The Ludwig Book by Rob Cook

A VISTALITES.COM gear review by Andy Youell

Rob Cook is a noted drum historian and runs the Rebeats vintage and custom drum store in Michigan, USA. With "The Slingerland Book" and "The Rogers Book" already under his belt, Rob published "The Ludwig Book" in March 2003.

The encyclopaedic "Ludwig Book" by Rob Cook

I must admit I had been waiting for this to arrive with a veritable sense of anticipation having met Rob at the 2002 UK National Drum Fair and heard about his plans for the book. When it arrived I was not disappointed. Ludwig is probably the most famous drum brand of all time and the company has been associated with some of the biggest names in drums and percussion. The book covers three main areas; the company, the products and the players.

W F Ludwig Snr started the company after spending years working as a drummer in the shows and fairgrounds of America. Frustrated with the equipment he was using, he invented a bass drum pedal - and in doing so, created not only the Ludwig drum company, but also the modern drum kit as we know it today. Rob tells the story of the Ludwig Drum Company from it's inception in the days of WFL Snr, through the rivalry with Slingerland as well as through the words of the Executives who ran the company over the years and the various factories and facilities employed by the company.

Of course the book focuses on the drums themselves. There is a vast amount of detail about the various drum lines, options, finishes, hardware, badges, materials......the scope of this book is stunning. Rob brings his years of accumulated knowledge and experience to make this the most comprehensive description of the Ludwig drum line you could possibly imagine.

The roll call of Ludwig players makes for fascinating reading and reminds us just how dominant Ludwig were during the pop explosion of the 1960s and 70s. The book recalls some of the biggest names in drumming and also provides a roll call of some of the major collectors today. The very splendid "Frankie V" makes an appearance re-creating the cover of the 1975 catalogue sat behind an Octa-plus Vistalite Jellybean kit.

This book really is a must for anybody with an interest in Ludwig drums. In his introduction Rob describes the book as a tribute to William F Ludwig II - the man who built the company into the dominant percussion force of its day. I say this book stands as a tribute to the passion, knowledge and investigative skills of its author. An achievement indeed...

You can contact Rob and order a copy of the book via the Rebeats web site.