The year of 1976 in Ludwig meant a fantastic year for drums, especially in the Rainbow Vistalite series of drums. The new color combination theme for 1976 in Rainbow Vistalites were the color's Red - Solid White - Blue Vistalite, as Ludwig called the 'SPIRIT OF AMERICA'. Clear as a color option instead of using solid white as a color option.
Other Pattern's that were common in Spirit Of America theme were 3-band Rainbow Pattern 'A', 5-band Rainbow Pattern 'B', and not to common in the Spiral Pattern 'C', 3-band Swirl Pattern "D", and of course the cool but very fragile Vertical Bar Pattern "F".
This Big Beat set was ordered with 4 extra Melodic concert toms in the Spirit of America color theme. This set is owned by Paolo Sburlati.
Photo courtesy of Paolo Sburlati - Sburlati Enterprises Torino, Italy!
This set is courtesy from the Archive Photo's from Andy Youell of Vistalites.com. This set was sold to another person via Cherie Willoughby at Classicdrums.com. Very sharp set. Even Clear makes a great statement in the Bicentennial 'Spirit of America' theme for 1976!!
This super rare and cool set is owned by Ken Verducci! It's a rare Ludwig Jazzette in the 3-band Rainbow Pattern 'A' design, and in the rare sizes of 18" bass / 12"x8" Rack Tom / 14"x14" Floor Tom with matching 5x14 Supraphonic snare..This set was also bought from Cherie Willoughby at Classicdrums.com.
All concert (melodic) toms and toms under 8x12 used the small classic lugs - P-2246-D : Larger toms 9x13 double headed used P-2246 Large Classic Lugs. All Vistalite snares used P-2240 Lugs being Supra-Phonic or Super-Sensitive snares. Tone controls were P-4066 -2 units with a single screw placed below the knob. Spurs were the curved spurs 1/4" thickness P-1306. Mounting hardware for concert toms were the No. 779-1 "Sturdi-Lok" and double headed toms used the No.781-2 Double tom mounting post with diamond plate. The Jazzettes set with a single tom used the No.782-1 tom holder with rachet adjustments. Floor tom used the P-1216-D Floor Tom brackets for 20" inch long floor tom legs. The Jazzette set above shows not the 1306 Curved 1/4 inch spurs but the No.1303 Disapearing Spurs used on the Downbeat and Super Classic outfit back in the late 1960's, before the curved spurs showed up in 1969 on Ludwig outfits.
The Speed King Pedal #201 was a standard bass drum or kick pedal, along with the 'Spur-Lok' Hi-Hat with a Speed King Like foot board.
