I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself to the forum. My set is a Ludwig Universal hand-me-down kit used by my grandfather. It has been totally neglected since he quit playing around 1940.
Thanks to members of the forum for shedding some light on this kit. The advice that I have seen here has helped in ways I could never have foreseen.
I've attached pics of some of the pieces: the Universal Snare, a Ludwig Jr. bass pedal, a Zildjian cymbal and the inside of the Universal Bass.
Pleased to meet you!
Your grandfather would be proud.
Thanks.
These are before and after pics of the hi-hat cymbals. I used Zildjian Cymbal Cleaning Polish to get the grime off. There are no stamps or ink marks, so I'm clueless as to who the manufacturer is, but they have a distinct bulbous bell on top.
Well, they are yours, and you have every right to do with them what you will, but you have just committed what is considered by many to be one of the cardinal sins against vintage cymbals by cleaning them.
I sincerely hope you aren't considering cleaning that K. Zildjian also ??
Ouch
I polished the K. Zildjian and an 11" Ludwig cymbal that were part of the set. There is also a Made in China one that I left alone for now.
What is it about polishing a vintage cymbal that makes it a cardinal sin?
I polished the K. Zildjian and an 11" Ludwig cymbal that were part of the set. There is also a Made in China one that I left alone for now.What is it about polishing a vintage cymbal that makes it a cardinal sin?
Did you use a buffer on a drill or a buffing wheel to do the K ?
Just my own hands and three varying types of cloths.
Well, old Ks, like that one, could be worth huge amounts of money, but cymbal collectors don't like them to be cleaned. The patina adds to the mystery and also the sound of them. Ks are the most valuable of the large cymbal makers. One of the reasons is they have no idea what was used and if the metal was damaged in the process, and they rarely believe anything anyone tells them about the process used. Patina such as that you removed "mellows" the cymbals tones. Most cymbals have completely different sounds with and without patina and it is considered taboo to clean the patina off, by any means.
Just the quirks of the vintage drum world, like re-wrapping an otherwise good kit. If the original wrap is in good condition, and the owner thinks they would look better in green sparkle than that hideous Black Galaxy, that is in otherwise very good condition, the owner just killed the value of those drums. The B/G wrap is one of the most sought after wraps, and is very valuable in good original condition. Same goes for cleaning cymbals, other than with mild soap and water to know of the heavy dust.
That makes sense to me. Thanks for the info.
Getting this kit back into shape is not something that I'm doing for a collector. My only hope is to clean it up and be able to play it. It has already sparked an interest in drumming for my kids.
