On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Ludwig Downbeat Four-piece drum set with cymbals
Not on view
In postwar Britain, American-made instruments were rare and desirable. The Beatles’ Ringo Starr, seeking his first American drum set, purchased this Ludwig kit from London’s Drum City music store in 1963. The shop’s owner, Ivor Arbiter, designed the Beatles’ “drop-T” logo on the bass drum head so Ringo could also retain the Ludwig logo, demonstrating proof of its American provenance. He used this kit for European performances from 1963 to 1964. The cymbals and bass drum head are period-correct replacements.
Technical Description:
3-ply mahogany-poplar-mahogany shells with "resa-cote" painted interiors, black oyster pearl finish.
Components (Depth X Diameter): Ludwig 8 x 12 in. mounted tom, 14 x 14 in. floor tom, 14 x 20 in. bass drum, hardware; Ajax 20 in. ride cymbal; Zildjian A 18 in. crash cymbal, A 14 in. hi-hats
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