by Chris LaLonde

Vintage
A Short History of the Drum Companies That Started It All.
by Chris LaLonde
Ludwig • Pearl • Tama • Slingerland • Rogers • Gretsch
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Table of Contents
Pearl�������������������������������������������1
History��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1
Construction������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 2
Product Lines����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 2
.Beginner and Semi-professional Lines���������������������������������������������� 2
.Professional Lines���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3
Endorsers����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
Ludwig����������������������������������������5
History��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5
Construction������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
Product Lines����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
Endorsers����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 8
Tama�������������������������������������������9
History��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9
Construction������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10
Product Lines����������������������������������������������������������������������������������11
.Beginner and semi-professional kits�����������������������������������������������11
.Professional Starclassic Series��������������������������������������������������������11
Endorsers����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������12
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1
Pearl
History
Pearl was founded by Katsumi Yanagisawa who began manufacturing music
stands in Sumida, Tokyo on April 2, 1946. In 1950, Yanagisawa shifted his
focus to the manufacturing of drums and named his company “Pearl Industry, Ltd.”
By 1953, the company’s name had been changed to “Pearl Musical Instrument Company,” and manufacturing had expanded to include drum kits,
marching drums, timpani, Latin percussion instruments, cymbals, stands,
and accessories.
Yanagisawa’s eldest son, Mitsuo, joined Pearl in 1957 and formed a division
to export Pearl products worldwide. To meet increasing worldwide demand
for drum kits following the advent of rock and roll music, in 1961 Pearl built
a 15,000 sq ft (1,400 m2) factory in Chiba, Japan to produce inexpensive
drum kits that bore the brand names of more than thirty distributors such as
Maxwin, CB-700, Stewart, Werco, Ideal, Crest, Revelle, Revere, Lyra, Majestic, Whitehall, Apollo, Toreador, Roxy, and Coronet.
In 1966 Pearl introduced its first professional drum kit, the “President Series”. For a time in the early 1970s, Pearl was distributed in the U.S. by Norlin, the parent company of Gibson guitars at the time.
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Today, Pearl’s Taiwanese operation encompasses five factories whose output
supplies nearly the entire worldwide market for Pearl products. The original
Chiba factory now caters to the domestic Japanese market, producing drum
kits, marching drums, timpani, and symphonic chimes.
Adams Musical Instruments are sold in the U.S. through Pearl dealers,
Hughes and Kettner guitar and bass amplifiers are distributed through
Pearl’s main warehouse in Nashville, Tennessee and Sabian cymbals are distributed in Japan through Pearl dealers.
Pearl created several drum products, such as shells in the 70s that were
made of a composite called “wood fibreglass.” Additionally, Pearl combined
roto-toms and these wood-fiber shells to create the Vari-Pitch line of drums.
Other early innovations included shells that were slightly undersized, so that
the drum head would extend over the edges, much like a gong drum. Pearl
manufactured seamless, extruded acrylic shells that were different to the
tabbed-and-seamed Vistalite shells used by Ludwig. Pearl also developed the
hinged tube tom-arm: a design widely copied by many other drum manufacturers.
Construction
Pearl has made shells for more than 30 companies. In the 1960s, they
ceased making shells for other companies and began manufacturing drums
under their own name and used the Pearl logo for the first time.
Their construction technique is known as SST or “Superior Shell Technology.”
All Pearl drums feature this construction. Each ply is placed into a cylinder, and pressure is applied from both sides. While in the press, the shell
is heated to bring the glue to a boil, thus forcing it through the wood grain
and fusing the shells very tightly. The individual plies are scarf jointed, and
all the seams are offset, resulting in a “seamless” drum (Pearl demonstrates
the strength by parking a Humvee with its tire on a tom shell). This creates
a drum shell of incredible strength.
Product Lines
Beginner and Semi-professional Lines
• Rhythm Traveler – A traveler’s kit with shrunken drum depths made
from 6 plies of “Selected Hardwoods”. Rhythm Traveler drums includes
cymbals, throne, hardware, mesh heads and cymbal mutes.
• Target – Drums manufactured with 6 plies of basswood. Made excluPage 2
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sively for the European market, it is sold as a complete set with cymbals, throne, hardware and drumsticks.
