I play Ludwigs and always have. There are many great drum companies out there. And I love gear. But there really is only one Ludwig. This is a great video which captures pretty much everything I would want to say about Ludwigs.

Bonham Tuning Tips

From Drummerworld, tips from Jeff Ocheltree, legendary drum tech (and John Bonham’s tech in the later years) on how to tune large drums for maximum tone and articulation:

Drum Tech Jeff Ocheltree
explains the John Bonham
Setup and Sound
PART I

Drum Tech Jeff Ocheltree
explains the John Bonham
Setup and Sound
PART II

Mark Romans
playsJohn Bonham on the Original Kit

Stick Review: Vic Firth Tommy Igoe Signature Model

Tommy Igoe is an excellent drummer and an even better teacher. I enthusiastically recommend his Groove Essentials and Great Hands for a Lifetime videos/books for any drummer.

As a drumstick connoisseur, I was curious to check out his signature drumstick from Vic Firth. In the press release, the stick is described as a “chameleon” with versatile applications. I took it on a dynamic rock gig to test it out against a couple others.
First, let’s stack it up next to a couple other sticks to give you some context:

Vic Firth American Classic 7A – .540” x 15 ½”
Vic Firth American Classic 5A – .565” x 16”
Vic Firth American Classic 5B – .595” x 16”
Vic Firth Tommy Igoe Sig. Model – .555” x16 1/8”

The Igoe is just a shade longer and thinner than your standard 5A or 5B. So I expected the stick to be lighter than normal. However, volume-wise, the Igoe bats well above its weight. This is undoubtedly due to its much-hyped “Taj Mahal” tip, and perhaps the extra 1/8” length. It is clearly louder, particularly on cymbals. So I’m surprised that this stick is touted as a “chameleon.” For me, this wasn’t true. It played and felt like a straight-up rock stick. And on the quiet tunes, it felt heavy.

My personal bias is for a stick that puts the weight in my hand. I have long arms, and long sticks put me even farther away from my kit, so I generally prefer nothing longer than 16”. I also find it hard to get long sticks to play dynamically. With its balance toward the tip, it generates remarkable volume for its size. I would encourage anyone who plays anything from a 7A to 5B to give it a try.