Vistalite Drums

Vistalite and acrylic offered a synthetic alternative to wood shells and were popularized by rock drummer John Bonham of Led Zeppelin.

Since Ludwig technically offered any drum it manufactured (other than tympani) in Vistalite, rare examples such as congas and bongos have become valuable collectibles.

A 1977 mis-order left Ludwig with a large surplus supply of the white shells, a problem the company resolved by covering many in chrome wrap, selling them as "faux stainless steel" drums.

Keith Moon of the Who, Ron Bushy of Iron Butterfly, Barriemore Barlow of Jethro Tull, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, Jay Osmond of The Osmonds, Billy Cobham, Danny Roberts of River City, and Scott Schafer of Znowhite played acrylic sets in the '70s.

[3][verification needed] In 1978, Ludwig created the Tivoli Vistalite by inserting small light bulbs into the shells.

The kits were plagued by electrical problems - Bill Ludwig II is reported to have said that everything they made on Vistalite was lost on Tivoli.

The original Vistalite line was phased out due to declining sales and the rising cost of oil-based plastics.

[3] Ludwig reintroduced Vistalite drums in 2001, with the prime seller being a replica of the amber five piece kit played by John Bonham.

In 2006, a multitude of drum companies like SONOR (X-Ray), Tama (Starclassic Mirage), RCI International (Starlite), Fibes (Crystallite), ddrum (Diode and Diaton), Zickos, Peace (Echoplasm), and Kirchhoff Schlagwerk (Arctic series) now make acrylic drums thanks to an increase in popularity since 2001.

Gas custom drums of Australia uses sheets of Mitsubishi shinkolite, a high-quality acrylic used in the automotive industry and optics.

Rockers and jazzmen alike enjoy the wide tuning range of acrylic drums, and the dry, but punchy and projecting sound.

A criticism of Vistalite and acrylic shells in general is that some feel they sound brittle, artificial, and lack the complexity of their wood counterparts.

Jazzmen like Billy Cobham, Lionel Hampton, and Bill Zickos were well known acrylic kit players in the 1970s.

Austrian drummer/clinician Thomas Lang has toured with Sonor's new designer x-ray acrylics to rave reviews for his playing, and for the sound of these drums.