• SoundCheck - Pearl’s entry-level kit. These drums are made from 9
plies of mahogany and are finished in a durable high-gloss covering.
• Forum – Drums made with 6 plies (7.5mm) of Poplar in wrap finishes.
Forum drums include Pearl’s CXP cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, an
instructional DVD, and Pearl’s 890 Series hardware as standard equipment. In January 2008, the Forum line received an upgrade to the Forum FZ - featuring upgrades like ISS tom mounts.[clarification needed]
These are made in China.
• Vision - The successor to the Export and Session series drums. Vision
drums originally came in 2 varieties: the VLX Lacquer finish drums and
the VSX wrapped drums. Over time, the VBX (Vision Birch), VMX (Vision Maple), and VX series drums were added to the line, with the VLX
being the only discontinued line. VSX and above drums feature two-ply
heads and Uni-Lock tom holders (VSX and VBX drums are 900 Series
while VMX drums are 1000 Series, respectively). These drums feature
new lugs and the new 900 Series hardware as standard equipment. For
2011, the Vision line receives new badges and the VX, VSX, VBX, and
VMX lines are succeeded by the VB (Vision Birch), VBA (Vision Birch
Artisan), VBL (Vision Birch Lacquer), and VML (Vision Maple Lacquer)
lines, respectively. These are made in China.
Professional Lines
• Masters Custom (MCX) - Drums made from 6 plies of maple. These
drums replace the entire Session and Masters Premium lines, with the
only difference being that they feature die-cast hoops, Masters Series
lugs, and Remo drum heads. They are the same configuration as the
Masters Premium MRP kits, but they only come in 5 finishes with bright
chrome being the only hardware option. As a result, the drums are
not made up as a “custom” stock. Since they are warehoused in large
quantities, time between order and delivery are much shorter. These
are made in Taiwan.
• Reference Pure – New for 2011, the Reference Pure series features
the same wood blend as the original Reference series, but with thinner
shells (each ply .9mm thick), new “Fat Tone” hoops, and Masters Premium-style lugs, all of which are designed to reduce the overall weight
of the kit and to create a more open resonant sound. These are made
in Japan.
• Reference - Pearl’s professional drum line made from blended wood
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types (maple, birch, and African mahogany). They are the highest quality that Pearl offers that are not custom-made. The drums come in a
wide array of finishes with chrome, black, or gold-plated hardware.
These are made in Japan.
• Masterworks – Pearl’s flagship drum line. Everything, including the plies
of wood (such as mahogany, maple, birch, and carbon fiber/maple),
style and finish of hardware (chrome, 24k gold, black), and finish can
be selected by the customer. Masterworks drums can be ordered with
an exotic wood outer ply (such as tamo or bubinga) for an added cost,
which enhances the finish. All of the drums are hand-made, and because of this, delivery times can take up to six months. These are
made in Japan.
Endorsers
Dennis Chambers, Virgil Donati, Omar Hakim, and Tico Torres are drummers
that endorse Pearl Drums and have Pearl Signature Lines named after them.
For a short list of additional endorsers, see Table 1.1 Endorsers.
Table 1.1 Endorsers
Drummer
Band
Chad Smith
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Ian Paice
Deep Purple
Joey Jordison
Slipknot
Todd Sucherman
Styx
Michael Thomas
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Mike Wengren
Disturbed
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2
Ludwig
History
The first product made by the Ludwig brothers, William and Theobaldner
(who founded the original company), was a bass drum pedal capable of
playing faster beats than was typical of products of the time. It was produced in a rented barn on the south side of Chicago. The Ludwig brothers
next developed a hydraulic action timpani, and in 1916 invented a spring
mechanism—the basis for the current Balanced Action Pedal Timpani.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the company was forced to
merge with the C.G. Conn Company. William F. Ludwig, who disliked his lack
of involvement with the design and manufacture of the instruments after the
merger, left the company in 1936. He opened his own company, the W.F.L.
Drum Company, in 1937. The first product of W.F.L. was the Speed King
pedal, a product still manufactured by Ludwig to this date. In 1955, the Ludwig division was purchased back from Conn and renamed the Ludwig Drum
Company. In 1966, Ludwig purchased the Musser Marimba Company, which
produced mallet percussion, including vibes, marimbas, bells, chimes and
xylophones.
