Ludwig Drums is an American musical instrument manufacturer, focused on percussion. It is a subsidiary of Conn-Selmer.
Products manufactured by Ludwig include timpani, drum kits, and drum hardware. The company also makes keyboard percussion instruments, such as marimbas, vibraphones, and xylophones, through the Ludwig-Musser brand.
History The Ludwig Drum Company was established in 1909 by William F. & Theobald Ludwig, sons of a German immigrant to the United States. William Jr. had been a professional drummer, playing with circuses and touring vaudeville shows, along with the occasional skating-rink gig. Since this work was irregular, he and his brother, Theobald, opened a drum shop in Chicago; they called it Ludwig & Ludwig. The company started with a concept for the design and manufacture of a functional bass drum pedal.
The company added new products to its catalog, such as snare drums and timpani, in 1916. In 1917, Ludwig signed a deal to build rope-tensioned snare drums to support World War I. Theobald Ludwig died in 1918, and William continued on his own.
In the late 1920s, the company was sold to the C. G. Conn instrument company. William Ludwig stayed on to run the company for Conn (which also owned the Leedy Manufacturing Company at this time). Eventually, William Ludwig decided to leave Conn and start a new company of his own. He was unable to use the Ludwig name since that trademark now belonged to Conn who continued to market Ludwig & Ludwig drums.
In 1937, William purchased a factory building and established the WFL Drum Company, naming it after his own initials. Whilst the firm continued to produce drums on a modest scale throughout the Second World War, William remained determined to transform the business into a major manufacturer once hostilities had ceased. At the time, WFL was a direct competitor to Ludwig & Ludwig. Following the merger of their two drum brands to form Leedy & Ludwig in the early 1950s, the parent company, Conn, eventually decided to withdraw from the drum market entirely. This presented an opportunity in 1955 for William and his son, Bill Jr, to buy back the Ludwig trademark. Over the ensuing years, the company’s products transitioned from the WFL name back to the original Ludwig brand.
Despite initial success, Ludwig's global breakthrough would occur February 9, 1964, when The Beatles made their historic American TV debut on The Ed Sullivan Show."The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964" on Ed Sullivan website"The Beatles’ first Ed Sullivan Show" on The Beatles Bible The Ludwig logo, displayed on the front of Ringo Starr's bass drum, could be seen by the television audience of about seventy-three million people."The 1960s" at Vintage Ludwig Drums As it happens, Starr chose that brand upon joining the band simply because he liked the oyster pearl black color of the drum kit he chose.
The publicity resulted in Ludwig's sales doubling quickly to $13 million, which prompted production to increase to around-the-clock production as the company became the foremost drum manufacturer in North America for twenty years.
Ludwig acquired the Musser Mallet Company, a manufacturer of xylophones, marimbas and vibraphones, in 1965. Ludwig was a strong presence in the marching drum market. During the 1970s, Ludwig's "Challenger" line of snare drums offered sophisticated tuning and strong build quality. Ludwig drums were used by many leading drum and bugle corps.
On 4 November 1981, William F Ludwig II sold the business to the Selmer Company (now Conn-Selmer). Selmer closed the Damen Avenue factory in the ensuing years and moved the drum production business to Monroe, North Carolina, in 1984.Selmer's History, 7 Dec 2011 In 2002, Ludwig merged with Conn-Selmer, becoming a brand of Conn-Selmer, Inc.About: 2000-2009 on Ludwig website
The Musser manufacturing facility remained in La Grange, Illinois, until 2013, and was then moved to Elkhart, Indiana.
Notable artists
Al Jackson Jr. - Booker T. & the M.G.'s Alan Gratzer - REO Speedwagon Alan White - Yes Alex Van Halen - Van Halen Aynsley Dunbar Bill Ward - Black Sabbath Bruce Crump - Molly Hatchet Buddy Rich Bun E. Carlos - Cheap Trick Carlton Barrett - Bob Marley and the Wailers Carl Palmer - Emerson, Lake & Palmer Clyde Stubblefield - James Brown Danny Barcelona - Louis Armstrong Dino Danelli - The Rascals Eric Carr - KISS Don Brewer - Grand Funk Railroad Ed Shaughnessy - The Tonight Show Band Ed Thigpen George Formby Ginger Baker - Cream Hal Blaine Hunt Sales - Todd Rundgren, Iggy Pop, David Bowie Ian Paice - Deep Purple Jabo Starks - James Brown Jack White - The Dead Weather Jim McCarty - The Yardbirds Joe Morello Joey Kramer - Aerosmith John Bonham - Led Zeppelin John Densmore - The Doors Jon Hiseman Karen Carpenter - The Carpenters Kenny Clare Max Roach Meg White - The White Stripes Melvin Parker - James Brown Mick Fleetwood - Fleetwood Mac Mitch Mitchell - Jimi Hendrix Mick Tucker - The Sweet Nick Mason - Pink Floyd Papillion-La Vista South High School Patrick Carney - The Black Keys Questlove - The Roots Ray Bauduc Ray McKinley Richard Allen Ringo Starr - The Beatles Roger Hawkins - Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section Roger Taylor - Queen Ron Tutt Roy Haynes Taylor Hawkins - Foo Fighters Viola Smith
Gallery
References
External links
William F Ludwig II Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (2002) William F. Ludwig III Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (2009)