Description
Vintage 1981 Ludwig Big Beat Drums 6 ply Maple Shell Pack 24″/12″/13″/16″
This set has been through the mill and one Ludwig set we can tell the whole story about!
This set was originally bought by my brother Gary Dwyer for use with the Teardrop Explodes period 1981 from Hessy’s Music Shop in Stanley St Liverpool. Tim Reddy who was the sales assistant said it was a day he could never forget!
Originally this set started out life as the ‘Big Beat’ model with 2 rack toms on top of the Bass drum with the famous cow horn tom holder. Colour was a lush Red Mahogany lacquer. It was a stunner then as it is now!
This set would be used to record the demos for the Teardrop’s 3rd album before switching to a…….wait for it……………….Simmons kit!
It was the 1980’s you plant pots! This would be mixed with electric Simmons toms over the Bass/Snare/Floor tom.
Without going into the TE history here, this set then would be part of the Liverpool band, Black (this would be around 1983). It is here that it would be rescued from a recording studio by my good self, late 1983. My brother had fallen out of love with the music industry and so this set was left in a recording studio in Liverpool. I was told if I wanted it, I could go down there and pick it up. It was in pieces and I restored it back to its glory.
I would use this set with local groups. It was my pride and joy. Many tins of Mr Sheen would be lavished on it.
1985
My brother successfully gets the gig with Terry Hall’s The Colourfield and yes you guessed it – I came home from school to be told by my mum that the drums have to given over to the Bro! It was a Billy Casper moment! With a heavy heart I agreed that this was for the greater good and I was promised it back once the record company advance came!
1987
The set is holed up in The Ministry (rehearsal studios) in Liverpool and my brother has landed another gig with local chaps, The Sex Gods. Ludwig drums are not cool enough as he is now a Sonor Phonic power-tom set owner! It’s still the 80s!!
“These drums are going nowhere now!” I promise it for a long time.
Now up to the late 80s, I had purchased a Pearl Jeff Porcaro drum rack! Yep, I wanted the toms on the rack so sent the 2 mounted toms to Vincent Bach in London and had them drilled to accommodate the pipes to fit the Pearl holders! I’m crying writing this…it was the 80s still…let me off!
2023
So here it is today – completely restored (in 2007) by its present owner, (Nick of ADC).
The drums were in a rough state, finish wise, with the tom-bracket holes in the rack toms (pardon the pun) needing attention. So, the drums were sent to Dave@Jalepeno for the restoration of all time!
They are now a natural looking set with the 12″ x 8″ and 13″ x 9 ” toms filled and expertly patched (see pics) where the square maple patches are.
Sizes
- 24″ x 14″ Bass drum – serial number 1868352 – badge was removed and it has surface scratches
- Diamond plate tom holder is missing the insert to take the tom holder – no tom holder is supplied
- The Bass drum hoops are the original hoops, they have been sanded and lacquered
- 16″ x 16″ floor tom – serial number 2036854 – original floor tom legs, hardly a mark on the shell
- 13″ x 9″ tom – serial number 2043602 – see the patch on the inside to cover the pipe hole!
- 12″ x 8″ tom – serial number 1871108 – another patch for my rack behaviour! Great job though…
As with any vintage set, it will have very minor surface gig marks – that’s right folks, it has been gigged in this century! It has a warm, thick, rich sound, as all the Ludwig shells do from this time.
It’s a set with a lot of history and ready for a new home now.
Non-UK buyers, please contact us for shipping and payment options.
