best seamless aluminum snare?

[steadypocket]

If money is no object, my Joyful Noise Luminary is the best I’ve played and heard. To me, it represents the pinnacle of aluminum drum tone. For almost a grand less, my Starphonic aluminum is 95% there. That 5% difference involves complexity and vibrancy.

 

[cbphoto]

If money is no object, my Joyful Noise Luminary is the best I’ve played and heard. To me, it represents the pinnacle of aluminum drum tone. For almost a grand less, my Starphonic aluminum is 95% there. That 5% difference involves complexity and vibrancy.

Is that a powder coating or a trick anodizing?
How's the throw-off?

 

[oriollo]

Pretty sure that's anodizing.

 

[Chunkaway]

Here is a nice comparison video:

 

[toonamike]

I still have it on mine - I like it. I believe all the heads on USA made Ludwigs anyway, are made by remo. I’d say weight wise they’re similar to an ambassador.

Ludwig still makes heads in Monroe. The coated ones are sprayed by hand. To my knowledge, the Monroe Weather Master heads are just for snares.

All USA-made kits have Ludwig-branded heads made by Remo. The Weather Master silver dots are made by Remo using Ludwig's mylar specifications, not Remo's.

EDIT: For complete accuracy, Neusonic series drums, which are made in the USA, do not include USA-made Remo heads. Rather, they ship with the cheaper, imported heads.

 

[RickP]

I have owned a lot of seamless aluminum snare drums with a bead . I like them but if I was in the market for an aluminum snare my first choice would be the Noble and Cooley Alloy Classic - it is a sandcast aluminum shell with more body and warmth than your typical spun seamless aluminum shells .

If you insist on a seamless spin shell aluminum snare my choices in order would be :

Tama Starphonic Aluminum - superb on every way - like a 402 on steroids . Better hardware and strainer and IMHO sounds superior to the Ludwig 402 or Acrolite

INDe 6.5” Seamless brushed aluminum - 8 lugs and a superb strainer .

Yamaha Recording Custom seamless aluminum - aluminum diecast hoops and an excellent strainer - very lightweight

Ludwig 402 Supraphonic - as long as you get the most current strainer . Stay away from the P85 - temperamental .

Ludwig Acrolite - not really a fan to be honest . It has a cool honk but not as versatile and the Chrome played 402