No Luddy experts here??

As it turns out I picked up what appears to be a Ludwig standard 5x14.

I was somewhat disappointed because I have never held one of these in the flesh and to me it looked like a steel shell cheap model. Boy was I wrong!

Forgot to bring a drum key and magnet with me, which turned out to be to my advantage, for I offered less than what the guy was asking because of my thinking it was not a brass shell. I just kind of threw the case and its contents in my drum room when I got home thinking I just wasted my time and money. Well, my interest got the best of me and I went down and decided to check it out, pulled a head and the finish at the edge is outstanding! Put a magnet on there and nothing!! Had some spent Cape Cod cloths and just started rubbing from the edge down and it is shining like new. The strainer is very delicate as is the snare butt. The muffler is good and there is one small hole that must be a vent hole, looks factory. It is missing one rod and clip, one other clip has a broken tab. There was also a bunch of cool old stuff in the cool old case, will post pics later this weekend. So I am guessing that this is a two piece shell?? It is pretty heavy, how do you determine if its is a two piece shell??

Sorry for the long winded post, feeling pretty excited!!

anyway to post a pic? the two piece era shells did not come with mufflers unless one was added. should be a great drum either way.

mike

You can tell if it's two piece by looking at the bead seam inside the shell.

Standards are great players, I used a 5x14 eight lugger for a dozen years.

I will post some pics later today, damn work is always in the way!

Bunch of other stuff in this purchase, think you folks will want it!

Looks like it is welded at the top and bottom where the edge is rolled to meet the shell.

Pics for Lucky

Hey Kev, thanks much!

Ok you Ludwig dudes, what do I have??

It doesn't look like the shell was welded at the bead but the shell is pretty heavy.

10 lugs also, gonna take it all apart and give it a good cleaning.

Any thoughts on value, not that I am looking to sell right now but I might be interested in a trade!

Hi...your drum is from the late '20s or early '30s. That throw off first appeared in 1928. (All the info is on this web site.)

Your shell is the desired two piece shell with the soldered edges. You can see the shell is two piece. In your second photo you can see the seam on the bead.

You're very lucky to have the extension piece on the throw off...tehy're ususall lost.

That drum looks all original. In good times the drum would get $800 easily. Now I'm guessing it would get 6-700 on ebay.

Just realized that Ludwig didn't show mufflers added until the 1935 catalog...if that muffler (tone control) is original, that makes your drum from around 1934 or 35. They switched to the Imperial lugs in 1936.

Thank you very much!!!!