democratic Convention. In fact, if memory serves, it was right after the convention. There had been rioting at the convention and police were extremely edgy.

In any case, 4 drummers were scheduled to appear, Sheldon Elias, a Camco clinician, Barrett Deems, Joe Morello, and Elvin Jones. They all shared the same back up musicians and they all played solos. Sheldon was first with a very tasty solo. Barrett followed with pure speed. Then Joe, looking and acting like an affable bank clerk, gave a tremendous solo. The crowd went nuts and some rushed the stage. It then started to rain, just as Elvin began to play. An enterprising fellow jumped on stage with an umbrella, and while all the musicians scattered, Elvin gave his inspired best, playing under a hand held umbrella. It was pure heaven. The police simply let things go and the event went off without a hitch

Obviously, I never forgot that moment. The opportunity to see Sheldon, Barrett, and particularly Joe Morello and Elvin Jones was a one off. To just hear and see the contrasting styles was an education in and of itself.

Soon after that, I went out and purchased two of Joe's drum books, Rudimental Jazz, and New Directions in Music, studies in 3/4 and 5/4 jazz. Both books have stood the test of time. His newer books, Master Studies 1 and 2, were really a continuation of his studies with George Lawrence Stone.

Joe Morello was a rare bird. He was a great drummer and great teacher.

The Radio King Chrome Shell snare drum

The Ludwig Drum Company and the Slingerland Drum Company were both based in the Chicago metro area. Ludwig was in the city proper and Slingerland was in Niles, a northwestern suburb. The companies were relatively close to each other, about 10 miles apart as the crow flies. Both Bud Slingerland and Bill Ludwig knew each other and they shared a history of competitiveness.

Slingerland, largely because of Gene Krupa, ruled the roost in the 1930s and 40s. It seemed like almost everyone, particularly big band drummers, played Slingerland Drums. Bill Ludwig did his best to compete, signing such drum stars as Buddy Rich in the late 40s. But the Slingerland Radio King snare drum was the desired drum of choice. The solid maple shell was practically a work of art and the hardware was second to none.

The 1960s saw a seismic shift in the cultural scene, largely due to the Beatles and the British Invasion. Rock was the "Now Sound" and Ludwig, unlike Slingerland, was quick to jump on the trend. Ludwig featured prominent jazz and rock players in their advertisements and catalogs. Slingerland, on the other hand, stressed their stable of Jazz Drummers. Indeed, even as late as 1968, Slingerland featured one (1) rock drummer in their catalog, Tom Schiffour of the Shadows of Knight.

But it was in the arena of snare drum sales that these two giants went toe to toe. Ludwig pitched the metal Supraphonic 400 (see blog entry Jan. 5th 2011) as their best selling snare drum. Slingerland countered with the snare drum you see pictured above, the Radio King Chrome shell snare drum.

The ad copy Ludwig and Slingerland used for their respective drums tells volumes about the marketing direction each company pursued. The ad for the Ludwig Supraphonic 400 describes it as " totally modern in sound and concept." The drum was " just plain explosive, offering instant response and undistorted snare action." "Its one piece Acousti-Perfect shell, made of heavy gauge metal with flanged hoops and a center bead for triple strength, was the utmost in modern snare drum design."

Slingerland countered by praising the Radio King as " a swinging drum with a solid brass shell and no sound distorting center bead." The drum was described as " a real buy" in the Slingerland catalog. This Radio King came in an 8 or 10 lug version with brass stick saver hoops that were guaranteed not to rust or break for life. The Ludwig Supraphonic 400, in contrast, was originally made of brass, but by the early 60s, the company simply started making them of any metal that was available at the time.

The results of this sales competition were somewhat lopsided. It can be argued, and quite convincingly I believe, that the Ludwig Supraphonic 400 was the most popular snare drum of the 1960s. It was offered as standard equipment with the Classic, Downbeat, New Yorker, and Traveler drum kits. Its recorded history is well known among drum aficionados.

And the Slingerland Radio King chrome snare drum? Well, history has not been kind to this model. Slingerland fumbled the ball badly with this drum. The ad campaign stressed its history rather than " the sound of today." Ludwig was quick to recognize that rock music was no passing fad and that to ignore its sales potential was foolish.

