Review Summary:
The Ludwig Accent CS Custom Elite 5-piece drum set features 100% Birch shells, a
satin oil finish. These drums sound great,
look great and will last for years.
Pros: 100% Birch shells result in the best sounding drums in this price category. The satin oil finish is durable and makes this set look custom. The Vibra-band, full-resonance tom mount system and great-sounding Remo drumheads are included.
Cons: Higher quality materials means a higher priced drum set.
Imagine yourself behind a set of Ludwig drums, the drums played by Ringo, Bonzo, Tre' Cool and Jason from Death Cab. Ludwig drums are legendary in the drum industry. This set has the best materials of any set in this price category and you won't be disappointed by the dynamic sound of these drums.
| Pricing | $1188.94 = $899.00 Ludwig drums & hardware + $259.95 Zildjian ZBT Rock Cymbal Pack + $29.99 Sound Percussion drum throne |
| Drum Sizes | 22"x18" bass, 10"x8" and 12"x8" toms, 14"x14" floor tom, 5"x14" snare. |
| Hardware | Ludwig Hardware: snare, straight, boom and hi-hat stands. Bass drum pedal. Sound Percussion Drum Throne (sold separately). |
| Cymbals | Zildjian ZBT 20" ride, 16" crash, 14" hi-hats. |
| Drum Shell Wood | 100% Birch - Warm tone, nice lows for the floor tom and bass drum. Punchy highs for the toms and snare. |
| Finish/Covering | Satin oil finish looks better and is potentially more durable than a covering. |
| Colors | Wine Sunburst. |
| Drumheads | The Accent CS Custom Elite kit comes with high quality, great sounding Remo drumheads. The bass drum comes with a ringed-collar head (an extra thickness around the outside of the head) for perfect tone control and punch. |
| Suspended Tom Holders | Yes - Ludwig's Vibra-Bands tom mount system improves tom resonance. |
100% Birch Shells - Birch is one of the most popular woods used for drum shells. Birch offers great sounding low frequencies for the bass drum and floor tom, and punchy, clear high frequencies for mounted toms and snare drums. Other drum sets in this price range offer lower quality woods (such as, poplar) or a blend of Birch with other, lower quality woods (such as, Basswood).
Satin Oil Finish - Most drum sets in this price category have vinyl coverings that are glued to the drum shell. The Accent CS Custom Elite kit, however, has a satin oil finish that looks really sharp and is very durable. With an oil finish, there's no worries about a covering that rattles or warps from being glued incorrectly.
Ludwig Hardware - This kit comes with durable and sturdy Ludwig hardware. The stands are double braced for stability but lightweight for ease of transport. The L315FP bass drum pedal has a chain drive between the foot board and the beater which has quicker response than a leather strap. The Rock Plate pedal base for stability.
Vibra-Bands Tom Mount System - Rack toms (the toms attached to the bass drum) are mounted using Ludwig Vibra-Bands, a tom suspension system. This means that instead of having holes drilled in the drum shells to mount the toms on the bass drum, toms are suspended from a mounting bracket. Fewer drill holes in the drum shells means more resonant and better sounding toms.
Remo Drumheads - Most kits in this price category use factory heads that may require replacement sooner than name-brand drumheads. The Ludwig Accent CS Custom Elite drum set, however, comes with Remo drumheads, the most familiar name for drumheads. Remo drumheads are easier to tune, sound better and will last longer than factory drumheads.
Higher End of the Price Scale - This drum set uses top quality materials, such as, 100% Birch drum shell wood and Remo drumheads. Because of this, the price is on the high end when comparing to other kits in this price range. The price is justified if your budget can handle it.
This drum set uses high quality materials and is well worth the price. This kit is professional sounding and looks great. It could be the last set you buy, regardless of what level you play at!