LEEDY & LUDWIG KNOB TENSION DRUM KIT (Consignment)

The Knob-Tension drum kit was the flagship of the Leedy & Ludwig drum company in 1951. (The Conn company purchased the Leedy Drum Company in 1929, and the Ludwig drum company a couple months later. Conn operated the two firms as separate entities until 1951 when they announced the merger at about the same time they introduced these drums.) The concept was developed by George Way, with final engineering work done by Leroy Jeffries. When the knobs on the sides of the drum are turned, a "bearing edge ring" is pressed more tightly up against the head on the inside of the shell, raising the pitch. A great deal of money was invested in this new tuning system, and when the Knob Tension drums flopped in the marketplace, it was a huge disaster for Conn. The drums were rather heavy, expensive, and simply unreliable. It was difficult to tune the drums very high, as the aluminum struts inside the drums bent and threaded parts stripped. The 14" snare and 13" and 16" toms have plastic heads, the 24" bass drum has calf heads.

Here is a list of the structural issues this kit has: -Several of the thumbscrews that secure the chrome metal hoop that holds the drum heads on are missing. (Standard thread; if you want to use this kit you can pick up parts at a hardware store for this application.) -Several of the threaded nut-hinges in the snare drum were stripped; a previous owner addressed this problem by welding nuts and wing nuts in place. -Many of the aluminum struts in the floor tom have been bent because excess tension was put on the tuning mechanism. These parts can be bent back if you take the time to do it carefully. -The snare drum strainer is missing the adjustment knob (replaced by a screw) and the original snares.

Radio King Consignment kit: 6.5x14, 9x13,11x14,14x28. Good condition calf heads on bass drum, one calf each on 13 and 14 toms, two extra calf heads 13 and 14. Engraved Radio King hoops on toms and snare drum. Two steel flesh hoops for 14" drum. Wood Block, two cowbells, rail console mounting for tom toms. Epic pedal, high hat stand, cymbal stand, snare stand. Pair of Stanople hihat cymbals, two small Alejian cymbals. Slight separation of reinforcement ring in snare drum. Snare release lever is correct, but not original; it is chrome while rest of hardware is nickel. Butt is missing adjuster plate. Inside of all drum very clean, and this kit has not yellowed very much. Offers being accepted now.