Hey all.

SO I am at a cross roads and I need some advice. Either way I am going to sell this kit because I can't afford to have another drum set right now....and I stress RIGHT NOW. Its incomplete and I know someone out there is way more about restoring this thing and playing it than I am. But before I get rid of it I want to make it as desirable as possible (so that I can get the best price), and that involves getting some parts. Or not. You guys gotta help me decide or at the very least help me understand if this thing is nickel or chrome!

The kit is a 1964 Ludwig Club Date in Black Oyster. Red BB mufflers, serials in the 72xxx neighborhood. The kit consists of:

20 inch bass drum (missing front hoop, ts and rods, the wing nut for the cymbal mount, and the cymbal arm) NO ex holes

12 inch tom (missing one hoop and the mount tension wing nut...but the mount is there) no ex holes

Pioneer snare (missing both hoops and wires) no ex holes

14 inch floor tom that was absolutely raped by the previous owner. 16 extra holes around the batter side from top lugs being added, 2 extra holes from a tama mount being added (he turned it into a concert tom) electricit but before he did that he stripped the original wrap which by the shell overlap seam actually was red sparkle ???? and re wrapped it with some cheap black plastic and attached that at the seam with 3 weird rivets...two of which punctured the shell. Oh and he also remembered to rip off the badge and the BB muffler and throw it away. Mind Blowi

I know right?

Seams are great on all drums. Minor scratching here and there, but the wrap is in really great shape. Just needs a deep cleaning and polish.

I stripped the 14 down to the bare shell. With some hole filling and a re-wrap it could make a sweet floor tom again some day. Shell is mahogany/poplar/mahogany just like the rest of the kit. No hardware present what-so ever on the floor, but structurally solid.

White interiors on all drums obviously.

Alright so here is my issue: I want to at least get the snare going here because I know it will be worth a decent chunk more complete AND I wanna play it a little because I have never owned a Pioneer. I also may just fix up the whole kit (complete with re-wrapping the floor if it makes sense to do so) and jam it a little before parting ways.

If someone is interested in this kit as is just stop me here and make an offer. It might just save me losing my mind.

If not, my first step though is to get the snare going because I think that makes the kit way more desirable no matter how far I get with the rest of the drums, and as I mentioned I want to play it. I found some hoops for it but I am having such a hard time figuring out if this kit nickel or chrome plating...and I want to make sure I get the right parts. I know in 64 they used both brass and steel hoops, and did both types of plating.

The one hoop on the 12 that is present and SEEMS original is definitely steel...which would mean the hardware must be chrome right? They didnt do nickel over steel did they? But then I look at the lugs and the consolette etc... and I am like...gotta be nickel. Magnet doesnt stick well to the lugs, but it sticks to all the other hardware.

Im sure its possible that the hoop on the 12 is a later replacement, but to me it looks like it is definitely 60's Ludwig and the "patina" totally matches the rest of the kit.

CONFUSING I KNOW.

The 20/12/Snare definitely came together as a kit so if one hoop is steel that should mean that the rest of the kit is chrome right? It looks so darn nickel though. Here are some mediocre pics. I can add more tomorrow when there is some good natural light.

I would really appreciate if someone could tell me if this hardware is nickel or chrome. That way I can at least get the right hoops for the snare and tom so that they are complete. Ill let someone else worry about the bass drum most likely. Or if someone is just interested as is maybe Ill just forget it this headache and let someone else who knows deal with it.

Either way Id like to end this frustration over nickel or chrome and theoretically set this thing up to be closer to original for whoever buys it...plus get to enjoy it myself for a bit this spring. I have such a hard time with it when the plating has 40 years of basement on it.

HELP! (VERY MUCH APPRECIATED)

-Adam