i too am 56 and there are no drums made today that IMO can even compare the the sound of My Rogers 1969 set NONE! i play them cause they are the best

I'm 65 and still enjoy playing my Flat/Jacks drums I bought new in 1962. I am looking forward to posting some pictures of my set soon. Happy drumming!

Something about vintage drums that I really enjoy are their individual histories.

I have a '65 Ludwig (I believe it's Super Classic, but with a 12" tom instead of a 13", did they make them that way too, or am I off?) in blue sparkle wrap. I've only had them for a few years and I don't know what kind of life they've led before I got my hands on them. Who played them and where? Tours, recording studios, bands,...It's fun to think about and if you're lucky enough, to actually find out.

I'm 52... I've returned to vintage drums after leaving for just a short while. I am also going back to early seventies Ludwig Hardware, including the Spurlok Hi-Hat. I'm still using my DW5000 pedal, as I can not get any of my SpeedKings to work properly. In 2004 I bought a set of Ludwig Classic Maples. I got them sounding really good and IMO better than a lot of imported drums I was hearing at other people's drums at gigs However I never was quite satisfied with the sound of the 9ply Luddies. The old 3 ply Luddies and even the 6 ply drums from the nineties sounded better to me. I let the new Luddies go, and now own a set of '64s and a set of '94 sixply. My snares are '67 jazzfest, a '65 Supra, a '66 Acrolyte, and a 2004 Brass edition Black Beauty. I have owned 6.5 snares, but as of now I'm using 5.25 or whatever the standard Ludwig size it. As for other brands, I love the Rogers, Gretsch, Camco, but can not afford to collect everything that's out there. The new Ludwig drums look great, but I can't spend that kind of money on one set. Unfortunately the "5-Star" drum store in my area has not bothered to tune up the new kits, so I can't comment on what the sound like. Matt

I love old and new. Have a WFL WMP NOB calf head kit and Brady jarrah kit. Both sound great in different ways. The biggest difference is of course price. The quality of what you can pick up for your money with the old stuff is much better. Love the glow of the NOB - Brady drums are very special though ... beautiful and unique. Got mine second hand for a decent price. Hope to always stay with these kits!Bowing

My 1970 Ludwigs have a certain sound. My 2004 DWs have a certain sound. I like both. I use both. I choose according to the gig and my mood...

I think its the old growth wood used in these old drum shells is the "magical" aspect that makes recreating the sounds with new kits so difficult. New growth un-aged wood just doesn't have the same properties...there is no way to recreate that sort of a thing.

Better? Worse? I think it is up to each individual, and a certain amount of nostalgia and visual taste certainly come into play. I will take an old American kit ANY day over virtually any new product. That said, there are some people out there doing some amazing things these days!

-Adam

Our local 5-Star shop's got a Ludwig cherry/gum Downbeat in Psych red. They know how to tune. They sound really good, really "Ludwiggy". Vintage sounding, and with a real punch. And that rail mount! Solid, adjustable. If I'd heard them before I bought my Rogers Holidays, they woulda come home with me. And they're under $800.00.....

Bill D.

I've had and still do have old and new drums, I really like my older stuff, (a few pieces I sold years ago and wish I hadn't) but my newer sets are really the work horses of my collection. When I play rock or Blues I use one of 2 Yamaha maple custom kit's, I just feel like their meatier and will survive gigging. But lately I'm thinking of using a 60s ludwig for blues gigs.

Anyone have a vintage kit that you use on the road? How's it holding up?

I'm 57 now and I've been professional for forty years. I discarded my black Premier - that I bought new in 1970 - for a new Fullerton Rogers in 1973. There was no comparison in sound: the Rogers stood head and shoulders above the Premier. I used the Rogers 24,22,13,14,16 from then on. I saw no reason to change it until I saw the Gretsch Centennial in '85 (see my article on David's site) and when I played it I couldn't imagine anything ever sounding better, and nothing ever has. Different, obviously, but never better to my ears, and the punters agree with me - which is no mean feat. Incidentally, I kept my 6.5 chrome Premier 2000 which I still use regularly and I have a '66 chrome Ludwig 400 5" which I also use a lot. One thing I have to say about new versus old; I came across the Active snare system back in the '90s and I must confess to absolutely loving it. I use it on the 400 and the Gretsch 8" wood and bought all the inserts I could find before they dissapeared completely. Fantastic choke free system.