"Let's get down tonight!" Ludwig Vistalite drums were a hot item during the 70's and now are making a come back. Ludwig reintroduced the Vistalite Drum series in 2001. However unlike when they were originally first issued in 1973, Ludwig offered them in transparent see-thru tints of clear, blue, amber, red, yellow, and green. Following in 1975, opaque color of solid white and solid black were introduced, and the following for the year 1977 Smoke Vistalite tint or color was added which was a dark semi-transrparent black or grey..

Not much changed in the year of 1978, except for the introduction of the wildest and most beautiful of all Vistalite and Rainbow Vistalite drum outfits. This was a set that started as a idea by Mr. Ludwig II of which soon a article is being published on this exact outfit in 2008 idea thought of Wm. F. Ludwig III. Personally wrote just for this Magazine. This year Ludwig also introduces it's new line of drum heads Silver DOT Weathermaster Drum Heads for drummers. Weathermaster heads were the FIRST mylar heads to ever come on the market, gone were the days of the calf skin heads. These heads could keep a beating and still performance, no more cleaning, drying, and rentensioning the skind heads of the yesteryears!!

Well this wildest and not to mention most advanced before it's time set was like no other ever produced because it featured rings or some call it bands of minature lights (2 per drum including snare) attatched to the internal joints of the Vistalite material. With the lights gave this set a one of a kind sparkling glowing effect that was just sensational too look at. This was called a Tivoli pronounced(tiv-oh-lee)Lighted Vistalite Big Beat drum outfit for those of you who don't remember the name or are new too the Ludwig Vistalite drum series.

If you wanted lights inside your drums your only options that Ludwig allowed was #1 Only in pattern 'A' 3-band Rainbow, #2 Only in the Big Beat 5 piece sized configuration (Ludwig's standard 5 piece configuration), #3 limited to 22" or 24" inch diameter bass drums, 12"x8", 13"x9", or 10"x14" double headed rack toms, 16"x16", or 16"x18" diameter floor toms, and the only snare available was the Model 401 Tivoli Supraphonic Snare (no Super-Sensitives allowed) and the last #4 color tint options were limited to Clear, Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, Amber, and last tint Smoke as the colored bands on the shell didn't have to be different as I've seen 3 all blue Tivolis, a couple in bad condition, 5 all smoke colored, 1 all red, 1 all amber, blue,yellow,green, reverse tequila sunrise yellow, amber, and red, plus many other combination of colors. Those were you limitation if you really wanted lights inside your drum outfits.

This set used a external power supply to power the lights via a large wiring harness that pluged into the transformer assembly and the main distribution plug into the bass drum. Ludwig Part Number #P-4314-A which nothing more than medium sized grey box that housed a pair of breakdown transfomers that plugged into your 110v. However this control box was soon to be pleagued with electrical problems from burning out. The lights that were supposed to last and were quoted to Ludwig too last over 16,000 years started to fail at a regular rate. Of course Ludwig issued replacement parts for Tivoli Vistalite warranties but soon that ate them up and later in 1979 Tivoli Vistalite production was put to an end, it was a sad company disaster after they spent months and thousands of dollars to produce this oustanding looking drum outfit to be halted after almost a 2 year limited production life, if not the company more than likely would have kept manufacturing Tivoli sets until early 1980 when the entire Vistalite line was entire put to rest.

By mid 1979 Tivoli Vistalite drum outfits were dropped from production so only around 300 approximate sets were sold in the U.S. a few over the pond (as Mr. Ludwig Sr. would have said (overseas), Not all Tivoli Vistalite sets failed there are few that show up for sale that are in original great working condition, but be forwarned they will fail eventually usually it's a single bulb, then another, and finally the set needs a restoration with new lighting, upgraded tranformer assembly is a good investment, and the new lighting that is available through PDDS will outlast the vintage or OEM vintage parts 10 to 1.

