Let us guess, you are looking for a great drum set and you were pointed to the Ludwig Breakbeats by Questlove 4-piece Shell Pack. Whoever or whatever pointed you in this direction surely did the right thing.
Whether you are looking for your first drum set or the 6th one, this Ludwig Breakbeats will not disappoint you. Its compact design will make it easy for you to play almost anywhere.
We will go into details about the features of this specially designed drum set in a moment. But before then, let us take a sneak peek at what Ludwig, the makers of this 4-piece shell pack, is about.
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About Ludwig
Ludwig Drums, as a company, started in 1909. This puts the brand at over a century old. Since then, it has been manufacturing percussion instruments for musicians with a specialty in those set of instruments.
As at 1923, Ludwig was the largest drums manufacturer in the world. This shows how seriously they took the business. The fortunes of the brand had a huge boost in 1964 which made them a lot of money as well as fame.
Ringo Starr, the drummer for the world famous Beatles, was using a Ludwig bass drum and its logo was right there on it for all to see. As the saying goes “the rest is history”.
Back to the present, it is time we take a look at why the Ludwig Breakbeats by Questlove 4-piece Shell is so awesome. Let’s go!
Features Of The Ludwig Breakbeats by Questlove 4-Piece Shell Pack
Just before we go, we would like you to get the full gist of this drum set by intimating you with some little information.
You must have noticed the “by Questlove” in the name of this product. This is because the concept of this drum set was inspired by someone. He is called Questlove, obviously, and he is the drummer for the Grammy Award winning group, The Roots.
You don’t want someone asking you that about your drum set and not know what to say. So, you are welcome. Now, let’s get down to it, shall we?
Construction
One thing you will quickly notice when you see this set is that it is compact. It has a really small footprint and there is a reason for that.
The designer had the travelling drummer in mind. These are people who need to go from one gig to another. Most times, they move around by public transport. This makes having a drum set with a small footprint a god-sent.
But some small drum sets might be a pain to set up. So how does this baby measure up in this regard?
Well, it is so amazing how you can easily set this kit up in almost any corner of a club, pub, street, or anywhere else you need to play. Another huge advantage for a travelling or street musician.
The inspirer, Questlove, said “I wanted to build a device that was apartment-friendly and compact for the street musician; but also something that was quality sounding. A gritty, raw, break-able kit for gigging in clubs that you can fit in a cab. Breakbeats by Questlove does it all.”
What more can we say, you just heard from the legend himself. This is a kit that will fit nicely in a corner of your apartment. You can now practice for as long as you want when you want.
That’s not all, while this kit is compact enough to fit well in tight spaces, you can also easily break it down. This ties nicely to the intentions of Questlove for a mobile musician.
How does it perform as a drum?
But what’s the use of a small footprint and easy set up if it fails in its primary assignment. Well, let’s see…
What makes a drum a drum is its shell. In some circles, it is considered the heart and soul of the drum. The reason for that is quite simple, the shell of a drum determines, in no small way, the quality of the sound it produces.
The Ludwig Breakbeats drums are made of 7ply poplar which creates boosted low-end warmth. The highs and mids are soft and the overall sound production is smooth and even. The Breakbeats bust beats like a full-sized kit.
Configuration
The hardware of this kit is steel which is durable and easy to clean. You will easily get the shine back with a wipe of a dry cloth.
You also get the classic Ludwig standard lugs. The traditional style mounts hold firmly and there is even a clamp on the mount for you to add a percussion instrument if you want.
The bearing angle is at 45 degrees which gives you that solid, quick classic response from the shells. The hoops are triply flanged which means that you can go as hard as you want with your rimshots.
The positioning lifts also give you great reach at each drum so you can easily hit the drum you want while still keeping a good form.
The breakbeats come as a set of 16” by 14” bass drum, 10” by 7” tom, 13” by 13” floor tom, and a matching 14” by 5” snare. But, please, note that the cymbals you see in the pictures are sold separately.
The drums use Remo pinstripe heads. What this means is that you will create a professional tone with every hit of the drums.
The Sounds
You probably already know this but it is worth saying again. The closer to the center you hit the drums, the truer the sound it produces.
Don’t get us wrong, you can hit drums off center too to achieve some really cool effects. But if you want the true sound of a drum, the center is the sweet spot.
Clearing that up, it is really cool that the Breakbeats features a riser for the kick drum so that you can hit the dead center at all times.
Talking about the kick drum, it is quite small at 16 inches but boy is it boomy! You will get the bass you need off this drum.
And if you turn the snare wires on, you will hear the sketchy sound from the drums. As if those weren’t enough, it’s amazing how exciting the tones that come out of the toms are.
The awesomeness of this drum set is not over just yet, there’s more…
The Ludwig Breakbeats is also versatile in the sense that you can use it for several genres of music. Even in its compact size, it will work great as a rock kit. The toms are boomy enough for that purpose. R and B, Jazz, Pop, etc. Worship houses too might not even need to look further than this Ludwig Breakbeats by Questlove.
Additions
We already made the intentions of Questlove clear concerning the mobility of this drum set. This is the ideal kit for a drummer that wants to play in different gigs across town.
The Ludwig Breakbeats come with velvet carrier bags. They easily keep your kit in one place for easy movement. This would make a great add-on if you have to dash from one gig to another.
By design, your drums can quickly collapse and get stored in the bag and you are on your way within minutes. Furthermore, the entire thing will fit easily in the trunk of a cab.
The beauty of these bags is that they do not only serve the purpose of storage. You can also use them as sound mufflers for the drums too.
We are sure you can easily think of reasons you would want to muffle the sound of your drums. If you have neighbors close by during a practice session, for example, you definitely would want to do that.
All you need to do is to drape the bags over the drums and you will get the muffled effect. Apart from reducing the sounds from the drums, the sound of the beats you produce when you do this is just so cool. You should try it.
Pros Of The Ludwig Breakbeats by Questlove 4-Piece Shell Pack
- The toms produce a great sound.
- Steel hardware makes it sturdy and durable.
- The drum set is quite compact and portable.
- The kit comes with carrier bags that also serve as sound mufflers.
- The set is really easy to move around.
- This kit will serve you well in a number of different genres of music.
- These drums come with top quality shells.
- The Breakbeats are great for both beginners and seasoned pros alike.
- The price is quite reasonable.
Cons Of The Ludwig Breakbeats by Questlove 4-Piece Shell Pack
- The rise and the drum heads could be better.
- The kit does not come with any stands.
Conclusion
We have intimated you with the things you need to know about the Ludwig Breakbeats by Questlove 4-piece Shell Pack. Therefore, we hope that what you have learned about it will help you decide confidently if it the best option for your needs at the moment. But if you ask us, we won’t waste a moment to tell you: Go for it!