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Ludwig Rocker Series Drums

Remember "Clothes Do Not Make the Man" and "Heads Do Not Make The Drum!"

If you have come here thinking your drums are Ludwig Rockers because your drum heads say Ludwig Rockers then there is a chance they are not! At least you can find out on this page.

Ludwig Rockers heads can go on any drum set, so you need to look at the badges and the lugs. If your drums have the Black and White Ludwig Badges then they are the early Rockers or the S/L series drums. There were three version of the Black and White badges..

If they do not have any of the Black and White badges then you should look on the Ludwig Badges page and refine your search not to include Ludwig Rockers.

1982 Standard Series

 

1984 Ludwig Catalog
Not called Rockers, but had Black/White Badges S/L Series

Toms and Snare are 4-ply select American Wood veneers with maple interior
(the select american veneers were in fact north carolina poplar and these were the first of the shells made in the new monroe north carolina factory) and the bass drum is 6-ply which were a combination of maple and poplar. (select American veneer info Ludwig-dude)


1986 Ludwig Rocker and Rocker II Brochure

   

1988 Catalog Pages - Ludwig Rockers

  Ludwig Rocker Snare Drums!  

1989 Flyer

1991 Ludwig Catalog - Ludwig Rockers

1994 Ludwig Catalog - Ludwig Rockers


1998 Ludwig Rockers Drums Catalog
Catalog Scans from Ludwig-dude

       
       
   


Some info on Rockers....

Introduced in late 70's as a budget drum kit called the Combo and Combo II, then replaced by the Standard line, and around 1984 called the S/L Series. (These are not Rockers lines of drums)

The Rockers were the first drums made in the, then new, Monroe, NC plant. The Chicago factory was closed around 1985 and all US Ludwig production then went to NC. They were 4 ply shells, 6 or 7 mm thick and made of poplar and birch. The same shell was eventually used on the higher priced Super Classics. There were also two versions...Rocker and Rocker II. Rocker had the same lugs as the Classic line along with good solid bass drum spurs and tom holder. Rocker II used the standard 1969 lug and cheaper thinner hardware. It also had a grey flecked paint finish inside the drum so that less visually appealing pieces of wood could be used there.

Timeline as follows.....

The Rocker Series from 1984 - 1994 had 4ply shells with clear laquer inside.

The Rocker-II-Series from 1984 - 1994 had 4ply shells with coated grey laquer inside.

The Rocker Series from 1994 - 1998 was taiwan-made and inferior with pearl-type tom holders.

From 1996 on the Rocker Series was updated. The drums had mini-classic lugs and had new shells made of poplar, birch and maple. The series was divided in rocker, rocker elite.... to todays rocker birch series.

The clear lacquer interior is also the better drum by far.

text by: the_drum_dad

 


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