I saw my first Ludwig Drummer in 1964. It was a thirty page softbound booklet either mailed to homes or sent to music stores. Inside each issue there were stories about drummers, clever articles about Ludwig products, technique tips and lots of pictures of endorsers and just everyday users from around the world.

The Drummer was first published in the 1920's. Leedy and Premier also published similar magazines, but it was the Drummer that seems to stir memories and inspire collectors.

When the Ludwig family bought back the name and the dies in 1955, they also got the right to bring back the Drummer. It took a few years to get it done, but by 1961, with Dick Schory as the editor, the new Ludwig Drummer was published and promised as a semi-annual "free educational service."

One of my earlier articles was on paper collecting. The Drummers are a plentiful and cheap way to get into collecting. Good copies are available for $2 to $25 each for the copies between 1961 and 1976.

Finding the copies from the 1920's and 30's will cost a great deal more. So, be on the lookout for the series that inspired a generation of Beatle era drummers.

There's more information on vintage drums and accessories in my book for Modern Drummer called The Great American Drums ! E-mail us today or call our order line at (888) 594-3786 and we'll make arrangements to send you an autographed copy.