I always wanted to own a metal drum and read all about the vintage Ludwig Acrolites. Apparently, cheap and good. Workhorse drum. And it shares the same Ludalloy metal that Supraphonics used in the 60s/70s, except that Supra has 10 lugs with chrome finish, while Acro has 8 with gray finish. More open sound and tone, some punters said.
I am no expert on snares but all those sound rather dandy to me, so I went on eBay to try my luck.
First try, lost the auction because I had a stomachache at the last minute. Bitched to snowflier and mel80! Determined and unfazed with Po Chai pills, I tried some more. Then I met this seller who tagged his drum as 6" x 14.5". Tried asking him to clarify but he insisted that it's a 14.5". I "huh?" Acrolites don't come in that configuration. And I haven't heard of anyone custom-making their drums to 14.5". Where to get drum heads that size???
So bidding was quite low in the beginning. Then don't know how and don't know who went and corrected him to 5" x 14" at the last two days of bidding and it became a bidding war! But I was determined to get the drum, so I won it at US $189.62 including the shipping to VPOST USA. VPOST to SG is SGD $60. I think it's a reasonable price as I read that the market rate for vintage Acrolites go from USD $50 to USD $200 depending on condition. Of course, I also read about drummers getting theirs for USD $5 or $4 at flea markets or garage sales! But what do you know? Like Electrico sings, "we are not made in the USA." No point pining for something that's not happening anytime soon. Majulah Singapura.
After a two-week wait (VPOST is horrendous sometimes!), the drum came!
Everything is in fine order. Chrome still shines like nobody's business. It's like the last 30 years never happened!
One is fitted with Remo Ambassador and Renaissance heads and Puresound Blasters wires and the other is fitted with Evans G2 and Hazy 200 heads and Puresound Custom wires.
Viva La Acrolite!
PS: I also dedicate this post to%2
I am no expert on snares but all those sound rather dandy to me, so I went on eBay to try my luck.
First try, lost the auction because I had a stomachache at the last minute. Bitched to snowflier and mel80! Determined and unfazed with Po Chai pills, I tried some more. Then I met this seller who tagged his drum as 6" x 14.5". Tried asking him to clarify but he insisted that it's a 14.5". I "huh?" Acrolites don't come in that configuration. And I haven't heard of anyone custom-making their drums to 14.5". Where to get drum heads that size???
So bidding was quite low in the beginning. Then don't know how and don't know who went and corrected him to 5" x 14" at the last two days of bidding and it became a bidding war! But I was determined to get the drum, so I won it at US $189.62 including the shipping to VPOST USA. VPOST to SG is SGD $60. I think it's a reasonable price as I read that the market rate for vintage Acrolites go from USD $50 to USD $200 depending on condition. Of course, I also read about drummers getting theirs for USD $5 or $4 at flea markets or garage sales! But what do you know? Like Electrico sings, "we are not made in the USA." No point pining for something that's not happening anytime soon. Majulah Singapura.
After a two-week wait (VPOST is horrendous sometimes!), the drum came!
Everything is in fine order. Chrome still shines like nobody's business. It's like the last 30 years never happened!
One is fitted with Remo Ambassador and Renaissance heads and Puresound Blasters wires and the other is fitted with Evans G2 and Hazy 200 heads and Puresound Custom wires.
Viva La Acrolite!
PS: I also dedicate this post to%2
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