50 replies to this topic

[Lukas Perny]

I looking for the John´s drums in the early 70s...

[lost little girl]

I looking for the John´s drums in the early 70s...

cool pic man!

[elshaman]

can anyone pls tell me which kit did he use from 1965 to 1971 tnx

[mod orange]

The set in those pics above are Ludwig standard drums in the "single-six" configuration. They were produced as a lower end drum in the late 60's and offered different finishes than the regular drums. John seemed to get that set sometime in 1969-70 and used it for most of the shows throughout 1970. I personally believe that the mod orange set was holed up in the studio to be used on the last three Doors albums and possibly Other Voices and Full Circle.

I know that when the Doors did thier first tour minus Jim, John was using a Hayman English made set. Simon Kirke from Free/Bad Co. had a set of Haymans that he used at the Isle of Wight and they can be seen on the DVD. In the eighties it looks like John had a pearl set with concert toms and I noticed that his floor tom looked like the 14" Ludwig floor tom from his 1968 WMP Doors set that was used on the european tour.

His first set used on the first album, possibly the second and definately waiting for the sun was a WMP Gretsch set in 20,12,14 sizes. I have no idea what happened to to that set.

http://www.ludwigdrummer.com/Catalogs.html

Look under Ludwig standard 1971.

[doop]

Last year, after all this talk about John's Mod Orange kit, I looked into the possibility of custom ordering a kit from Ludwig, as they had reintroduced the wrap.  Ludwig offers all the vintage hardware and badges, and you can totally customize a kit right down to the hoops and lugs.  I planned to order a kit that was as close as possible to John's classic '67 set.

Anyway, I put the idea on the back burner until recently.  But now I've discovered that the color is no longer offered in Ludwig's catalog.  Can't tell you how disappointed I am that I didn't pull the trigger sooner ...

Anyone know much about Ludwig, whether they could somehow still produce such a kit even though the color is off the "official" list?  I'll give them a call, but just wondering if anyone's had experience with them.

-- Doop

[mod orange]

I think that color is long gone. I ordered a set and made it like Johns set as best I could. The wrap looks ok from the distance but up close it is nothing like the original. Joh had the 20,12,14 sizes and that is what I ordered. I later managed to find a 1969 22,13,16 which is the real deal but wrong sizes as far as John's kit is concerned. I am still very happy though. You might find a used one. good luck.
-Kurt

My reissue:

http://octobersons.com/bandpics/image17.htm

The 1969 set.


http://weatherstation.tripod.com/ludwig.jpg

[knowidea]

Kurt, it looks like you decide to keep the bottom heads on the toms.

[doop]

Hi Kurt --

Is this your reiusse kit?

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/msg/1407602194.html

Looks just like the pictures you posted, and saw it was listed by "Kurt" ...

-- Doop

[mod orange]

That is mine doop. I posted a respone in your other topic but have decided to try and sell the set to see if I could order a Ludwig legacy and use jammin smas mod orange to make it just like Johns. We'll see what happens. Would be a pretty expensive project!

[mystery_train67]

I looking for the John´s drums in the early 70s...

I can't find any information on this kit. But it looks and sounds like a beauty, especially during the Felt Forum shows from Jan 1970. I'm a drummer too, I'm about to buy myself a cheap five piece Japanese made Swing Star. It looks 60s to me, I've never seen two block mounted rack toms before. But then I'm still pretty new to vintage drums.

[Moses Jones]

Why/ where/when was John using this Rogers kit?