When all is said and done, this Radio King remains a fine, but neglected drum. But no apologies are needed. The Radio King chrome snare drum can hold its own in any musical situation. Incidentally, stick shredder hoops can used in place of the stick savers. This makes it a different animal. In any case, the drum sounds terrific.

The Leedy Broadway Standard Snare Drum

The story of the Leedy Drum Company is convoluted and intrinsically connected to the histories of both the Ludwig Drum Company and the Slingerland Drum Company. It would take a small book to give the complete picture, but I will try to give a general overview. For a more complete and exhaustive story, the reader should seek out the excellent book, The Great American Drums, by Harry Cangany.

The Leedy Drum Company story begins with Ulysses Grant Leedy. It was he who started it all in 1895 in Indianapolis. The company motto was, "The Worlds Finest Drummers Instruments," and Ulysses was very successful throughout the roaring 20s. But the crash of 1929 changed everything and Leedy sold his company to the Conn Musical Instruments Company.

At the same time, Bill Ludwig Sr., who owned the Ludwig and Ludwig Drum Company, was also affected by the crash. He also decided to sell to Conn Instruments, but he retained a small interest in the company.

In 1936, Bill Sr., having had quite enough of the Conn executives, sold his share and started the WFL (William F. Ludwig) Drum Company. Meanwhile, Conn made both Leedy Drums and Ludwig and Ludwig Drums out of the same factory in Indiana.

The pictured drum was the flagship Snare Drum of the Leedy Drum Company. This Beauty, called the Broadway Standard, dates from the late 1940s. She has 16 Beavertail lugs, thick Stick Shredder hoops, and the Broadway Snare Strainer. The craftmanship of this drum is beyond compare. A number of famous players used these drums including Sonny Greer with Duke Ellington and Zutty Singleton with Louis Armstrong.

In 1951, Conn merged both lines and the Leedy and Ludwig Drum Company was born. This lasted until 1955, when Bill Ludwig bought his old company back, dropped the WFL moniker, and named his company simply, The Ludwig Drum Company.

Meanwhile, Bud Slingerland, not wanting to be left out, purchased the Leedy Drum Company from Conn and began to market them as a separate line. This was not a success and soon Leedy Drums faded into obscurity.

But the line didn't die. Collectors sought these drums out and drummers who played them, swore by them. Ginger Baker, while with Cream, endorsed Ludwig, but played a Leedy Snare Drum.

In more recent times, Fred Gretsch, of the Gretsch Drum Company, bought the line and the Broadway Standard Snare Drum lives again. The new Leedy motto is, "For Drummers Who Care." Tre Cool, the drummer with Green Day, plays Leedy.

Ludwig Barrett Deems Model Snare Drum

Barrett Deems billed himself as " the World's Fastest Drummer." He played with many of the top names in Jazz, including Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Red Norvo, and Art Hodes. In the 1950's, he joined Louie Armstrong's Band and, along with recording numerous albums with him, appeared with Louie in the film High Society (1956) which starred Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Grace Kelly.

In the early 1960's, Barrett left Armstrong and settled down in Chicago. He backed visiting jazz musicians when they came through town and he formed his own big band. During the 1980's, he played regularly with his band at local clubs. I remember seeing Barrett at the Jazz Showcase checking out Louie Bellson when Louie appeared there.

Like many drummers of the time, Barrett switched drum companies at will. He endorsed Ludwig, Slingerland, Premier, and Corder. While he was with Ludwig, the company named the above pictured drum after him. Sporting 8 classic lugs and the tried and true P83 snare strainer, this beauty has a 3 ply mahogany/poplar shell. In 1960, when Barrett moved on to another company, Ludwig simply renamed the drum, calling it the Jazz Festival Model.

For all intents and purposes, that would have been the end of the story. But the story doesn't end there........not by a long shot.

In 1963, a young drummer from Liverpool, along with his manager, walked into Drum City in London and cut a deal with the owner, Ivor Arbiter, to buy a set of drums. Ringo decided on Ludwig Drums and wanted the Black Oyster Wrap. He bought the Ludwig Super Classic Kit, but instead of buying the Ludwig Supraphonic 400 snare drum, which came standard with that set ( See January 5th blog entry), he opted for the Jazz Festival Snare Drum in a matching color. It was this drum that Ringo played on many of those famous songs that the Fab Four recorded in the 1960's.

