Ludwig 1963 Vintage 8 x 12" Oyster Black Tom Pre-Serial Keystone COB Rims, Ringo

Description: This listing is for a rare, genuine (not reissue), 1963 Ludwig 8" x 12" rack tom in original Oyster Black Pearl, the same as used by Ringo with the Beatles in the early days as part of his Downbeat drum kit. >>>Please read description thoroughly, preferably twice.<<< It features the early style scarf joint with the OBP covering lapped into the shell as it was formed, which cannot be duplicated with a re-covering job. The Oyster Black Pearl has the unique color variation that none of the subsequent re-issue coverings have been able to duplicate.The random ripple of the horizontal pattern, shades of black & gray, white marbling, and transparent sections which show the brown of the outer mahogany ply, are all features unique to the original OBP. By contrast, most of the reissue material exhibits an assembled strip pattern with a blurry blue cast and not enough white or clear in the mix. The shell interior is mahogany with Ludwig's usual white coating. The keystone badge is pre-serial number and the interior date of "AUG 1 1963" is stamped in red ink vertically on the same panel as the current Rogers mount. It can just be seen through the badge grommet at a sharp angle viewed to the left. At some point the inscription "JPS 301" was applied to the interior shell seemingly with a soldering iron or similar implement. It has 12 Super Classic lugs, chrome-over-brass rims that are in good overall condition with a few dings top & bottom, and plating issues on the bottom hoop as indicated by arrows in the pics, and its original red felt baseball bat tone control/muffler. The top head is presumed to be its original Ludwig Weather Master, and the bottom is a smooth white. It always tuned-up fine and sounded great so there was never a need to change. ***THINGS TO NOTE AND READ CAREFULLY*** It is presently outfitted with an original Rogers Swiv-O-Matic tom mounting plate with matching Rogers/USA collet nose as shown, as it was part of a Ringo-style Downbeat kit that had been modified to use with a Rogers tom arm. At some point it appears that another similar mount was used on the opposite side, (one panel to the right of the badge), possibly as part of a left-handed, or double 12" set. It has always been as-shown for all of the years I've owned it, and the extra holes are currently filled with black plastic plugs that fit perfectly and are hard to notice. They blend into the pattern and are more innocuous than flush-cut plugs of OBP. There is an area of rough surface or scuffing to the left of, and around the badge as viewed from the front. It looks like it could be a reaction from duct tape residue or something similar. It can be felt but is very hard to notice when set up unless viewed at a specific angle. I'd planned to try some clear top coat over the area, but it always looked and sounded fine as-is so it was not worth the downtime to address. Despite the details outlined above, it presents respectably in the context of a full kit and has always sounded excellent. Overall it's a very rare, period-correct drum from Ludwig's golden era, before production was ramped-up due to Beatlemania and the subsequent boom years that followed. ***MORE TO READ CAREFULLY*** The photos serve as a significant portion of the description and what you see is what you will receive. Please study them carefully prior to placing a bid, as this item is being sold ABSOLUTELY AS-IS, AS-SHOWN/DESCRIBED, & RETURNS ARE NOT ACCEPTED.

Price: 695 USD

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

End Time: 2024-10-17T02:57:37.000Z

Shipping Cost: 28.95 USD