Ludwig Drums is an American musical instrument manufacturer known for their
incredible drum kits and percussion instruments. Their humble beginnings date all the
way back to 1909, when the company was founded. The brand achieved significant
popularity in the 1960s thanks to an endorsement from none other than Ringo Starr.
Tom Lee Music is proud to carry a complete range of Ludwig drum kits, snare drums,
hardware and accessories. Shop online or through our eight retail stores in Vancouver,
Richmond, North Vancouver, Coquitlam, Langley and Victoria.

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About Ludwig Drum Company

The start of the Ludwig Drum Company dates back to 1909. That year, the company was founded by brothers William and Theobald Ludwig. That was also the year that they created their first bass drum pedal and their first timpani model was introduced shortly thereafter.

The roaring twenties was a decade of innovation for both their drum sets and concert percussion instruments. Early on, Ludwig introduced their renowned Black Beauty Snare Drums, one of the most sought after snare drum sounds in the recording industry. Black Beauty Snare Drums are still produced today and sold around the world.

During the great depression, William Ludwig sold the company to CG Conn in Elkhart, Indiana. For a time, the Ludwig and Leedy brand were separate brands made in the same factory. In 1937, William F. Ludwig established a new drum company in Chicago, Illinois, called WFL Drum Company. That company would go on to make drums with wooden hoops, lugs and rope tension or drums with only 10% metal content, due to war efforts and shortages of metal in the forties.

The decade that changed the music industry and the face of Ludwig Drums forever was the glorious sixties. Everything changed radically in 1964 when Ringo Starr first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show playing his Ludwig Black Oyster Pearl drum set. The popularity of Ludwig drums increased tenfold. Another decade of innovation and growth was the seventies, with key artists performing on Ludwig drum kits, including John Bonham from Led Zeppelin.

History came full circle in the early twenty-first century as Ludwig celebrated 100 years of excellence in drum manufacturing. Ludwig expanded their product offerings with even more affordable drums. In 2002, the company entered a new era and merged with CG Conn and Selmer.

In recent years, Ludwig has continued their passion for bridging the past to the future. They introduced The BreakBeats Kit by Questlove along with the Element and Element Birch series drum kits. In 2016, Ludwig expanded into the intermediate drummer market with the Element Evolution, everything a drummer needs to take the next step to greatness.