In 1973, William F. Ludwig, Sr. died, to be succeeded by his son, William F.
Ludwig Bradfield, Jr. Ludwig Industries was acquired by the Selmer Company
in 1981. Today, Ludwig drums and timpani are manufactured in Monroe,
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North Carolina, with timpani and mallet instruments produced in LaGrange
Park, Illinois. Certain lines of Ludwig Drums, marketed as the Accent, Accent
CS, Accent CS Custom, and Accent CS Custom Elite Series, are manufatured
for Ludwig in Asia and imported into the North American market.
Construction
Throughout its history Ludwig has introduced a stream of innovations in
drum construction, particularly in the use of materials and finishes. The
Black Beauty snare drum, a hand-engraved black nickel-plated brass shell
drum first manufactured by Ludwig during the 1920s, is highly prized by
collectors and players alike. The Black Beauty was reissued, available with
or without machine engraved, in the late 1970s, and reissued again in the
1990s.
Ludwig also made gold-finished drums in the 1920s that were marketed under the name “Ludwigold”. These are also highly prized by collectors because
they have never been reissued.
The Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum is considered to be an industry standard for professional snares. Originally made of chrome-plated brass, it was
later made of a chrome-plated aluminum alloy.
Most of the drums manufactured by Ludwig were made of wood. For many
years the shells were constructed of a three-ply lamination of mahogany,
poplar, and mahogany, but starting in 1968 the mahogany was replaced by
maple. All of these shells had a maple reinforcing ring glued to the inner circumference at each end. Six-ply wood construction was introduced in 1976.
These drums did not have reinforcing rings.
Product Lines
• Legacy Exotic Series—By applying many of the same shell making
properties we have refined over the past century, Ludwig is proud to
introduce Legacy Exotic, a stunning rethink to a modern classic. This
flagship professional drum line employs the 3-ply combination of inner
and outer North American Maple and the traditional single Poplar core
ply with solid Maple reinforcement rings; forging a sonic warmth that is
unheard of in the tonal spectrum.
• Epic Series—Sculpting a rich, vibrant balance between subtlety and
sonic punishment, Epic Series drums are truly at home in the Ludwig
Legacy. These drums produce a wet, powerful sound that is at home in
high-volume situations, as well as the club and studio environments.
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• Element SE—Sub-par gear used to be the only outlet for the drummer
on the rise. However, today’s up-and-coming player is more discerning
than ever; demanding gear with custom options, sizing and appointments. Element Series Drums are the answer to that call, boasting a
staggering array of features found previously only on customized boutique kits. Accessibly priced and fortified to take a pounding, Element is
the key to the next level.
• Vistalite Series—While preparing for the Zeppelin Reunion in 2007,
Jason Bonham requested a kit, with his own personal imprint, that
would carry on the legendary spirit of his father’s playing forward. The
result was the inspiration behind Jason’s Limited Edition Signature kit.
A true Ludwig first, this yellow Vistalite in John Bonham’s own Zep set
configuration features black powder-coated hardware and fittings on
all drums, for a truly unique look. To further authenticate these limitednumber production kits, Jason personally signed each drum head, emblazoned with the iconic imagery from his father’s first masterpiece.
• EpicXover Series—The hallmark of the Ludwig sound has always begun
with the shell. As we enter the 100th year of our manufacturing history,
Ludwig returns to its roots by experimenting with multiple-species shell
composition, for new horizons in tonal variety. The result is Epic, a new
series of drums crafted for every player from the gigging workhorse to
the seasoned pro.
• Stainless Steel Series—The 1970’s were a time of great innovation at
Ludwig’s Damen Ave. facility. True to Ludwig’s tradition of innovation,
Stainless Steel kits were forged for unprecedented volume, sustain,
and power in heavy music. Ludwig’s new Anniversary Edition Stainless
Steel Pro Beat outfit is a true testament to our timeless roots. Only 100
kits will be made available, all of them hand-rolled and tooled by Drumsmith Ronn Dunnett. The first 50 feature polished chrome steel finish
and Brass hardware; the second 50 with brushed stainless finish and
chrome hardware. This ultra-thin stainless shell and bearing edge of
each drum create a tone of such enormity that they simply have to be
experienced to be believed.