Thanks to Eric @ PDDS Tivoli Vistalite drums owners have a second change to keep them alive for future drummers and Ludwig enthusiast to enjoy!!! It's taken many years of research and study too offer then public an incrediable service..In fact the parts that PDDS offeres are the best, not cheap, but they are the best..Only original style parts are used or fabricated.

Vistalites on the Vintage market. This is kind of a hard subject to cover because of changes that happen from month to month. So you your best bet it too watch for yourself too see what happens in the Vistalite market, this includes auctions, personal for sale ads, Vintage dealers, newspapers ect. Even online Ezines sometimes will have Vistalites forsale or wanted..

From what I have noticed is as follows. Of course you have your clear and blue sets, single drums or orphans as they call them, even bare shells from snares, concert toms, even bass drums of sometimes even a deeper shells than the standard mass produced 14" depth. These are called power bass drums in Ludwig literature.

Second I've noticed a increase in black and white (not Rainbow patterns), singles, even a whole outfit will show up. However solid white and black were never really much of a demand for them during the 70's, they are Vistalites and if they are cheap grab them because someday they will be collectors items just like their transparent brothers. If you don't like the color PDDS can always wrap them in your favorite wrap finish. There also is alot of smoke singles just like the solid black and white colors. Even a few sets show up as well.

Tivoli sets and even a few single drums have shown up alot more than often. Usually if you don't see them sold then the price for the set is too high and it turns potential buyers off or they wait until the price is lower into their ball park range of price.. As we can tell Tivoli sets are most common in thered/amber/yellow color titns or as they call it the 'Tequila Sunrise' color combination so expect to pay around $1500-$2000 at the most for a nice original working outfit, optioned colored Tivoli sets around $2500-$3000 at the very most. If they are Orphan Tivoli drums well a buyer may buy them for parts, and or just to have one on hand. It does not much good if you don't have the transformer or a power source to make the lights inside illuminate. Striped out drums. Well there is two levels of this. These are usually singles and sometimes full sets were the lights failed or were in poor working condition. Owners will just strip them out, most of the times with the attatching hardware, electrical plugs, throw it all away. Including the tubing that could be reused if it's in decent condition. That is usually what happens to a Tivoli set that looses its beautiful lighting. Some try to sell the shells bare but don't expect many people looking into buying a shell or shells with extra holes in them. Even if the are as a shell pack, they value is gone and I personally would not pay over $500.00 for a pair of blank Tivoli shells. It will cost around $2,000 to $3,000 on putting new lighting in them along with wiring harness, plugs sockets, fabrication of mounting hardware, lugs, ect. but if you looking for a quick cooling looking shell pack too build a set with well there you go. Owners that sell blank shells for a un heard amount of money are just trying to make a killing off of something that is basically no longer a drum no matter what condition or color combination their are basically a tivoli drum carcass!

Yellow and Green Vistalite color have been show up a little bit more. Even in full sets. Just recentcy a Yellow Octa-Plus in amazing condition has been listed on Ebay. Beautiful set. If you have the money I would definately buy that set.. You don't see octa-plus sized sets in Yellow or even green Vistalite especially in that condition. Single headed are a good grab if the price is right. You can also have them converted by PDDS into double headed and have a drum that is then worth more.

Rainbow Vistalite sets well have kind of taken a down hill for sale type trend. Lately a 5-band Rainbow Pattern 'B' Suprpahonic 401 Snare 5"x14" size has shown up for sale in red/clear Vistalite. Another snare in blue/solid White Vistalite in the cool Pattern 'F' Vertical Bar pattern same 401 Supraphonic snare 5x14 size. For sets a Yellow/White 3-band Rainbow Pattern 'A' outfit in the rare Quadra-Plus size set has been listed on Ebay. A Tivoli shell pack in smoke/clear/smoke and orphan all togather Smoke/Smoke/Smoke Tivoli Supraphonic snare 5x14.

