Vintage Ludwig Drums-1965 6-Pc.Black Diamond Pearl! w/Mint Black Diamond Snare; Dbl. Knurled Legs & Spurs Start Price USD 2,595.00 Current Price USD 2,595.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Saturday, November 15, 2008 End Time Saturday, November 22, 2008 Location Gravette, Arkansas See more about 'Vintage Ludwig Drums-1965 6-Pc.Black Diamond Pearl!' Description Our last 5 restorations have sold to people that have watched listings by ArkansasDrumWorks for more than 2 years, and had determined that a purchase from us would be a sound investment. I am obviously speaking to similar, like-minded people To hear an actual recording of this Drum set, with comparison info & recordings of the other 7 snares, go to ArkansasDrumWorks /new. For Your Alternative Investment Portfolio, an immaculately restored 1965 Vintage Ludwig Hollywood Plus set, in BLACK DIAMOND PEARL. As to investment potential, PLEASE CONSIDER: During the decade from JAN 1, 1960, to DEC 31, 1969, the Ludwig Drum Company produced fewer than 875,000 INDIVIDUAL DRUMS. That is not Drum Sets... that is 875,000 SINGLE, SOLITARY, INDIVIDUAL DRUMS. That number includes every 24-40 inch Marching Bass, each individual quad, Field Military snare, School snare, Bongo, Timbale, & custom-ordered drum in the 1960's. Considering that nearly half of all of those went to the Public School market (if you have teenagers, then you know that you can pretty much write those babies off-very few of those 60's drums made it out alive), so you know you can mark most of those off.  Now, for the sake of argument, due to individual drums being sold to Symphonies, Orchestras, & the military, let's assume that possibly half of those 875 thou were sold as drum sets. How many of that limited number of sets do you think made it out of the 70's alive? Want 2 guess how many sets I destroyed in the 70's???  (BY drilling big holes in them, putting big screw holes in them TO PUT STUPID TRINKETS ON THEM TO, "Make them better", by painting the wrap, etc.) How many authenticatable sets (Date stamp in most of the drums, matching inspector's initials present) do you think made it into the present???  Folks, that number grows smaller every day. There are still many out there drilling holes, & screwing on "better" mounts. There are too many "so-called Restorers" out there applying compounds to the polyethylene wrap on those treasured remaining 60's drums, that are literally crystallizing the wrap, which will continue to reduce that limited remaining number of authentic Vintage 60's Drums. Another disturbing FACT: The Number OF RE-WRAPPED 60'S DRUMS IS increasing, & appalling! Most of you are aware that the wrap on a vintage Lud STARTS BETWEEN THE PLIES. The majority of the re-wraps I see have had the structural integrity of the drum compromised by cutting into the shell & removing the ORIGINAL wrap. (diminished structural integrity = reduced SONIC INTEGRITY) Now, how many complete 60's sets do you think made it out of the 1960's, much less the 1970's, alive??? Folks, that number diminishes daily. There are too many collectors, for too few drums. Period. End of story.  **************************************************** This Listing Consists of: A True Hollywood Black Diamond Pearl 6 Piece set (The Ludwig Hollywood set, when mounted, has both badges facing the observer). Ultra-Rare Early 60's Tom Tree 8 x 12” Tom, Left    (badge No. 235702)               8 x 12” Tom, Right    (badge No. 236488)                        9 x 13" Tom  (b. # 322430)  dated JAN 22, 1966     16 x 16” Floor Tom!!!  (b. # 234994)         14 x 22" Bass (b. # 235530)  all 4 Hollywoods are dated DEC 8, 1965   5 x 14 BDP Snare   (b. # 591971)  dated FEB 27, 1968      1 Vintage Ludwig snare stand. To those that would prefer a 12/13 configuration, I have added a 1966 BDP 13 that exactly matches the set; but In the early 1960's, around 50% of Hollywood sets produced were in this config., with double 12 in. toms, with the Left tuned higher, which added a distinctly different sound on the 60's & 70's Jazz & Pop Recordings. It was not until the last half of the decade that the 12/13 configuration became popular. This Set Has Great Investment Value: 1. I REJECT 80% OF ALL 60'S LUDWIG CHROME that we buy. We sell Collector Grade Restored Vintage 1960's Ludwig Drums. Like a "one trick pony", that is what we do. 2. Our overhead on a 4 piece set of Luds averages $1100. That DOES NOT INCLUDE the cost of the unrestored set. 3. I do not make my living restoring drums. It is a good thing that I don't, but I will not list for less. The price has gone up, as has the Investment value of these drums. I know that all of us have been having a more difficult time budgeting for the necessities. If you do not see these as pure Prime Investment Potential, as a more sound investment than the Stock Market, then please excuse yourself now.  ##################################################################################### We strive constantly to learn all there is to know about Vintage Ludwig Drums so that we may provide the finest, most authentic, IMMACULATELY RESTORED and SCIENTIFICALLY PROTECTED Vintage Ludwig Drums, available TODAY! Our restored drums just look better, and will retain that incredible patina for another half century! How do we get those incredible colors & shine on our restorations, time-after-time...after time?  How do we keep selling these incredible sets, all over the world, & get 100% feedback for our drum sets... time-after-time...after time? How do our sets go beyond buyer expectations...time-after time...after time  ????????????????????????????????? My name is Ivan Hunter, founder of ArkansasDrumWorks.  I bought my first set of double bass Ludwig Sky Blue Pearl drums from Earl Cate, guitar Hero, in 1970-all Blue/Olive with Keystone Supra. I have continued to own & play vintage Luds, exclusively, since that time. I know much about the restoration of wood, I know much about the chemistry of drum wrap, and I know the synergy that occurs when I combine that knowledge & experience as owner of ArkansasDrumWorks. I know that I sell lots of restored Vintage Ludwigs, for what our buyers consider MODERATE prices, considering the scope of our restorations. Our customers say that we sell the FINEST COLLECTOR GRADE RESTORED DRUMS available TODAY...and tomorrow! Our colors glow, regain & retain the original patina because...  