• Accent Series—Ludwig offers four fantastic options in our most affordable line for the young drummer: The Junior Kit recommended for ages
4-8 years has all the features of a full-sized set. The Accent Nomad
outfit for the early beginner, the Accent CS Combo Jazz outfit with easy
to navigate sizes, and the full-sized CS Combo Power. These sets feature 9-ply 8mm select hardwood veneers with the choice of durable
PVC finishes including black, blue, wine red, and silver. New finishes to
the line are metallic purple and white, both featuring black hardware.
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Endorsers
Roger Taylor, Bun E. Carlos, John Bonham, and Herman Rarebell have all
played and endorsed Ludwig Drums throughout their careers. For a short list
of additional endorsers, see Table 2.1 Endorsers.
Table 2.1 Endorsers
Drummer
Band
Ringo Starr
Beatles
Ginger Baker
Cream
Alex Van Halen
Van Halen
Scott Rockenfield
Queensryche
Nick Mason
Pink Floyd
Alan White
Yes
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3
Tama
History
Hoshino Gakki began manufacturing drums in 1965 under the name “Star
Drums”. Hoshino, the family name of the founder, translates to “star field,”
thus the selection of the “Star Drums” brand name. The drums were manufactured at Hoshino’s subsidiary, Tama Seisakusho, which had opened in
1962 to manufacture Ibanez guitars and amplifiers. While the production of
guitars and amps was moved out of the factory by 1966, the production of
drums there continued to grow. The two higher lines of drum models, Imperial Star and Royal Star, were introduced to the American market and were
successful lower-cost drums competing against more expensive Americanmade drums offered by Rogers, Ludwig, and Slingerland at the time.
By 1974, Hoshino decided to make a concerted effort to make high-quality
drums and hardware and start marketing its drums under the Tama brand.
Tama was the name of the owner’s wife, and means “jewel” in Japanese. In
keeping with its heritage, “star” continues to be used in the names of Tama’s
drum models to this day.
Tama and Drum Workshop (DW) jointly bought the bankrupt Camco Drum
Company. As part of the deal, DW received the Camco tooling and manufacturing equipment while Tama received the Camco name, designs, engineering and patent rights.
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At the time, Camco was producing what was thought to be the best drum
pedal on the market. DW continued production of the pedal using the original tooling, rebadging it as the DW5000. Tama began production of the
same pedal under the Camco name. The Tama version of the Camco pedal
is commonly referred to as the Tamco pedal to distinguish it from an original Camco pedal. Tama integrated all the engineering from Camco into their
production process and the overall level of quality of their drums increased
virtually overnight. The original plan was to market the low-end Tama drums
to beginners and use the Camco brand to sell high-end drums to professional musicians. However, even the professionals were starting to use the Tama
drums because the low cost of the Asian-made drums with the (now) high
quality of hardware was a great combination.
Tama was one of the first companies to offer super heavy-duty hardware,
and drum mounting systems that did not intrude into the shell like most
brands in the 1970s. They also invented unique tubular drums called Octobans. Octobans are 6” in diameter and are manufactured in eight different
lengths up to 600mm (23.5”). They vary in pitch by using different shell
lengths, rather than widths.
Construction
TAMA uses the “tap-in” method for making shells. In this method, all materials are cut at both ends to form a parallelogram shape. With the tap-in
method of drum shell making, the wood plies are inserted into a specifically
sized mold and then each plyis tapped in with a hammer and wood block.
First the craftsman lightly hammers the outer ply into the mold, then the
middle plies, and finally the inner plies are hammered into the mold. Both
sides of the inner ply and outer ply woods are glued to the middle plies in
the mold.
After the three ply sections are tapped into the mold, an inner molding cylinder is brought down from above into the shell. This “inner mold” is spread
out by rotating the handle which presses the inside of the shell to make sure
the shell plies are glued firmly.
