Ludwig-Musser
Welcome to the world of Ludwig-Musser Percussion. Ludwig-Musser represents the finest quality and sound in percussion instruments today from a company that has been making instruments and accessories in the USA for decades. Ludwig is "The Most Famous Name on Drums" since 1909 and Musser is "First in Class" for mallet percussion since 1948.
Ludwig & Musser aren't just brand names, they're people. William F. Ludwig Sr. and William F. Ludwig II were gifted percussionists and astute businessmen who were innovators in the world of percussion. Clair Omar Musser was a visionary mallet percussionist, composer, designer, engineer and leader who founded the Musser Company which became the American leader in mallet instruments. Both companies originated in the Chicago area. They joined forces in the 1960's and originated the concept of "Total Percussion."
We have a dedicated staff of craftsmen and marketing professionals that are sensitive to the needs of the percussionist. Many on our staff are active percussionists today and have that same passion for excellence in design, quality and performance as did our founders. We are proud to be an American company competing in a global economy.
Musser Marimbas, Xylophones, Chimes, Bells, & Vibraphones are available in a wide range of sizes and models to completely satisfy the needs of beginners, schools, universities and professionals. With a choice of hammered copper, smooth copper or fiberglass bowls, Ludwig Timpani always deliver the full rich sound that generations of timpanists have come to expect from Ludwig. 100% Maple Concert Bass Drums, Concert Toms and Snare Drums offer the distinctive tone, projection and clarity that our reputation is built on. Student percussion is another area where Ludwig-Musser excels. Ludwig Educational Kits combine quality and sound to give the student a great start.
This catalog also features a full line of accessories like stands, mallets, sticks and heads to get the most out of your instrument, as well as covers and cases, to protect your investment. We welcome you to the Ludwig-Musser family. After you tour these quality instruments and accessories in our catalog, we hope that you will visit your local Ludwig-Musser dealer and hear them for yourself. We know that you rely on quality and performance and that's what Ludwig-Musser delivers
In 1931, William Teasdale Armstrong, a highly respected craftsman and a C.G. Conn shop foreman, founded his small flute repair shop in Elkhart, Indiana. Word of his skill and uncompromising commitment to quality quickly spread, and it wasn't long before he was asked to manufacture instruments for professional musicians.
The proud Armstrong heritage passed on to son Edward, who apprenticed under his father and shared his father's attention to detail regarding quality. Edward's concern for quality went well beyond the crafting of professional level instruments. He recognized a need to provide quality instruments to a rapidly growing number of students and community musicians.
In the 1970s, Armstrong developed a "new" flute scale in conjunction with Albert Cooper. Prior to this new scale, flute makers would correct the tuning of A=435 commonly found on flutes by cutting the end of the headjoint to bring pitch up to A=440. While this served to correct the pitch in the center registers, all other octaves did not play in tune. Armstrong and Cooper collaborated together to create a whole new flute with improved performance. Changes would include a tapered headjoint, alterations to dimension of tone holes and tone hole placement. This redesigned flute would become today's 102, 103, and 104 model flute platforms.
In 1984, the Armstrong woodwind company was sold to King Musical Instruments, which later merged with C.G. Conn in 1985 to form United Musical Instruments (UMI). UMI later merged with the Selmer Company in 2002 and created Conn-Selmer, Inc.
