Thanks Tommy, your enthusiam about anything you post on is infectious. I love it!! As far as the sticks go, if I sold one pair for what you've seen them go for, I'd make a nice profit. I'm so tempted to open the bag and give them a try. Thanks for a clarification on the year they were made.
You are da man!!
BBK!...
Thanks man!... course I do have the areas that I'm very researched in, and BR would be the main one. That said, I wanted to flesh out my response a tad:
The 1980 Ludwig catalog still shows the Buddy Rich Outfit as Buddy was still "with the company", but barely. By the end of 1980 he was history, but the catalog had of course already been printed. Interestingly, the 15A Buddy Rich model stick isn't shown in the catalog, but his personal model drums were. Regarding what a pair of these sticks are worth:
I can't say what they might sell for TODAY, but when things were better.. ( read: economy/consumer confidence ) .. I saw more than a few of these go for $100.00 a pair. They are kind of rare, especially NIB. Nice find!
Tommyp
Another fanstastic stick I ran into some years ago, and was able to run into a treasure trove of them for a peanuts price, was the Densiwood Stick (nylon tipped).
I believe these were made by Capella, appear to be a red hickory, and are 7A models.
My friend in Sarasota Fla, found a man, who must've evidently bought Capella's remaining stock when the company folded, as he must've had 200 cases of sticks, stacked 6' high, and lining an entire garage wall!
Have about 60 pair of the Densiwoods, and as well another 40 or so pair of 5A. Price per pair all in sealed bags....$1. The Densiwood 7A is as the name implies, a very slender, but dense, and heavy stick for its size, nicely balanced, and plays wonderfully, and makes a comparable sized Vic Firth stick feel like it's made from Balsa Wood.
Also some really wierd sticks, with an additional two nylon beads on them, attached with a very heavy stiff monofilament line, branching off like a fork from the main nylon tip. Said to make you sound like "3 drummers"! I think I have about a dozen sealed pair of these lying around somwehere.
As well, if I remember correctly, Capella was one company who was making those huge "Cheech&Chong" monster sticks, made famous in "Up in Smoke", and these were a nice item to have, look lovely up on a wall in the drum room. Mark
Speaking of Vintage sticks,here is a good one.Handmade! The top one is the lightest stick ever and the lower one is a Leedy Ludwig-Kenny Adler model.I bought a "lot" from a family who's uncle had passed away and they sold off his drum items. The case everything came in fell apart when I got it,but I bet the case could have told many stories. Inside were his sticks with some that were homemade. This is a picture of the best one,plus a Ludwig Jr pedal and homemade hi-hat. The guy was pretty smart and a good plumber to come up with this hi-hat.It works fine after I install a new spring(I would like to find an old beat up spring to replace the new chrome one). The owner drummed in the 20's and 30's according to the family member I got everything from.But the Leedy Ludwig stick seems newer than the 30's????. Neat lot anyway.
I remember the Rogers Buddy Rich tapered sticks, and was using these back in the day, At the time, was my favorite stick.
Taking lessons at Frank's Drum Shop in Chicago in the 60's, I truly don't think there was a stick made, that Maury lishon didn't carry!
I remember having the Ludwig Ray Baduc model as well, and if I recall, (but I'm going on a very fuzzy past memory from 46 years ago, didn't this stick have an odd, squarish bead?
Currently, still got a bunch of sealed Slingy Gene Krupa Sticks, as well as sealed Barrett Deems.
The seller of my Slingy Barrett Deems set gave me some for free, and as well, good buddy Steve Maxwell passed some onto me as well, at a visit once at his house.
The sticks were of course very deeply appreciated from Steve, he's one hell of a swell man, but the bigger gift I think was gawking-drooling, and even playing some of his killer collection of Gladstones, Dynas, Craviottos, and even got to sit in for a few minutes on his prized Slingy Buddy Rich Set.
A set very similar to my Barrett Set, but his I believe is about 3-4 years older, Rogers swivomatic head on the Splash Cymbal Rod, and I remember at the time Steve having one of those Dualist BD Pedals on the set. A crazy pedal to get used to! Dummy I was, that I didn;t bring a camera, but I didn't wish to perhaps insult Steve by doing photo shoots of his prized possessions. Mark D.
Mike, are you selling? Could I just see some high quality pictures of both? Would be much appreciated, thank you so muchbrendan
Here you go...The sticks in the frame are: Gene Krupa sticks/brushes, Buddy Rich sticks/brushes, Louis Bellson sticks/brushes, Joe Morello sticks/brushes, Ringo Starr #13A...The BR, LB and JM are from actual gigs and were given to me.
The sticks in the canvas bag are from the WFL I/II estate and were purchased from WFL III soon after WFL II's death.
The Ringo sticks are the laminated model #13A.
Enjoy.
Mike Curotto