This operation requires just the right amount of pressure to be applied; if
there is too much pressure, the shell may crack. But if it is not tightened
enough, the shell will be “loose” with air spaces, and excess glue may remain between the wood plies. Only experienced craftsmen have the skills to
master this delicate procedure.
After pressing the inside molds, the shells are heated and the glue is dried
within a certain timeframe. At this point, the flat plies have been reborn as a
drum shell.
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This is a very detailed and time-consuming process. Depending on a number of different variables, it takes approximately 30 minutes for TAMA drum
makers to complete the molding process. That means only two drum shells
can be molded in an hour.
Product Lines
Beginner and semi-professional kits
• Swingstar— TAMA’s entry-level drum kit made with poplar shells in a
wrapped finish. Swingstar drums feature TAMA’s unique “Accu-Tone”
bass drum hoops, which replaces the claw hooks found on most bass
drums for quicker head changes. All Swingstar drums include a full
hardware pack and cymbals.
• Imperialstar—Tama’s mid-range entry-level drum kit named after the
previous Imperial Star line. Like their less expensive Swingstar counterparts, these drums are made with poplar shells in a wrap finish and
feature Accu-Tone bass drum hoops. These drums include Meinl HCS
brass cymbals as standard equipment.
• Silverstar/SilverStar Custom—New for 2011, the Silverstar series replace Tama’s Superstar Accel Driver line. Like their Superstar counterparts, these drums are made from 100% birch shells and are available in either lacquer or wrap finishes. Silverstar drums feature a
more streamlined version of their Star-Cast tom mounts (now done
in chrome to match the hardware), new “Powercraft II” heads with a
white resonant head for the bass drum, low-mass lugs, triple-flanged
hoops, and a slideable tom holder, which is usually found on the more
expensive Starclassic line.
• Superstar Hyper-Drive—Tama’s high-end line of semi-professional
drums. These drums are made from 100% Birch shells (originally made
from birch and basswood) and feature die-cast hoops in a black nickel
finish. As the name implies, these drums are available in TAMA’s trademark “Hyper-Drive” configuration, which consists of shorter tom depths
and a longer bass drum depth (20 inches, also known as their “UltraDeep” depth) for optimum sound quality. These drums come in either a
Wrap or Lacquer finish.
Professional Starclassic Series
The Starclassic series is Tama’s high-end line of drums. Originally handcrafted in Japan, some of the Starclassic lines are now made in TAMA’s Chinese factory. A notable difference is that Japan-made Starclassics has their
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badges and vent holes painted on the drum’s shell, while Chinese-made
Starclassics feature badges and vent holes drilled onto the shell. All Starclassic series drums come with a more streamlined version of Tama’s Star-Cast
mounting system made from aluminum, air-cushioned floor tom legs, “Hold
Tight” washers which keeps the tension rods in place (Starclassic MapleStarclassic Bubinga Elite), die-cast hoops, and Evans drumheads as standard
equipment. The drums are also available in a Hyper-Drive configuration, with
individual snare drums also available.
Endorsers
Bill Ward, Lars Ulrich, Jason Bittner, and Abe Cunningham have all played
and endorsed Tama drums throughout their careers. For a short list of additional endorsers, see Table 3.1 Endorsers.
Table 3.1 Endorsers
Drummer
Band
Troy Luccketta
Tesla
Charlie Benante
Anthrax
Stewart Copeland
The Police
Simon Phillips
Toto
David Silveria
Korn
Randy Castillo
Ozzy Osbourne
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Chris LaLonde is a 45 year old writer and musician. He has been playing drums since the
age of 7. He is a recent graduate of Gateway Technical College in Racine, Wisconsin. For
more works from Chris, visit Amazon.com.
Chris LaLonde’s Recommended Reading:
Stick Control: For the Snare Drummer by George Lawrence Stone
Accents and Rebounds: For the Snare Drummer by George Lawrence Stone
Rapid Drumset Improvement: Exercise Workbook by Robert Genito
It’s Your Move by Dom Famularo
Mike Mangini’s Rhythm Knowledge by Mike Mangini
Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer by Ted Reed
Modern Reading Text in 4/4 For All Instruments by Louie Bellson
One Surface Learning: Applying Rhythmic Patterns to the Drumset by Roy Burns
Published May 6th, 2011
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