Hardware is avaiable all different sorts from Bowtie for Vistalite,Acrolite snares. Large and small classic lugs and white mylar gaskets in large sets most in superb condition to very nice condition. T-rods to tension rods and washers have shown up..Even a few very nice mid 1970's single screw tone controls. Drum heads some of which were not Ludwig original heads, some were Remo or Evans drum heads with a Ludwig logo on them.

As you can tell there is fluxation in the Vistalite market. However it's best if you refere back to here or watch the market youself so you can see what sets and single ect. go for so you dont pay to much for something that you could have had cheaper!!

As for the other patterns like D, E, and C. I've notice a couple of big double headed toms in blue/red Vistalite in the pattern C Spiral. For D nothing for quite a while. In pattern 'E' I've noticed recently a custom made Cocktail drum outfit with a reversed Speed King Pedal quite cool, it was made in solid white and solid black.

There is always someone trying to sell the 04' reissue Bonham Amber Vistalite set and the prices for the kit are kind of strange. Something it will be listed with the hardware or just as a drum kit it self with only the mounting hardware no stands or pedal. I think if anyone was going to buy one for that kind of money they would really want the authentic original style hardware with it other than trying to find vintage hardware to go with it and having a hard time to find it as well (correct era) at least.

Usually if you want a Bonham outfit go through a authroized dealer or a private seller that has pictures of the outfit. Be carefull some Bonham outfits are recreations of Ludwigs using another type of shell like from either Zickos or Golden n' Time Drums, and even possibly Fibes.. Using Ludwig hardware but advertising it as a reissue set..They even use 70's era Ludwig badges, but the Vistalite or even Ludwig enthusiast will no the difference by looking at them. I've been offered to build a Bonham replica but since Ludwig offers the kit why wouldn't you want to spend the same amount of money on shells, hardware, heads, ect. when you can get the outfit already to setup and be played? Authentic Classic Ludwig? I know I would and many others would agree..

Chrome-O-Vistalites drums? Never heard of them. Well that was the result of a error made at Ludwig during the late 1970's. First of all they over produced to many solid white shells in Vistalite second the material that was used was not the correct thickness which the result was a inventory of unusuable shells. To make matters worse, solid white Vistalite drum singles and outfits were not a big seller at all during the mid to late 70's. A major factory in that was the awesome new selling Stainless Steel drums and the look a like set call the Chrome-O-Wood drums which feature a stainless chrome wrap over either a maple or mahogany/maple shell depending on the diameter (large drums used mahogany for added strength but on the outside finish plys of maple were used. In order to get rid of them, an research development personel came up with the idea of wrapping them in the saem stainless chrome wrap as the Chrome-O-Woods used. Results were very nice but since the metal and plastic do not compare to well togather these drums are known to fail in the seam overlap area as the differences of expansion and contracting of the metal vs. acrylic plastic play hectic on the adhesive and they are known to actually come apart... This was more than likely a quick introduction to dealers as it never made Ludwig literature in any of their catalogs. I think if more time would have been taken a adhesive could have been found that would have been compatable with the COV *Chrome-Over-Vistalite drums... Infact it was so well executed that the insides looked to be white resacoted on the interior..They are good looking and great sounding drums, it's too bad they are so rare and had problems with the finish, I think Ludwig may have kesdpt them on the market...

Ludwig Vistalite, Rainbow, and Tivoli Vistalite drum were very labor to make, it took millions of dollars, designing to make them. With rising prices due to the oil embarbos of the 70's, recording methods change, and the trend of the 1970's, disco was fading out, and the biggest thing drummer were going back to the sound of the wooden drums. All this had a impact on the Vistalite series fate... They were beautiful drums and as we say everything must come to end sooner or later..Vistalites just happened to be that specific drum line that was here for a while and then gone. Although there were gone during the 80's and the 90's, they are back and even better made than their vintage cousins. You can't keep a good thing down, and Ludwig knows that... I wonder what they have instore for us next? A Rainbow Vistaite pattern? Who knows? CLICK HERE TO RETURN HOME