- The 1970s are often referred to as the era of the blue/olive badge for Ludwig drums. These badges serve as a characteristic indicator of which era a Ludwig drum belongs to.

- The Blue/Olive badge started as a rhombus shape with pointed non-continuous lower left and upper right corners.

- To identify specific time periods within the 70s, you can look beyond just the badge. The construction of the shell and the hardware used throughout the drum also play a role.

- Shells from 1970 to 1975 carried the 3-ply maple/poplar/maple construction with a reinforcement ring, similar to the late 60s. Shells from the early part of the 70s had clear interiors, while most shells after about '73 received a granitone-coated interior.

- By 1976, Ludwig changed their method of construction. Classic series drums were made from a new mold, consisting of a 6-ply maple/poplar mix without reinforcement rings. All shell interiors were now done with a clear coat, exposing the wood grain.

- Bass drum spurs also underwent changes. Retracting, 5/16-inch arched curved spurs were introduced in the 1970 catalog, but thicker, 1/2-inch curved spurs were introduced around 1977 for more support.

- Tom mounting brackets had slight variations in the 1970s. The second-generation script logo bracket was still in use, but a second-generation circled sliding clip mount became more evident.

- In 1979, Ludwig introduced the modular bracket and redesigned the Blue/Olive badge with all four corners rounded