There are no sacred objects.

It would be inappropriate to purposefully sell it to anyone who has been active in this thread. So that isn't going to happen.

But like I said, I'll stick it on an auction site for a week.

Just to be clear then the drum would have to 12x8 to be a "club date"?

Thanks again.

the double ended center mounted lugs are what makes it a Club Date. They come in various sizes.

Use the Drum Mate drum for your project and you could find plenty others like it for very little money. The Drum Mate is low value and not terribly collectible whereas the Ludwig could still have drumming days left in it. I'm assuming none of the violins was a Strad and I'm assuming a buyer of the finished projects wouldn't know anything about the details of violins or drums so you could use anything old looking?

The Ludwig drum is a Duco Club Date tom with nickel (or badly corroded) hardware. "Duco" is the color scheme – often thought to be short for "Dual Color" because of so many two-tone paint jobs that were offered, it's actually short for "DuPont Color" because of the DuPont paint company that supplied the paint. Because of this, some painted (not wrapped) drums from this time period can still be considered duco despite being painted only one color. Unless the color is original and extremely well taken care of, the condition of the paint won't affect price all that much – most duco drums from this time period have chipped paint, and collectors don't mind much unless it's really bad – so it's best to leave it in original condition rather repainting or touching the paint up. Yours is in comparatively good condition based on the pic provided.

When you go to put it on auction, take pictures outdoors with a ton of light. Take pics of the mount (on the side of the drum), close up of the badge, and very importantly, the interior. (You'll need a drum key to remove the head. One can be found cheap at any music store.) Get pics of the routed edge of the wood, along with the wood on the inside. Form the year you say it's from, it should be painted white. Drummers want to see if the reinforcement rings on the inside of the drums are still intact and not cracked. They will also want to know if there are any extra holes.

On the subject of selling the item here –

You might have ruffled some feathers with your carefree attitude towards the destruction of stuff we really like, but you should reconsider selling to people on this site. Someone here might have been waiting for that exact drum in that exact finish for many years, and would pay accordingly. They also might not love dealing with ebay at all.

So there you go! You should have enough info to sell this baby properly. Hopefully someone snatches it before it gets hacked apart to light an old lady's davenport! :)

Then you measured incorrectly,as there are only 12,and 13" drum heads available,unless you had some custom made.They can't be 11.5,as drum haed makers,don't sell that size,and drum makers don't either.

That tom has to be either 8x12 or 9x13.You measure from edge to edge.NOT including the rims.Those are the ONLY sizes made by Ludwig for the Club Date line.They are distinguised by the single,center mounted lug,as oppose to a double row of lugs.

I have to say,I completly disagree with your use of antique/vintage instruments.If we all did that,there would soon be NO vintage instruments/drums left.Drums of that 60's era,especially Ludwig drums, are pieces of history,and as players,collectors,we're just temporary cartakers,of those pieces of history,which need to be preserved,in as original condition as possible,for furure generations,who study our craft.

Cutting up a 100 year old instrument to make a coat rack,to me at least,is just mutilation,to make a few bucks.Fix up an antique instrument,and get it into the hands of a student.....now you've preserved history,and restored that instrument to the purpose to which it was intended for.........to make music.....not hang coats.

Now that young musician has a piece of history in his hands,and hopefully,will pass that along to another fledgling player.History is to be perserved,not repurposed and re-interpreted.

Steve B

If it were a 100 year old wine cask, many here would say do it... but the Cooperage collectors would say don't touch it..

To us Vintage drums ARE Sacred.. So IMO you are really on the wrong forum with this discussion..

As far as the size is concerned .. it is probably 60 watt..

Cheers

Great response to a person who hasn't a clue about the emotions that enthusiasts can have with our hobbies. he probably won't understand your last statement, but I think that it's damn clever.

Oh, make sure you test out your wiring when you build that lamp.

Hold one of the the stripped wire between thumb and forefinger in one hand. do the same with the other wire in the other hand. Have your friend now plug the other end into the wall outlet.

(Somebody had to say it)

Well thankfully I wasn't asking permission.

I was asking for an evaluation of the condition and perceived value of a piece of junk I picked up.

And I stated plainly that I understand that you guys have a passion for this stuff. And I pointed out it probably wouldn't make you happy.

Then I pointed out why I feel it is important.

The only surprising part is the insistence that this drum is a piece of history.

If they only made 1000 and only dozens were remaining...maybe.

If they'd only made 100000 and the factory burned down and the warehouse was bombed and the lead paint used killed most of the other owners and nearly all the remaining ones were destroyed as part of a massive health and safety recall...maybe.

But just like the 100 year old violins, just being one hundred years old doesn't make it special.

Between 1880 and 1920 there were more than 7 million violins, violas, and cellos being cranked out of saxon germany, and czechoslovakia (bohemia). That means that there was a violin, viola, or cello for every one in ten Americans. And seeing as how many of them were being sold for $3 out of Sears and Roebuck catalogs just about one in every ten Americans had one.

Out of 7 million of the factory made instruments there are still millions being re-found in closets, attics, garages and barns and of the millions, maybe one in 100 is worth putting strings on.

I've sold 4 of them in the last 3 weeks. Out of 30 that I bought 5 can be played right now. Another 5 could be played after they get $200 worth of repair work. The rest of them are...Old Junk.

If it isn't taken care of it doesn't matter how old it is. At some point the Mona Lisa becomes a piece of junk if it's left in a leaky old barn and mice use the canvas to make a nest for their babies.

I have a box full of bronze coins from the time when Jesus walked around bringing people back from the dead...Guess how much that junk is worth? All of them combined aren't worth the cost of the extra virgin olive oil I keep them soaking in to stall the metal separation.

But after I stabilize them, coat them ***elers wax and mount them in pure silver d-wire edging and attach that to a hemp bracelet they will be worth $50 each to devout hipster christian teens with money to burn during the summer. They won't care that the coins are worthless. They will care about what the coins stand for and what they get to talk about and without the factual history there is no authenticity and without that there is no story to tell.

If you think for a hot second that there isn't a drummer you know who wouldn't love rubbing it in "someones" face that he has a lamp with more vintage credentials than "someones" whole drum kit then you are lying to yourselves.

I just wanted to know if the piece of junk I picked up was even valuable enough to be recognized.. Which you have overwhelmingly done.

So thank you again. It is my sincere hope that you have the best of luck tapping into the rare and dwindling supply of vintage musical instruments just like I have.

I understand your idea of artistically creating unique and rare objects and that is all fine and well.But as to your "sincere hope that we have the best of luck tapping into the rare and dwindling supply of vintage musical instruments goes"... i hope we beat you to them.

Wayne

Hear Hear.. and so say all of us..

Cheers

John