I have two - three of them. I think they are a very interesting design. And when I get one dialed in, it really does feel smoot. Certainly unique!

And I have found some sources for the bushings to rebuild the connecting links. I think they're great!

be carefull. they might become the Zombie pedal!

Ghost pedals are IMHO some of smoothest (when you can find one that works,) fastest pedals ever made. I love them. I don't own one because when they go bad, they are impossible to fix. Bill would be the guy to call if you want one or need one repaired. I don't know of anyone else who can/will fix them.

Great pedals for playing though. Smooth as silk and a great feel. Opinions will vary....

John

I had a chance to buy one in pretty good shape but passed, mainly because I had already spent 325.00 at a guys house. Wish I would have took it home.

Bought one brand new in 1975 owned it up till 1988 then Sold it, Never ever cared for it, over built with no feel too it and sluggish acting. it was in perfect working order, Just never my cup of tea the foot board was too narrow to me. I own a 2000 model Dw 5000 turbo accelerator pedal with footboard weight plates, This is the best pedal I've ever owned, I've had them all. DW 9000 two of them didn't care for them, Premier 252 four of them in fact, speed kings,Gretsch, Slingerland. Sonor, Etc,, This Dw is the best For me.

ive got two simply because I like collecting vintage pedals. they just don't feel as good as a speed king or speedmaster to me. ive got a Ludwig and a pre Ludwig. they are some very neat pedals.

mike

Ludwig eventually bought ghost and the rights to manufacture the pedal.

I think they just phased it out because of lack of sales.

Yamaha,Tama,Pearl and Absa were making really decent pedals in the early 80's so competition was fierce.

In fact Ludwig bought the rights to the Absa Caroline pedal as well.I understand the dies and design drawings and specs got lost or damaged in the Chicage to Monroe move.

I think VM2K can probably shed some light there.

Steve B

I love mine,but it is to bulky and heavy to carry around in my gig bag. I tried a few times and it wasn't worth the trouble.At a 4th of Juli gig,the drummer after us had Ghost pedals. for his huge, 2 bass-6 tom-tom 4 floor tom kit(not to mention the triple stacked cymbals!!!!!!! It took forever to set up,he was blown away by the time he started playing drums. Then one of the Ghosts gave up and he had to throw on a DW5000. OH it was 100+ that day .................V

I have a couple of Ghost pedals; one is almost new and the other is so used , that the footboard is almost smooth. I have always liked them. They are kind of big and clumsy but until Ludwig messed them up the footboard could be clamped in place for transporting and the whole thing was a smoother package.

I used to spend time with an older jazz drummer who started his career the year I was born. He was given a Ghost pedal by Fred Gretsch, who used to market them but he said the one he used to play was black. I've only ever seen grey ones but it turns out that there have been 4 different Ghost pedals. The original one was supposedly designed aboard a ship nicknamed "the Gallopin Ghost" during W.W.II, from where the pedal got it's name. It took four years after application in 1947 to get a patent but in 1951 the patent was cleared. The original was grey with the concentric springs exposed on the inside. The footboard was smooth and the name was cast in under the footboard. The next one was black, had a smooth footboard and closed in springs with endcaps that said Ghost on them. Shelley Manne endorsed that pedal and it was the one my friend had played too, I guess.

The next one was the classic one that most people are familiar with. It is rarely black or green; mostly grey , with a textured Ghost emblazoned footboard and enclosed adjustable springs. All of the above have a collapsible footboard that can be secured by the hoop clamp turned backwards.

Ludwig bought the rights in 1975 , made some changes---plastered Ludwig allover it and discontinued it in 1981 because the springs were hard to service. Clearly, Ludwig was making the springs too. moral of the story; don't buy one that has Ludwig written on it; buy one of the other ones.