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Thread: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

  1. #1

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    Default For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Every month or so I stop by a local music store that specializes in used, mostly vintage gear. He had a couple much cleaner ones going for $300 and then this beat up beauty. A 1968 Ludwig Super Sensitive. 5x14. All original as far as I can tell. It didn't have a price on it but I inquired and he told me he had planned on having it re-chromed but to my surprise he said I could have it for $75 as is. It's 100% complete and everything is in working order. It's absolutely filthy and I love it. Call me crazy, but I dig how beat up it is, really has a lot of character IMO. It's a players drum and that's just the way I like them.

    I'm going to take it apart and clean it. You can see in the pics where I took my finger and rubbed the shell a bit. It looks likes it's been sitting in a basement or garage for the last 20 years.

    I already have an 80's Supraphonic, and a 70's Acrolite, so this should complete the trio for now.










  2. #2

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Hell thats a great deal man I would have taken it for sure. Fix that babeh up
    www.myspace.com/maudeephyfe
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  3. #3

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    heck yeah..... clean that bad boy up ... looks like a great project,,, get some navel jelly to clean that chrome, some new lug screws ,and your good to go ... very nice deal ,,enjoy
    Tamaholic

  4. #4

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Navel jelly? That's good to know, I was going to ask the best way to clean the chrome

    It's actually funny how clean the chrome is under where the heads were. (compared to the rest of the drum anyway)

    Also, after further inspection the muffler is definitely not original. The two outer wires are missing off the snare too. The whole strainer mechanism itself it is good mechanical shape though, just a little rusty.



    The inside looks good too!


  5. #5

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    That is kind of cool! Like a rat rod the worse they look the cooler they are. maybe you'll start a trend of rat drums, cool a beat up but totally functional.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    That is the kind of project that can end up being very special. Congratulations on your find. Sodbusterjim.

  7. #7

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Quote Originally Posted by backtodrum View Post
    That is kind of cool! Like a rat rod the worse they look the cooler they are. maybe you'll start a trend of rat drums, cool a beat up but totally functional.

    I agree. It's really the perfect center piece for my 60's blue sparkle Rogers Holiday that I've been piecing back together. I have a 20" 67' bass drum and a 65' 16" floor. The floor has this massive burn in the wrap from a stage light and the bass has some some misc holes. Now I need to find a 12" or 13" blue sparkle Holiday to complete the setup. I have a bunch of old misc hardware too. I think this is going to be kinda cool. The purists are going to hate me, I think I may give Ploughman a heart attack.

    I'm pretty impressed with the Super Sensitive strainer setup though. I've never seen a strainer more intricate, especially for being so old.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Awesome. Was that at cream city?
    Mmm... Saturns.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Congrats on your find Exotic Matter! I'll bet that it will clean up better than you thought, and for $75 it will turn out to be an absolute steal!
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  10. #10

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Whoa.
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  11. #11

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Nice, man...can't wait to see it when it's all cleaned up! That's a steal for $75.
    Matt

  12. #12

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Great buy! Naval jelly is good but might remove chrome in areas where it is thin (worn down). (Would not apply except in test area out of site if you do try it.) Check restoring threads for ideas. See some say that 0000 steel wool and some chrome polish may work. Good to check re chrome restoration experience.
    Last edited by Tadman; 05-07-2010 at 10:00 PM.
    "I consider every drummer that ever played before me an influence, in every way." (Buddy Rich)

    "How do you keep 90 people together with one stick? I've got two sticks and i can't keep 5 people together." (Ian Paice)

  13. #13
    ThePloughman Guest

    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Only use steel wool if the chrome starts coming off in sheets and you have to strip the drum. NO STEEL WOOL Start with a non abrasive automotive chrome polish. Use one of the GOOD ones, not some cheap crap. A lot of that will clean up.

    Complete disassembly and cleaning, without any abrasive or steel wool.

    If you use steel wool it WILL SCRATCH.

    That is a nice score.

  14. #14

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    You do need to be careful with steel wool, but the reference in many of the chrome restoration sites is to 0000 grade steel wool, which is the
    "super fine" grade of steel wool (folks use it on glass too) and removes pits/etc. without scratching. It is often used with a liquid like chrome polish. Bottom line--

    you need to be very careful with polished (or at one time polished) chrome surfaces.
    "I consider every drummer that ever played before me an influence, in every way." (Buddy Rich)

    "How do you keep 90 people together with one stick? I've got two sticks and i can't keep 5 people together." (Ian Paice)

  15. #15
    ThePloughman Guest

    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    It really doesnt do well on drum chrome.

    But ... it will give you a very evenly scratched surface.
    Last edited by ThePloughman; 05-07-2010 at 11:28 PM.

