1971 Ludwig Standard in Blue Strata

You can thank the flood of Made in Japan kits being imported into the states that led Ludwig to create the Standard line.

First introduced in 1968, the “Standard” line was Ludwig’s answer to lower-priced drums being produced by Pearl, Tama and Yamaha. These shells were constructed from the same mold as the classic lines prior. Some speculate these shells were “B stock” (blemishes in wood grain) because this was the only line to have the interior shell sprayed with their exclusive granitone acoustical coating. What kept this USA-made line of drum kits at a price young drummers could afford was the cost-effective hardware, starting from lugs and badges to hi-hat stands and bass drum pedals.

No drummer can deny that Made in Japan drums had some of the most eye-catching wraps on the market. This is why Ludwig created 15 unique wraps that had that M.I.J. mojo—most notably, the strata wraps.

Nashville drummer, Johnny Richeson, playing a Ludwig Standard (13/16/22) & 3rd & 4th Drum Co. 5x14 aluminum snare.

This Ludwig Standard S-320 is dressed in blue strata. Sizes are 9x13, 16x16 and 14x22. Shell construction is the classic 3-ply maple/poplar/maple with maple re-rings. The snare paired with this kit is our 3rd & 4th Drum Co. 5x14 aluminum snare. The kit is equipped with Evans clear G2 on toms & a clear EQ4 on the bass drum. The snare has a coated G2.

This kit is available to rent through Nashville Drum Rentals.

3rd & 4th Drum Co. 6x14 Walnut/Ash/Walnut Snare Drum

I wanted to start off by thanking Sounds Like A Drum for the kind words they gave our zebra/maple snare drum. You can check it out here.

The zebra snare mentioned here & the 1920s Slingerland “Artist Model” snare drum, were my main inspirations leading me to craft the two snares featured in this post.

Let’s get down to the details.

Sound & Specs

These two snares are made out of the same constructed 6-ply shell - walnut (1) / ash (4) / walnut (1). Walnut is known for its classic and attractive characteristics for tone and visual aesthetic. Sonically, walnut’s tonal colors can be characterized as having a big and dark low end to it. On the other side of the coin, ash is known for its warmer highs and mids compared to maple. Having ash as the core and walnut as your outer plies allow you to obtain a lot of low end in the higher tuning range while not sounding “choked”. These drums will also have a deep and darker low end than maple. Both snares have a slight round over on the outer edge with a 45-degree inner cut. This allows the snare to give you both body and lively overtones.

These snares come outfitted with aged brass tube lugs, classic snare throw-off and single flanged hoops.

Unique Differences

Now it’s time to talk about what makes them different. First let’s talk about lug counts. One snare has 8 while the other has 10. The 10 lug snare (my favorite) will give you an overall articulate sound while the 8 lugs gives you more of a lively “retro vibe”. The 10 lug drum comes with 10-ply maple re-rings which will keep your sound focused but—since it is a thin shell—will not dry it up. You still have sustain and tone to your snare. For the 8 lug snare we took some of the leftover shell and installed them as re-rings. The 6-ply walnut/ash/walnut re-rings enhances the tonal colors and sustain of the thin shell.

3rd & 4th Drum Co. + Revival Drum Shop

I’m honored and excited to say that both of these drums have been welcomed at Revival Drum Shop in Portland, OR. I can’t thank José and everyone at Revival for allowing this little drum company to share the same space as so many great drum companies. The 10 lug snare drum sold in the first week. The 8 lug drum is still available for purchase. You can check it out in person or on Revival’s website.

If you would like a snare like this feel free to email me.

A Drummer's Guide to Buying Used/Vintage Drums

These past couple of months I’ve had a handful of friends and a couple strangers reach out to me with questions about drums they have either purchased or looking at purchasing. Those conversations led me to create this guide.

If you are looking for your first used/vintage kit or just adding to your ever growing collection, this guide will help you ask the right questions before you make a purchase. This guide is also helpful for drummers who are thinking about selling their drums as well. And since the holiday season is among us, it’s a great tool to share with your significant other so they know what to look out for when they are looking at gear on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and Reverb.

Click on the link below to download the guide.

A Drummer’s Guide to Buying Used/Vintage Drums

Happy drum hunting!

Stick Bags Need Love Too

It seems like all the love goes to drums, cymbals, drums heads and cool designs with tape on our snares. But what about our stick bags? Why don't they get any love? Well. This blog is dedicated to my stick bag.

I am currently using the Transport Deluxe Stick Bag from ProMark. The leather handles are kept from falling because they are secured with magnets. The front pocket, while large enough to hold many things, is where I keep my Shure SE315 in-ears, one container of MoonGel and an egg shaker.

 Inside the bag is where the magic lives.

The metal key is what holds my ear plugs for when the music is a bit much for the ears. The interior zippered pocket keeps my Evans torque key and a small snack to hold me over for playing 3 church services or those 45 mins to 2 hour gigs. The leather pocket kindly caresses my wallet and cell phone. I keep a twin tip Sharpie (fine point/ultra fine point) for taking notes. There is a place for a business card but I just slid of piece of paper in there with my name, website and phone number. 

This wouldn't be a stick bag without the sticks. I am currently enjoying a mixed pair of forward and rebound 7As and FireGrain 5As (rebound on my right and forward on my left). I keep a pair of Mike Portnoy sticks because of their nylon tips for when I need my cymbals to be brighter. The mallets are for those perfect cymbals swells. When I am trying to keep the drum shields away I call upon the hot rods. The jazz brushes come out to play when I want the audience to hear the ocean shores.

I wanted to allot a paragraph to one of the most secret weapons out there - the broomsticks. Honestly, they are perfect for low volume settings and give your drums a very unique sound when you lay into them. I highly encourage all drummers to try a pair.

#stickbagsmatter

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