Now I know Bubba had some bad things to say about Ludwig Speekings......but.....I used to own a couple of them way back then.
And..........I miss `em. (Having lost my mind one day and gave away most of my gear).
So I found a guy, (in the US) who takes old worn out Speedkings, pulls them apart, shot blasts them, and lovingly puts them back together.........and I brought one off him......(I think I paid the same as I did back in 1980 for them).....I am looking forward to seeing it arrive.
(03-15-2012 02:34 PM)NWoBHM Wrote: [ -> ]Now I know Bubba had some bad things to say about Ludwig Speekings......but.....I used to own a couple of them way back then.
And..........I miss `em. (Having lost my mind one day and gave away most of my gear).
So I found a guy, (in the US) who takes old worn out Speedkings, pulls them apart, shot blasts them, and lovingly puts them back together.........and I brought one off him......(I think I paid the same as I did back in 1980 for them).....I am looking forward to seeing it arrive.
I am an old Ludwig player. My first set was in 1978. Then I upgraded it
and bought another in 1982; I still own it today.
Now way back when, I played every other set in my town and nobody
had a pedal that could touch my speedking. I moved away to Hollywood
and began attending the Musician's Institute in 1983. The next thing I
knew, everybody was swearing up and down about the DW pedal. I tried
it. It was good; it reminded me of my speedking. Nowadays, the market
has as many pedals to offer as there are energy drinks from which to
choose. I am comfortable with what I have. So I don't get out and try
them all.
That being said, the best pedal in the world to own is simply the one
that works best for you. We are all a little different in our stances' and
our reflexes work better when we find what is appropriate for our individual build.
Hi Mal One..........Seems we started out drumming at about the same time. Of course in `78, my favourite drummers (Paice, Bonham, Rich, Bubba) used Speedkings, and I purchased mine about the early Eighties, and I loved it, for its simplicity, and speed.
Like you.......I heard about, (and eventually was seduced) into DW 5002 AD double pedals, and even got the Iron Cobra single and double too.
Funny thing, at band practice the other day, I was using the Iron Cobra single, and the beater (over the day) became angled further back from the bass head, until I realised something was wrong. Then it was a case of finding which part (of the multi part tool) you use to re-adjust the beater to the angle you want......
I never had that with a Speedking.
My first set (in 1973) was a cheapie Japanese set ("MicaSonic") and the hardware was unbelievably rudimentary. (Cheap!)
ANY decent pedal feels great to me nowadays! But I am a SONOR man currently (bass drum pedal.) Wonderful quality and adjustability! But I do have quite a few DW high hats, remote hats, etc. Quality stuff!
(My second set was a used set of VistaLites and I think it had a Ludwig pedal...cannot remember the model though...)
Now as far as OLD Ludwig, I DO have an old Ludwig-Leedy vibraphone! Now THAT is retro baby!
I love old Ludwigs....and Gretsch too.
I read that (I think) Gretsch were the first to make 18" or 20" bass drums as these would fit in the back of Taxi`s (cabs) and fit throught the rear doors....so the drummers of the time (Kruppa et al) could get across town to do their sessions.......I love that history..
I believe the style of music you are performing would also dictate the
demand on one's selection in a pedal. Some of the blokes I knew where
so into bands like AC/DC (not that AC/DC is a bad thing) that their
playing never required a bass drum pedal to more responsive than a
quarter note pulse at 100 bpm. That was just never going to work for me.
I'm trying to learn how to play a bodhran via Youtoob vids and not having much success. It's not that I don't have a sense of rhythm but I guess I'm not finding something useful. Does anyone have a suggestion of a good vid to check out?
Quote:I believe the style of music you are performing would also dictate the
demand on one's selection in a pedal. Some of the blokes I knew where
so into bands like AC/DC (not that AC/DC is a bad thing) that their
playing never required a bass drum pedal to more responsive than a
quarter note pulse at 100 bpm. That was just never going to work for me.
Yeah - we are New Wave of British Heavy Metal (hence NWoBHM). Mind you - I do love Phil Rudd - the way he just underpins the guitar so solidly, but as you say, he doesn`t have that groove that Bonham or Paice have /(had).
Quote:I'm trying to learn how to play a bodhran via Youtoob vids and not having much success. It's not that I don't have a sense of rhythm but I guess I'm not finding something useful. Does anyone have a suggestion of a good vid to check out?
Hi - I dont know much about bodhran playing, but found some clips on youtube. I dont know if they will be much help - but here is one. PS It looks a little like Rebekah BrookS (of media giants News International fame..err infamy) -pps she has just been re-arrested over here in the UK.
Bodhran bassic lessons clip
(03-15-2012 02:34 PM)NWoBHM Wrote: [ -> ]Now I know Bubba had some bad things to say about Ludwig Speekings......but.....I used to own a couple of them way back then.
And..........I miss `em. (Having lost my mind one day and gave away most of my gear).
So I found a guy, (in the US) who takes old worn out Speedkings, pulls them apart, shot blasts them, and lovingly puts them back together.........and I brought one off him......(I think I paid the same as I did back in 1980 for them).....I am looking forward to seeing it arrive.
Hi again NWo!...I think I mentioned this a few months ago, about what Bubba termed as the "Squeak King", and how I used two of them back in the late 70's/early 80's. One good little tip, if you do experience a squeak when you get yours, is to pop off the bearing covers and put a little dab of white lithium grease in there and work it around a bit. That usually took care of the intermittent squeaks I'd get, 'specially with a mic nearby!
