night three years ago in November, November
is a funny month for me, I get this email from
him. It says, “Dear Sirs, a while ago I bought
this drum, when will it ship?” So I looked up
the order and got back to him, said it would
ship in about two weeks. He says, “Oh my, I
can’t believe a Ludwig is responding to me.”
I said, well, this is my company. “You’ve got
to be kidding me, I love Ludwig, I’m a vintage
Ludwig collector, and I’m a drummer. I used
to sleep with the Ludwig catalogue under my
pillow when I was a teenager. Oh, and I have
a recording studio, and oh by the way I’m a
capitol investing specialist if you ever need an
investor.” And I picked up the phone before I
finished reading that and I called him. We met,
he liked the project, and said he was in. then
he said we should really come out with kits, so
I said, “No kidding, but I can’t afford it!” And he
said, “Well you can now.”
William F. Ludwig Jr. + III
So we went to the shell manufacturing love how so many things can be customized it the Darth Vader drum, everyone is like, “Oh,
company that was doing the snares and he by WFLIII when building a new drum kit. Can that looks mean!” So you’ve opened up their
agreed to make kit shells to my specifications, you tell us about this, from choice of woods, minds that they have options, and that’s what I
which are three-ply. This is the Keller Drum to colors, sizes and hardware offered? Your wanted to do.
Shell Company who makes shells for a lot of website is extremely user-friendly, and it’s other companies, but nobody gets the three- amazing that you offer 15 different choices in Then it just extended into the kits, of course
plys as we do. We came up with that concept kick drum sizes! we’re going to offer all of the popular sizes,
and made the prototype and Kip and I flew
and a couple of the stranger sizes and the
out there to meet with them. I saw the shell on [Bill] (laughter) Well, you know drummers, bigger ones like a 26” kick or a 28” kick, just to
the table and held it on my finger, it was raw, they all have their little quirks and likes and have them in case there’s one guy who wants
undrilled shell, and hit it with my other hand, needs. I wanted to meet those needs, but also to play like John Bonham. We actually do sell
and it just hit a tone. I said, “That is my shell.” to take it a step further and give them some a good bit of those, we thought we would
Undrilled, no hardware, no heads, and when it’s options. If you notice, I have chrome lugs, brass have them but would only sell one or two, but
in that state, if it sounds good then it’s going to lugs, or black nickel lugs to give a drummer an they’re actually moving pretty good. That’s also
sound good when you put heads on it. You can option. When I first introduced that at a show because they’re so resonant, it’s got a lot of
do that with another shell and it’ll sound like a people were looking at all three drums next to projection, good tone, and volume. That came
piece of cardboard. each other. Let’s say a black drum with brass thorough very nicely in my mind.
lugs, which is incredibly cool looking. Gold on
[WM] I really like how you’ve retained some
black. Then you put black on black, and I call
[WM] I noticed that your toms do not have a
of the historical lug design yet redesigning it to “rack mount” on the kick drum. Did your market
also feature that III stamped into it. Great job. research indicate that most drummers would
Your branding is wonderfully thought through! prefer simply using a floor stand for their small
tom?
[Bill] Thank you!
[WM] That, coupled with the rim lock system
[WM] One of the most appealing things about that is out these days, and everybody’s got
your new drums is how sensitive you are to them. So why bother, why not just buy our
buyers’ wants and needs in an online age. I
shell pack and put your original mounts that
full drumset
January 2020
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