  16. #16

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    There's a product called Never Dull, get it at an auto parts strore, it comes in a wadding type material with the polish in it, think it would clean that up pretty well, except for the deep stuff.

  17. #17

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Great Find A+++++++++++
    Premier "XPK" 10" 12" 13" 14" 16" 22" Premier 2000 snare
    Aquarian Heads, Responce 2, Impact 2 Bass, w/ reso.
    Paiste PST-5, 14" HH,16", 18" Crash, 20" Ride, 10" splash
    Tama Iron Cobra Double Pedal
    Tama RoadPro HH Stand
    Tama Double Tom Stand
    PDP Stands
    Isn't wonderful to be one of God's Children

    "PHROGGE'S AQUARIAN ARMY"
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  18. #18

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    NOW THAT'S ONE GREAT FIND!

    It will be fun cleaning that up.

    OOOO steel wool will scratch chrome but it's very fine scratches - you really have to look to notice.
    There are lots of high-end chrome polishes out there - check out the automotive retailers.

    It is a fine drum & but when you get it cleaned up you're going to have a beauty
    Last edited by kona; 05-09-2010 at 01:45 PM.
    Gary

  19. #19

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Thoughts on a sticky or thread on vintage drum restoration "tool kit" recommendations and techniques/considerations?

    Good idea to consolidate in one place. I've seen numerous threads on various issues (hoop repair, paint, removing wraps, specific drum restoration examples) but nothing consolidated in terms of restoring chrome toolkit and considerations, removing old wraps toolkit and considerations. (Example of where some of this knowledge lies with respect to a particular restoration issue: http://www.drumchat.com/showthread.p...ht=restoration)

    Would be useful for the site and consolidate on site the knowledge of others (obviously not me) who have extensive experience in restoring drums.
    "I consider every drummer that ever played before me an influence, in every way." (Buddy Rich)

    "How do you keep 90 people together with one stick? I've got two sticks and i can't keep 5 people together." (Ian Paice)

  20. #20

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Great find! As dirty as that thing is, it will sound just as good either way! I wish I had stumbled across something like this!
    Tama Starclassic Birch in Emerald Sea Fade 24x18, 13x10, 18x16
    Mapex Black Panther Phosphor Bronze 5.5x14
    Remo Coated Emperors (or Evans Clear EC2s) over Remo Coated Ambassadors
    Remo Coated Ambassador Over Hazy Diplomat Snare Side
    Dream Contact 14" Hi-Hats, Zildjian Avedis 21" Sweet Ride, Zildjian A Custom 18" Projection Crash, Wuhan 18" China
    Vic Firth 5As and 5Bs/Sound Percussion 5Bs and 2Bs


    "Da head of the drum doesn't matter, it's da head of da drummer that matters most..." -Phrogge

  21. #21

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Quote Originally Posted by weezy View Post
    Awesome. Was that at cream city?
    No, I got the snare at Rockhaus but the 20" & 16" Rogers that I'm piecing back together I got from a friend who used to work at Cream City.


    Thanks for the compliments guys. I've scored a few great vintage finds over the past few years, but I've been extra excited about this one.

    I'm not going to have time to properly polish it out for a few weeks so I just gave it a quick bath (with the lugs and strainer still on) and put the heads back on. It seems quite evident that I'm going to need to invest in some new wires for it. Right now there's only 8 wires and it just doesn't seem to be cutting it. It looks like Puresound makes retro fit ones though. I can't seem to find any of the pre 68' Ludwig wires with the individual tension screws though. I did however fit some beat up ones similar to mine selling for ebay for $70.

    I think I'm going to buy some of the Puresound retro fit ones and go from there. The original wires would be easy to fix if I could source some original individual wires. Because the snare over laps the bottom head they are a good 2" longer than normal wires.

    Also, if I sold these original Ludwig wires I could finally justify buying the snare frame for my otherwise mint COB Dynasonic that I've been needing for the past ten years. Decisions, decisions...

    Oh, and I also just discovered that a new 5x14 Super Sensitive goes for $600. Yikes!

  22. #22

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    Default Re: For $75, I just couldn't resist...

    Great find! They sure don't make em like that anymore!

    BTW, I used steel wool and Dawn on my 68 Sonors, lugs and original die-cast rims. The chrome shined up like new with no scratches at all. I did not pay attention to what kind of steel wool I used. Just what I had in the garage.
    IDK. Maybe I just got lucky, but it worked and saved me alot of money when compared to re-chroming.

    More pics as you progress, please?
    Proudly playing:
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    I think I love to play the drums simply because you get to hit 'em!!!

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