as we remove the "bad", we replenish the substrate...we apply layer after layer of emollients, UV protectants, and lastly, WAXES! We DO NOT, NOR have ever re-wrapped drums, nor ever sold a re-wrapped set. We do not, nor have ever applied clear-coat, varnish or laquer, as part of our restorations!!!! Why can't I get those pretty colors by just sanding those old yellows, stains, & oxidation spots and squirting some Armor-all on them ???   How many times have your shells been sprayed with Armor-all?  Silicates & silicone sprays DO NOT MIX WITH polyethylene & polypropylene. They form a bond. A bond that will crystalize the substrate.Guess what your drum wrap is made of! (Hint: It's not fiberglass!) Yup! You guessed it...how many times has your wrap been allowed to bond with silicone sprays? (Hint: every time you sprayed that Armor-all on them to shine 'em up). How many of your seams are glued down with super-glue? Same thing. Pick up ANY BRAND OF SUPER-GLUE, & read the back. It will say, NOT TO BE USED on polypropylene & polyethylene! If allowed to stay, it will crystalize the wrap seam.  Our seams are guaranteed to stay down, & be super-glue free!!! If you can't justify or rectify the fact that a Historical, Masterful, Majestic, and just darn cooler than a '53 1/2 Red Corvette (well...almost), RESTORED BEYOND ALL EXPECTATIONS set of VINTAGE LUDWIG DRUMS IS WORTH MORE THAN A NEW SET OF DW'S...If you would buy one of our incredible drum sets, & then balk at paying $75. for safe, thorough packaging then you'd probably prefer a Comet to a Corvette. If you still want more specifics about the sets, visit ArkansasDrumWorks.com to see & read the very specialized procedures that are followed in the restoration process. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Please see the pictures, as we have paid absolute attention to detail in restoring this set. In the 1970’s so many players removed the bottom rims & heads, and the front kick bass head, which caused extensive damage to so many bearing edges!!! Even if the heads remained on, if they were never waxed again, then all the bearing edges would develop & retain a dry edge that CAUSES POOR AND IRREGULAR TUNING AS THE HEADS WILL NOT SLIDE & adjust, & will OFTEN BOND TO THE BEARING EDGE IN PLACES, while excessively wearing in other places, CAUSING LESS-THAN OPTIMAL (POOR!) SONIC QUALITY, no matter how or how ofter they are tuned. We have conceived of, & tried out, several ideas to advertise the importance of, & the work we put into the bearing edges: an idea that would hopefully transfer to the customer the importance of the optimized, yet original bearing edges. Look at the edges on these drums!!! SMOOTH & EVEN! Several years ago a retired Ludwig employee gave me a bag (yes, bag! It has a little burlap sack.) of the actual Ludwig edge wax (I know that it is mainly paraffin, but has Lanolin, & I do not know what else is in it) that was applied ONCE before the drums shipped. During the process of our restorations, we wax the bearing edges with the Ludwig wax at least 20 times-Look at the close-up of the bearing edges-they are rock hard, & SLICK! Look at the kick bass hoops…no claw marks! Look at the picture showing the 6 hoops, sanded & ready for painting-all our hoops are prep'd this way. These drums, badges & wraps are completely original! There is no pitting or discoloration on the rims (the chrome is great!), and no yellowing on the wrap! I start out buying expensive drums, with good finishes, and then restore the luster and finish. This set is the result of months of restoration, and please realize I can’t afford to let it go below the starting price! I know some of you laugh when others stick a SBP set on with a list price as high as we get after my son & I regularly put 200 man hours into the restoration of a set. The wrap is completely original. The bearing edges, rivets, bolts & bushings are immaculate on these mint pieces of history; the chrome is tight, shiny & lustrously preserved for the future, all hardware is bright & shiny (there is wax residue visible on some of the threads, and Lights reflected it the gleaming surfaces, but there is no oxidation on the hardware). The Bass drum hoops, and hoop inlays (completely original-no reproduction) have been restored to mint perfection. The hoops were carefully sanded to bare wood, no lumpy spray cover-over, Please see the last Photo): sanded with 250 grit sandpaper, then 500, then finished with 1000 grit, before rubbing w/OOOO steel wool between paint coats in Ludwig gloss black. Along with being beautiful to look at....This kit has that great Vintage Sound...Big..Warm & Woody ....This kit has seen very little use.  All of the hardware is nice and tight, with all after-market parts replaced by Vintage Ludwig-nothing is loose or stripped out, and all lug holding screws are re-torqued, double Ludwig washers (which is standard on Vintage Luds) were added to all shell mounts, including floor tom mounts. All wing-nut screws are cleaned, waxed, and original. It's all tuned up and ready to play....                           This is a very versatile, Collector Grade kit. It can be set up in many different configurations! Whether you are a player or a collector you ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED WITH THIS KIT!!! Please Note! Please realize the shipping calculator will not give an accurate quote, as these drums will have to ship in 3 SEPARATE boxes (24x24x20, 21x21x20 & 20x24x10) and will weigh around 95 pounds with the extra packaging. Due to buyers opting to pick up, and purchase by International buyers requiring more specialized packaging, DRUMS WILL NOT BE PACKAGED BEFORE AUCTION END. Place a Bid!