1965 Ludwig kit question

[jayme]

Hey All,
I've got a great 1965 Ludwig , Jazz sizes white painted interior kit in sky blue pearl.It's a little beat up as it has been my touring kit over the last few years.Every soundman I run into raves about the sound of the kit. Well , I'm thinking of retiring the old kit and use it just for practising , so I was hoping someone out there would know what woods were used in the shell construction for these drums. I want to buy a drumset with the same tonal qualities. I've got a line on a mod orange Ludwig , unclear on what year it is . would this sound the same or close to my 1965 kit?
Thanks,
jayme

[O-Lugs]

Jayme,

Your kit has shells that are no longer made. They were made from very thin veneers of mahogany and maple sandwiching a thicker, core-ply of poplar wood. The veneers were made into a straight plank of wood and then steam-bent into a cylindrical shape. The shells also have a pair of solid maple reinforcement rings at the ends of the shell. The profile of the bearing edge is rounded and the combination of wood, bearing edge profile and method of construction are virtually impossible to find in modern drums.

Ludwig re-issued the mod orange finish. The shells of the re-isuued drums are not like the old ones. Beat up or not, you will not find any drums to match the tone of a vintage Ludwig 3-ply shell. It is the magic shell as far as I am concerned! :)