Thus, the Jazz Festival, formerly known as the Barrett Deems model, occupies a very lofty place in Drum and Pop Music History. It's somewhat ironic that the Jazz Festival Snare Drum is best known for its use by the drummer in the greatest, and most influential band, in Rock Music History.

By the way, Ringo still owns that snare drum that he bought so many years ago.

The Buddy Rich Model Super Classic Snare Drum

The great Buddy Rich endorsed and played different drums from various companies throughout his playing career. He was one of the few drummers who received free drum kits and cash payments for his endorsement.

At one time or another, he endorsed Rogers, Vox, Ludwig, Fibes, and Slingerland, but he spent most of his career switching between Slingerland and Ludwig, always searching for the perfect snare drum and playing whatever drum suited his fancy.

In 1946, the WFL/Ludwig Drum Company aggressively courted him and wooed him away from Slingerland. The Ludwig execs felt the need to sign him to combat the influence that Gene Krupa had with Slingerland. Krupa played Slingerland Drums his whole life and sold many drum kits to aspiring big band drummers.

Ludwig rolled out the red carpet and featured him on the cover of their 1948 and 1949 catalogs. They featured him in adverts as their number one Drum star. I posted one of these on an earlier blog. (See blog entry Sept 10, 2010). They also named two snare drums after him, the 5.5 x 14 Buddy Rich Super Classic and the 3 x 13, or the 4 x 14, Buddy Rich Be-Bop model.

The pictured drum is the Buddy Rich Super Classic in a White Marine Pearl wrap. It's a 3 ply mahogany/poplar/mahogany mix. The drum comes with the P-87 strainer, also referred to as the Classic strainer. The Super Classic originally came with calf heads, but Remo Weather Kings do quite nicely. In fact, with the literally hundreds of drum head choices now available, one could make the Buddy Rich Super Classic a very versatile snare drum. It's a fine snare drum and, like most Ludwig Snare Drums of the time, it's solidly built.

Buddy stayed with Ludwig from 1946 to 1959 until the Rogers Drum Company signed him as an endorser. He played Rogers until 1966, then spent about 6 months with Vox, then Fibes for a short time, and finally returned to Slingerland. He spent 10 years with Slingerland and returned to Ludwig in 1977. During his last years, he played a restored set of 1940's Slingerland Radio Kings.

Buddy Rich was a one of a kind. Truthfully, any snare drum that bears his name occupies a special place in Drum History.

Ludwig Supraphonic 400 Snare Drum

The 1960's were a wonderful time for drum companies and drum retailers. Business was brisk at the retail level and manufacturers worked overtime trying to pry every last dollar they could from their customers. But one company seemed to stand above the rest, particularly in the exploding Rock and Roll scene. That company was Ludwig out of Chicago Illinois.

The Ludwig Drum Company was no johnny come lately. The company had been in business for years, supplying drums and accessories for every need. But the Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan show sent shock waves throughout the industry. Ringo Starr played Ludwig and that's all aspiring rock and rollers needed to see. It also didn't hurt that Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones played Ludwig Drums. In fact, many of those British Invasion bands played the brand. It wasn't long before American drummers began to follow suit. The Ludwig brand name became commonplace on many of the drums sets of groups that appeared on weekly rock and roll TV shows like Shindig.

The Ludwig Supraphonic 400 Snare Drum was standard issue with many of the Ludwig kits. This metal beauty came with 10 Imperial lugs and triple flanged hoops. Earlier models had heavy brass shells, but later models were made with whatever metal alloy was available at the time. The drum was built like a tank. It could stand any "punishment", yet would still retain response and clarity. Literally, thousands were sold.

It should come as no surprise that the Super 4 is perhaps the most recorded drum in history. Hal Blaine, the great session drummer, used this drum. Hal recorded on 40 number one records, 350 top ten records and thousands of other tunes. Charlie Watts used the drum early in his career before switching to Gretsch. Mitch Mitchell, with Jimi Hendrix, played it. Others include Jim Densmore with the Doors, Dino Danelli with the Young Rascals and John Bonham with Led Zeppelin, who played the 6/1/2 x 14 model.

Happily, the drum lives on. Nowadays, in addition to the standard aluminum shell, you can order it with a titanium shell. Or you can simply buy a used one. They are plentiful and they are not expensive, at least not the brass ones.

There are more collectible Ludwig Snare Drums. The Ludwig Black Beauty comes to mind. But, as far as Drum History goes, the Super 4 takes a back seat to no one.