Ludwig Speed King Pedal

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Overall User Ratings

Overall: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: :. 9.7 out of 10 Features: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  8 out of 10
Quality: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: :..  8.6 out of 10 Value: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: :..  .  7.8 out of 10
I Want It: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: :. 9.3 out of 10 Sound: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  9 out of 10
Ease of Use: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10 Support: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10

Individual User Reviews

Overall: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Features: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Quality: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Value: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
I Want It: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Sound: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Ease of Use: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Support: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10

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""PERFECTION""

Sound:
Been useing the same one professionally for over 30 years...will never change...it's better than the Energizer Bunny!!

User: a customer from aol.com

Submitted: 11/30/2007

Style of Music: Blues, Funk, Soul, R&B, Rock, Jazz, Etc.

Location: Los Angeles/San Diego, California

Overall: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Features: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Quality: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Value: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
I Want It: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Sound: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Ease of Use: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Support: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10

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"Speed King, Timeless..."

Feature:
Beater is still round and produces a crisp punch.

Quality:
In my opinion this is the most reliable pedal on the planet... about 30 years ago I broke the link between the pedal and the yoke, so I bought 10 spares... I greased the original replcement 30 years ago with heavy waterproof grease and still have 9 30 year old spares. Grease is necessary on the main pedal pivot under your heel also. The newer design features an easier to replace pivot with "c" clip. I have a spare that I bring to every gig and have never used it. If you grease the link and the pivot between the pedal and beater yoke this pedal should outlast the drummer.

Value:
Yes

Desirability:
Simple, quiet, smooth, responsive, retro and ahead of it's time all in one. Very sexy pedal.

Sound:
Playing heel down as I do, this pedal is silent. By keeping the pivots greased and the heel plate tight, it is quiet even playing heel up. The rebound is adjustable and the pedal is smooth and responsive.

Ease of Use:
I recommend setting this pedal up so the batter striked the head above the center of the head... this generates more power, and seems to have a better sound than striking directly in the center of the head.

Support:
Dealer provided parts.

Overall:
I have 3 kits and 4 Speed Kings... The pedal I gig with is the '79 pedal... I've tried Tama, Pearl, Axis, pedals which are all nice, but I sold them all and will not waste time looking for anything cooler than a Speed King.

User: a customer from nycap.rr.com

Submitted: 2/23/2007

Style of Music: Rock, Blues, Jazz

Location: Saratoga Springs NY

Overall: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Features: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  9 out of 10
Quality: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Value: ::: ::: ::: .  .  .  .  .  .  .  3 out of 10
I Want It: ::: ::: ::: .  .  .  .  .  .  .  3 out of 10
Sound: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  .  7 out of 10
Ease of Use: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Support: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10

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"Hot little pedal with a big attitude and good sound"

Feature:
My pedal did not come with "accesories" but ludwig did such a nice job designing it that i just started using it.

Quality:
I have had mine for a year now and it still is as nice as the day I got it. It gives you that freshly bought feeling... kinda like a new car smell.

Value:
This item is a steel it is totally worth the 120$ i paid for it. If you are ever thinking of buying a pedal this should be your first inquiry.

Desirability:
The term i want it sums it all up for me. I would do it again in a heart beat.

Sound:
This product (the ludwig speed king) is a perfect adission to my hopped up pacific. The sound is great and the reaction time is perfect. It is like having a double base.

Ease of Use:
I really did not see a thing wrong with it. It is a simple chain though, you push the pedal and it goes down. Not much to it.

Support:
I have not personally delt with ludwig but my friends have(for minor weeknesses in other products) and they said that ludwig was very resourceful and new what they were talking about.

Overall:
First of all i dont ever expect to break down it is a very good quality pedal. Secondly if I lost it i would go buy another one in a heart beat

Submitted: 7/12/2006

Style of Music: jazz

Location: kalamazoo michigan

Overall: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: 10 out of 10
Features: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  .  7 out of 10
Quality: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  8 out of 10
Value: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  8 out of 10
I Want It: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  8 out of 10
Sound: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  9 out of 10
Ease of Use: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  9 out of 10
Support: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  9 out of 10

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Feature:
I have had three Speedking pedals, one of which I am still using. One was stolen and I just broke the other one on the road. It snapped at the bend in the metal by the beater shaft (playing a little to hard). I've never had a problem with noise because I use vasoline to keep the pedal lubricated.

Quality:
Except for one of my pedals breaking, I've never had any problems with the pedal at all volumes.

Value:
It's a good product and I've been playing Ludgwig drums since 1974.

Desirability:
A sexy pedal.. well it's not ugly.

Sound:
I've been playing since 1965 and it's the only pedal I've used, or felt comfortable playing. DW pedals are the only ones that come closed to the responsiveness. I play the heel plate loosened and use a wood beater that I cut down so the front is rounded and tapers to the back. That way I get a good slap, with out too much weight.

Overall:
I plan on getting another Speedking, because I'm using my spare pedal which I originally bought in 1965.

User: a customer from yahoo.com

Submitted: 11/18/2004

Style of Music: Blues, Country, Rock

Location: North Hollywood, Calfornia, US

Overall: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  .  .  .  5 out of 10
Features: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  .  .  .  .  4 out of 10
Quality: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  .  .  .  5 out of 10
Value: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  .  .  .  5 out of 10
I Want It: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  .  .  .  .  5 out of 10
Sound: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  9 out of 10
Ease of Use: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  9 out of 10
Support: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: .  9 out of 10

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Feature:
It's old school, that's for sure.

Quality:
I had problems with the pedal "breaking apart" from it's playing position. I ended up giving this pedal to my buddy, who's truly old school Speed King I broke a few years ago.

Sound:
Sounds great when it's working properly.

Overall:
I got one of these with the Ludwig Maple "Bonham Zep Set". Thank God I had another backup pedal that was more reliable than the Speed King.

Submitted: 4/7/2004