Ludwig Drummer

ludwig drum vintage drum black beauty snare drum William F. Ludwig Clay T. Greene ludwig drums

For the past six years Donn has been operating the Donn Bennett Drum Studio in Bellevue, Washington where he sells new, used and vintage drums.  Donn also gets some of the best drummers in the industry to come in for clinics, master classes and private lessons.  The photos here are of collectable and celebrity kits as well as a few of the clinicians who have appeared in the past.  Among them you will find one of my all time favorites...Alan White.  I'll bet you thought I was going to say Ringo!  Well, he is here too.  Thanks Donn for sharing these photos with us!

Immediate Left:   Ringo's 2001 tour kit.  This is a 24x16, 13 & 16 with a custom solid maple snare made by Innovations Drums Co. 

The RS logo head was provided by the Donn Bennett Drum Studio which had B.G. and Salvatore Orso produce it.

Ringo had decided that he wanted a Ludwig kit that had been manufactured in the year he was born (1940) in a WMP finish.  He asked his drum tech, Jeff Chonis, to find one for him.  Jeff asked several vintage dealers to look for such a set and to send him pictures.  About a week after hearing from Jeff, a man walked into the Donn Bennett Drum Studio and traded this WFL kit in for a new Mapex kit.  Donn wanted to make it extra special for Ringo so he had Ben Goldberg and Salvatore Orso produce the custom RS logo head.  The picture was then taken and sent to Jeff.  Several weeks later Jeff called back and announced that of all the sets submitted this one was chosen.  Donn was thrilled!

Later that summer, Donn met with Ringo before a show and Ringo told him that the reason he chose that particular kit was because he liked the RS logo so much.  He then asked Donn if he could have two more logo heads made just like it for his tour kit. Very cool!

In the first pic you can also see another nice Ringo kit in the Oyster Black Pearl.  Donn has informed me that his kit, has never even been in the same area code with Ringo.  Though Ringo may have moved on past the Oyster Black Pearl...many of us have not!

This is the kit he used on John Lennon's Imagine Album.  The sizes are 22, 13, 14, 16, & 18 with a Supra-Phonic snare.  The approximate year is 1964.

Alan White is most known for his work with 'Yes'...  I was witness to their last two tours and was totally  blown away by them.

Another of Alan and the 'Imagine' kit. 

This is the same kit as above after the Donn Bennett Drum Studio 

recovered the drums and put the original tom mount back on.  Alan

used this same kit in the 'Plastic Ono Band and it also was his first kit. 

The one-and-only Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick

Mike giving the tom one last hug!

Some cool vintage kits.

Maple Cortex kit

Barber Pole Red and White Vistalite kit.

Sweet little 60s BOP kit.

Toast of the Town!

Champagne with matching snare.

Tequila Sunrise Vistalites with matching snare.

Champagne and Tequila