Ringo Starr's 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl Downbeat Drum Set
Musician
Ringo Starr
(English, born 1940)
Musician
The Beatles
(English, 1960 - 1970)
Maker
Ludwig Drums
(American, founded 1909)
Date1963
ClassificationsMusic
DescriptionRingo Starr's 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl Downbeat drum kit. The Downbeat model kit includes: 12" x 8" Tom Tom with original "Baseball Bat" tone control muffler with red felt, two original rims and heads, 12 original mini classic lugs and tension rods, original shell mount holder; 14" Floor Tom with 16 original chrome lugs and tension rods; "Baseball "Bat" tone control muffler with red felt; three original chrome shell mounts and legs; two original rims; two original heads; 20" x 14" Bass Drum with 16 original lugs, two original legs, original cymbal holder. The kit was accompanied by a list of other equipment including 14" hi hats, drum stool, two cymbals, two cymbal stands, hi-hat stand, bass drum pedal and anchor, and snare drum stand. The snare drum seen with this kit is a separate acquisition (see 2015.003.0002).This drum kit was Ringo Starr's first Ludwig kit.
Ringo and Brian Epstein made a trip to Drum City Ltd. in London in April of 1963 to buy a new drum kit. Ringo recalls seeing the Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl drum kit in the shop's window and saying "Oh great! Look at this kit!" Ringo and Epstein spoke with store manager Gerry Evans but Ringo's mind was set on the American made Ludwig kit he saw in the window. Epstein met with the store's owner, Ivor Arbiter, so he could cut a deal. Epstein wanted the band's name to appear on the bass drum and according to Arbiter he hastily drew the now famous Beatles "drop T" logo on a scrap of paper making Arbiter the designer of the now iconic logo. Gerry Evans personally delivered the new kit to the Alpha Television Studios on May 12, 1963 where the Beatles were taping a TV show called Thank Your Lucky Stars, miming "From Me To You and "I Saw Her Standing There."
The kit was manufactured pre-serial badges, which were not offered until 1963. The kit was then used extensively throughout 1963 and early 1964 as the Beatles were busy playing shows across the UK in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales as well as in Sweden and France. Ringo played this kit at the Beatles last appearance at The Cavern Club on August 3, 1963; It was seen on close to 20 television performances in the UK, It was heard on over 160 songs in 28 different broadcast episodes of BBC Radios shows. Ringo ordered a second Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl drum kit for the Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan show on February 9, 1964. The Beatles were scheduled to begin filming A Hard Day's Night on March 2, 1964 upon their return from America and needed to have a second kit ready to begin filming in the UK upon their return. This is the kit that remained in England and was used for A Hard Day's Night.
In 1969 Paul McCartney borrowed portions of this kit and the 2nd Ludwig kit for use on his 1970 solo album McCartney. McCartney and drummer Denny Seiwell continued to use this kit extensively for rehearsing with Wings and their debut album Wild Life at EMI's Abbey Road studios. Ringo also played the kit with Paul in the music video for the song "Take It Away" in 1981.
3D Model
