Ludwig-Musser

File:Ludwig logo.svg

Ludwig-Musser's logo.

Ludwig-Musser is a drum and percussion instrument manufacturer owned by Conn-Selmer, Inc.

History

The company was formed in 1910 as Ludwig & Ludwig by brothers William F. and Theo Ludwig. The brothers' first product was a bass drum pedal capable of playing faster beats than was typical of products of the time. It was produced in a rented barn on the southside of Chicago. The Ludwigs next developed a hydraulic action timpani and in 1916 invented a spring mechanism --the basis for the current Balanced Action Pedal Timpani. Production then expanded into other types of drums and banjo-type instruments. During the 1925-1930 period, Ludwig made two models of ukulele-banjo, each being prized by players of the instrument (Ludwig is known by collectors as being one of the three best historical makers of ukulele-banjos (the others being Gibson, and Jack Abbot)).

During the Great Depression of the 1930's, the company was forced to merge with the C.G. Conn Company. William F. Ludwig, who disliked his lack of involvement with the design and manufacture of the instruments after the merger, left the company in 1936. He opened his own company, the W.F.L. Drum Company, in 1937. The first product of W.F.L. was the Speed King Pedal, a product still manufactured by Ludwig. In 1955, the Ludwig division was purchased back from Conn and renamed the Ludwig Drum Company. In 1966, Ludwig purchased the Musser Marimba Company, which produced mallet percussion, including vibes, marimbas, bells, chimes and xylophones.

The Ludwig brand received its greatest boost in popularity in 1963-1964 when Ringo Starr of The Beatles prominently displayed the trade name on his bass drumheads, immediately above the Beatles' logo. This was done at Starr's insistence, to exhibit his pride at playing the brand after years of using inferior drum kits. The Ludwig company expressed their appreciation to Starr in 1965 by presenting him with an inscribed, gold-plated snare drum. Following Starr, Led Zeppelin's John Bonham became the next world class drummer to endorse and use Ludwig drums throughout his entire career. Many other Rock and Roll drummers who started out with or switched to Ludwig drums during their careers have included Peter Criss, and his successor, Eric Carr (KISS), Alex Van Halen (Van Halen), Neil Peart (Rush), Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Frank Beard (ZZ Top), Danny Gottleib (Pat Metheny Group), Ian Paice (Deep Purple), Carl Palmer (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer), Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, Beck, Bogert, & Appice), and with Rod Stewart's backup band; Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience),Keith Moon (The Who), Ginger Baker (Cream), Alan White (Plastic Ono Band, Yes); Michael Shrieve (Santana), Don Brewer (Grand Funk Railroad), Paul Wright, Bill Ward (Black Sabbath), Jethro Tull's first three drummers (Clive Bunker, Barriemore Barlow,and Mark Craney), Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones), Kenney Jones (Small Faces/Faces); Gregg Errico (Sly & the Family Stone), Dino Danelli (Rascals), Alan Gratzer (REO Speedwagon), Buddy Rich, Ed Shaughnessy (Doc Severinsen), Joey Kramer (Aerosmith), Roger Meddows-Taylor (Queen) Meg White (White Stripes,) and Tre Cool (Green Day).

In 1973, William F. Ludwig, Sr. died, to be succeeded by his son William F. Ludwig, Jr. Ludwig Industries was acquired by The Selmer Company in 1981. Today, Ludwig drums and timpani are manufactured in Monroe, North Carolina, with timpani and mallet instruments produced in LaGrange, Illinois. Certain lines of Ludwig Drums, marketed as the Accent, Accent CS, Accent CS Custom and Accent CS Custom Elite Series, are manufactured for Ludwig in Asia and imported into the North American market.

Throughout its history Ludwig has introduced innovations in drum construction, particularly in the use of materials and finishes. The Black Beauty model of snare drum, a black nickel-plated brass shell drum first manufactured by Ludwig during the 1920s, is highly prized by collectors and players alike. Perhaps the most famous use of materials appeared in Ludwig's Vistalite drum kits. Vistalite was the trade name used by Ludwig for its line of acrylic (mostly see-through) drums in the 1970s. Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham was widely recognized for playing an amber-colored Vistalite drum set and singer/drummer Karen Carpenter played on Ludwig Vistalites her entire career. Carpenter owned an entry level set, which was forest green with a gold strip, two sets of silver sparkle Vistalites which she purchased, and numerous sets donated to her by Ludwig. The first set of silver sparkle Vistalites is on display in The Carpenters museum at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. A set of jelly bean Vistalites, where every drum was a different color, was donated to Karen Carpenter by Ludwig for use in a 1976 television special.

Ludwig was also notable for the use of Stainless Steel in drum construction. The first kit was originally designed in 1973 as a custom job for Carl Palmer of ELP (for which the weight of the entire kit was estimated anywhere from one to six tons). Ludwig brought the concept back in 2007, in commemoration of John Bonham, with a limited edition of 100 kits.

The most sought after original Ludwig finish is the 1960's Black Oyster Pearl, made famous by Ringo Starr. Pink Oyster Pearl and the Black Galaxy finishes produced only between 1961 and 1962 are the rarest finishes and also highly prized. Mod Orange Pearl and Psychedelic Red Pearl are wrap finishes introduced by Ludwig Drums in 1967 and produced through the 70's. These two finishes are exceptionally rare now.

The Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum is considered to be an industry standard for professional snares. Such notable drummers as John Bonham, Ian Paice, Ginger Baker, Carl Palmer, and Steve Gadd, used this drum exclusively throughout the 1970s. The Super-Sensitive was a type of strainer introduced in the 60's and was popular through the 70's for it's sensitive response and precision controls.

In the 1980s, Ludwig introduced a new line of heavy duty hardware, abandoning a modular system in favor of a less expensive L-arm/double braced industry standard hardware system. Also 6-Ply drums were introduced, replacing the 3-Ply w/ reinforcement rings. Until the 1990s, Ludwigs drums were made of maple and selected hardwoods. In the late 1990s they began manufacturing all maple wood shells. In the 2000s Ludwig branched out with exotic wood finishes supplied by Steinway and Sons.

The popularity of Ludwig's drums has risen steadily in recent years. Although Vistalite sales declined toward the end of the 1970s and were discontinued, Ludwig reintroduced them in 2001. Sales of clear Vistalite and Bonham-replica amber Vistalites have been strong enough that a several other percussion companies have followed Ludwig's lead and now make their own acrylic drums. In 2007, Ludwig reintroduced the "classic" shell which consists of maple reinforcing rings and poplar wood plies.

Familiar names have returned to endorsing Ludwig. Bun E. Carlos of the rock group Cheap Trick just passed his 30 year mark as endorser. Like his father John, Jason Bonham is now a Ludwig endorser. Other notable contemporary endorsers include Tre Cool of Green Day, Myles Heskett of Wolfmother, J.J. Johnson with John Mayer, Jason McGerr of Death Cab for Cutie, Fab Moretti of The Strokes, Jim Riley of Rascal Flatts, Meg White of The White Stripes and John Fred Young of Black Stone Cherry.

External links

• Official website
• Ludwig in the Drumming Database
• vistalites.com Web page devoted to Vistalite drums.
• vistalitedrums
• William F. Ludwig II - In Memoriam