I'm going to say that the difference is in the aged wood..This "new" wood hasn't aged or settled like it's older "forefathers", but they come pretty close..The one thing i've noticed about Ludwig is that their hardware seems cheaper than the vintage hardware in terms of the type of metals used.. They may be beefed up, but are not as strong as the originals, and i have personal proof of this..
I ordered a Rockers Tom Post and Diamond plate from Ludwig 6 months ago for my Ludwig restoration project, and as i was loosening and tightening the wing nut which secures the post in place, the protective piece snapped and popped right out, and it was only after half a turn at the limit of tightness !. It's like cheapo matchbox car die cast compared to an original that i bought for the same resto project.. I tightened the original to way beyond it's limit and it did not budge..
That's the quality that's lacking with today's Ludwig metal parts and hardware.. I also bought a supralite last year and sent it right back and demanded store credit because when i was adjusting the butt plate of the drum, the drum key screws snapped in half !! On both sides !.. I was furious and shouted WTF ??..
Whenever i'm looking for a Ludwig part i make sure that it's an original part from now on.. These hardware parts are put on all Ludwig's high end kits, yet they say "made in the U.S.A" What they should be saying, and this is my personal conviction, is that it's hardware is made in China and assembled in the U.S.A..
Same thing with DW's vintage hardware.. I once bought their 6000 series vintage classic single pedal, and although it was smooth and fluid as heck, the hoop clamp screw that adjusts to the size of the hoop, bent only after a few gigs to the point where i needed pliers to pry it out without damaging the screw insert hole.. As I looked underneath the pedal when removing the screw, there was a very small sticker on the bottom of the heel plate that said, you guessed it, "made in Taiwan"..
These drum companies are stating words "vintage" and "classic" like it's the real deal, when it's far from it..The drums may sound close to the originals, but no cigar.. As far as the hardware, well, as you can see, there's no comparison.. I'd much rather have a flimsy original Rail consolette mount , then a weakened made in Taiwan that's been beefed up to make it look sturdy.. However, this varies from each manufacturer.. I think the only company that hasn't changed their manufacturing process and parts process is Gretsch, and although i'm a Ludwig user, i still think Gretsch is top notch above all the original big names..
