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1969 Ludwig Downbeat... Oyster Black... value?

Posts: 17 Threads: 4

Hi everyone! First off, I really appreciate this forum... I've learned so much and have had so many questions answered just by searching around on here over the past couple of years. There are some real drum gurus on the Vintage Drum Forum, that's for sure.

So... I have a 1969 Ludwig kit with some questions that I can't seem to find the answers to, so I thought I'd ask you guys about it.

All three drums are dated June 5th, 1969 and they all have keystone badges with clear interiors. They are in great condition, aside from some usual scuffs on the bass drum hoops... and all of the inlay is intact. The wraps are all tight and look great, and the chrome is in great condition as well. They also have the nice "transitional" wrap, which is somewhere between traditional Oyster Black Pearl and the Bowling Ball finish of the 70's. It's beautiful.

During my digging, I've found several sets that are in the 13/16/20 configuration, and even some in 13/16/22... but I have yet to find another set in the Downbeat configuration... that goes for the Oyster Blue finish as well. I just can't seem to find another set like this. And I definitely haven't seen any with matching date stamps on all three drums (and that goes for vintage Ludwig sets, period).

I'm a huge Ludwig fan, and I have several vintage sets as well as a few newer ones. I don't really want to sell these, but I've been wanting to make some room and have a friend that really wants to buy them. So I'd kind of like to know what they might be worth and how rare they are.

So if you guys can shed some light on this for me, I'd be forever grateful!!! Thanks a lot.

Mike

Posted on 11 years ago
#1
Posts: 1041 Threads: 64

If what you have is as you are reporting it.... meaning, it is not a re-wrap, etc..

I would say that might be a gem! I'll let some of the experts chime in... but it looks like a clean set. Guitar Dude Man

More photos could be helpful... shots of the interiors, date stamps, bearing edges...

-Justin

"People might look at you a bit funny, but it's okay. Artists are allowed to be a bit different."- Bob Ross

"After silence, that which comes closest to expressing the inexpressible is music..." - Aldous Huxley
Posted on 11 years ago
#2
Posts: 2115 Threads: 26

Man, that kit looks like it just came from the factory! Very nice. I'll let the Ludwig gurus speak to the actual price, but that appears to be something special.

tnsquint
Very proud owner of a new Blaemire Snare 6.5 x 14 made by Jerry Jenkins "Drumjinx"
Posted on 11 years ago
#3
Posts: 17 Threads: 4

Hey, thanks for the input guys! I'm taking some more detailed photos right now. Here are some of the rack tom. Will do the floor tom and kick next.

Posted on 11 years ago
#4
Posts: 17 Threads: 4

A couple more of the rack tom... sorry for all the photos...

Posted on 11 years ago
#5
Posts: 37 Threads: 3

Transitional? I'd bet that's "bowling ball" finish alright ... it just hasn't faded yet. Wow. The silver and gray will eventually fade to dark, which is what so many people see.

My kit is from '69 too ... insides of the shells were painted black, so no date, but the keystone serial # puts them there. The wrap on the kick was trashed - fire, chemical, who knows - so I did a lot of searching for wrap to match with no luck. Pulling the lugs off revealed the more "colorful" finish - you can see the silver and gray is much more present.

Your kit must have spent a lot of time in the dark ... that's beautiful. I'd price it as a damnear "mint" kit, very rare with that wrap (similar to unfaded psychedelic red - the differences are night and day)

Posted on 11 years ago
#6
Posts: 17 Threads: 4

Actually, in '69 Ludwig did have a version of Oyster/Bowling Ball that was different from the regular Bowling Ball finish of the 70's. If you look it up on various drum forums (including this one) and Google, it is talked about quite a bit... and there are lots of photos of various kits too. It's not the regular black and white Bowling Ball at all. It is much more pearlescent and has more colors in it. So I respectfully disagree with that statement... but thank you. :)

Posted on 11 years ago
#7
Posts: 3089 Threads: 326

No at all sure of the value of those, though after the era of the white interiors, the values do tend to drop off a bit for whatever reason. Probably would attract a fair amount of attention as it is a beautiful set of drums. No doubt has a sound very similar to the earlier ones of the sort Ringo used or perhaps a bit brighter in tone due to the clear interiors.

Makes me wonder more about the oyster/strata finishes of the era where Rogers' strata was very inconsistent, running the course of just a few years with at least several differing patterns. One looks a lot like the pattern you have. Check out the 9x13 strata toms on eBay right now. Surprising similarity on one of them.

I'd venture a guess of a minimum of around $1500 for the three. Due to rarity it could go quite a bit higher at auction.

Posted on 11 years ago
#8
Posts: 17 Threads: 4

Hey, thanks for the valuable info Dan! I really appreciate you taking the time. Have a good one!

Posted on 11 years ago
#9
Posts: 621 Threads: 41

Lots of people think the late '60's clear interior Ludwigs are the best. QC was up, the curved spurs are solid, & the sound is very good. Your kit's a beauty. Hard to say on value these days--prices seem kinda random. Very nice set...marko

Posted on 11 years ago
#10
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