While it’s challenging to provide an exhaustive list of all the drum kits Ringo Starr has played throughout his career, here are 10 notable drum kits associated with him:
Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl: This iconic drum kit, featuring a 22-inch bass drum, 13-inch rack tom, and 16-inch floor tom, was prominently used during The Beatles’ early years.
Ludwig Hollywood Maple: Used during the late 1960s, this kit featured a 20-inch bass drum, 12-inch rack tom, 14-inch floor tom, and a Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum.
Gretsch Round Badge Kit: Ringo occasionally played Gretsch drum kits, known for their warm and full-bodied sound. He used various configurations, including 20-inch, 12-inch, and 14-inch drums.
Ludwig Downbeat Kit: This smaller-sized Ludwig drum kit, featuring a 20-inch bass drum, 12-inch rack tom, 14-inch floor tom, and a Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum, was used during The Beatles’ performances on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
Premier ’58 Mahogany Kit: Ringo played this Premier drum kit during The Beatles’ Hamburg days. It featured a 20-inch bass drum, 12-inch rack tom, 14-inch floor tom, and a Premier snare drum.
Ludwig Super Classic: This drum kit, featuring a 22-inch bass drum, 13-inch rack tom, 16-inch floor tom, and a Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum, was used by Ringo during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Ludwig Black Oyster Pearl Kit: This drum kit, similar to the iconic Oyster Black Pearl kit, was used by Ringo during The Beatles’ later years. It featured a 22-inch bass drum, 13-inch rack tom, 16-inch floor tom, and a Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum.
Ludwig Sky Blue Pearl Kit: Ringo played this drum kit during the recording of The Beatles’ “Help!” album. It featured a 20-inch bass drum, 12-inch rack tom, 14-inch floor tom, and a Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum.
Ludwig Psychedelic Kit: This custom-designed drum kit, featuring a unique psychedelic pattern, was used by Ringo Starr during The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” era. The sizes included a 22-inch bass drum, 13-inch rack tom, 16-inch floor tom, and a Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum.
Premier ’64 Black Pearl Kit: Ringo occasionally played this Premier drum kit, featuring a 20-inch bass drum, 12-inch rack tom, 14-inch floor tom, and a Premier snare drum, during The Beatles’ later years.
These are just a selection of the drum kits associated with Ringo Starr throughout his career, showcasing the various configurations and styles he used to create his distinct sound.
25 Quotes About Ringo Starr From Various Celebrities
Ringo, charlie watts, and Keith moon was always the drummers I looked up to. I began playing drums with my brother David’s (lead guitar, vocals) band called silver wings ✈️ test flight in 1977 up to 1986. A little regional street fair’s band. I began on a little drum set my mum purchased for me in 1977 called a drum mate drums (4 piece, snare, mount tom, floor tom, Bass drum, with a kent cymble from a rod coming right out of that bass drum, and no Hi hat, so I whaled away on that snare with my 4/4 rock and country rock drum beat). By 1981 I had moved on to a 5 piece 1968 vintage LUDWIG, I believe they call ” the Hollywood outfit” this was bass drum 14×22. Mount toms 8×12 and 9×13. Floor tom 16×16, and snare 5×14, with the new Sabian and zildjan cymbles, and always 5A pro-mark drumsticks. Those 1980s days with that Ludwig was very exciting and eclectic times that I would never trade. Drummer, Mike gladden