Vintage Ludwig model 405 piccolo snare drum
In the 1960s, you had two choices in shells for your snare drums – you could get anything you wanted, as long as it was a 5″ deep by 14″ diameter drum with a metal or wood shell. Then one day, the craftsmen at Ludwig came up with a brilliant idea: Band instrument companies make piccolos, which are really just smaller, higher pitched flutes, right? And they make piccolo trumpets, which are just smaller trumpets. Why not make a piccolo snare drum? And at just 3″ deep and 13″ across, it’s noticeably smaller than the standard 5 x 14 snare. Positively zippy – if you turn it up tight. Yet if you tune it down, with the right head, you can get a funky fop sound that’s perfect for, well… Everything that needs a fat, wet, yet well-defined sound. Think of this as the “pocket rocket” of snare drums. Side benefit: It’s also really, REALLY responsive. Ever get to a gig where the manager or customers are constantly telling you to “TURN IT DOWN”? Consider this your secret weapon. You can still get the punch you need, without setting off VU meters to Richter scale highs. Interesting factoid: My grandfather was the first trumpet player for the Palace Theatre in Chicago, back in the days of Vaudeville. The drummer in the band? The guy who actually INVENTED the bass drum pedal, and a whole lot of other drum gear we take for granted today. He and his brother Teddy started Ludwig & Ludwig. When times improved, he rebooted his company, but couldn’t use his own name. Bill Ludwig knew drums. And Ludwig Drum Company was (re)born. I was fortunate enough to tour the Ludwig factory in the early 70s, when it was still owned by the Ludwig family, and still located in the heart of Chicago. And those guys KNEW how to make great drums. This is one of them. My dad bought it for us (we shared a lot of gear) back in the late 60s. I didn’t appreciate the “cool” factor of a smaller drum back then. I wanted everything bigger. Later, I came to appreciate the beauty and simplicity of it. At one time, I did a lot of theater work, playing in a pit orchestra. This was my go-to snare drum. Unlike some of the cannons masquerading as snare drums in my arsenal, this one would let me go from pianissimo to double forte in about a 100th of a second, and never miss a beat. Used it for teaching, too. Lots of drummers came through my dad’s place. You might even recognize some of those names. But I’ve got too many drums at home, and as much as I look at this one as a piece of history, I just can’t keep everything. But once you hear this drum, you’ll realize it’s worth every penny. If you don’t have a piccolo as a part of your kit, YOU NEED THIS DRUM. Even if you do, I’d bet you don’t have a vintage 1960s metal shell drum like this one. But if you do, you know what a cool, unique sound it offers. What are you waiting for? There’s only one offered here, and these things are pretty rare. Get a piece of history that’s no trophy queen, but a drum you can use everyday. The item “Vintage Ludwig model 405 piccolo snare drum” is in sale since Thursday, November 10, 2016. This item is in the category “Musical Instruments & Gear\Percussion\Drums\Snare Drums”. The seller is “cptndigital” and is located in McKinney, Texas. This item can be shipped to United States, to Canada, to United Kingdom, DK, RO, SK, BG, CZ, FI, HU, LV, LT, MT, EE, to Australia, GR, PT, CY, SI, to Japan, to China, SE, KR, ID, to Taiwan, TH, to Belgium, to France, to Hong Kong, to Ireland, to Netherlands, PL, to Spain, to Italy, to Germany, to Austria, RU, IL, to Mexico, to New Zealand, SG, to Switzerland, NO, SA, UA, AE, QA, KW, BH, HR, MY, CL, CO, CR, DO, PA, TT, GT, SV, HN, JM, AG, AW, BZ, DM, GD, KN, LC, MS, TC, BB, BD, BM, BN, BO, EC, EG, GF, GG, GI, GP, IS, JE, JO, KH, KY, LI, LK, LU, MC, MO, MQ, MV, NI, OM, PE, PK, PY, RE.
- Brand: Ludwig
- MPN: 405
- Type: Piccolo
- Size: 13in.
- Material: Chrome plated Ludalloy
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
- Drum Type: Acoustic Single Drums
