Ludwig Black Beauty, just looked them up

konaboy

konaboy

Pioneer Member
So never been much of a ludwig guy. After reading some posts here recently I decided to head to their site and look at them. Holy crap the BB with the Tube lugs is absolutely stunning, I mean it's just flat out awesome looking. the sound files I listened to, wow it sounds incredible. I can see the desire to own one of these!
 
It is an interesting snare. I have a love/hate relationship with mine. I like it best with the cast hoops. I have two sets of hoops. Overall I like it a freak of a lot more than I don't :) You all know what I mean...
 
Black Beauties are very cool. I had one some years ago, but never got along with the weight of it. I much preferred the somewhat out-of-control of the regular Ludalloy Supraphonic!
 
Matt Bo Eder said:
Black Beauties are very cool. I had one some years ago, but never got along with the weight of it. I much preferred the somewhat out-of-control of the regular Ludalloy Supraphonic!
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Exactly Bo, the BB is cool but it has its limits. I can't play everything on my BB that I can play on my 70's Gretsch COB. I play best overall with wooden snare drums.
I don't think that it is the weight. I think that it is the action that it has at tighter tunings. I like my BB better when is is slightly looser on the batter tension rods than I keep my other snare drums
 
My engraved 5 x 14 Black Beauty is my favourite snare. It can just do it all.
 

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I tend to prefer the aesthetic of the imperial lugs for the BB. It wouldn't feel like a supra without them. My BB has done everything I've ever asked of it.

If you're enamored with the nostalgia of the brand and drum, go with a BB. If you're more attached to the look of beaded brass, take a look at some of the other similarly priced modern interpretations of the Supra.
 
This is mine:

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They look great but honestly they're overhyped, just like the supra and the acro. I don't think ludwig's quality control is among the best and they continue to use that shitty throwoff that everyone has issues with - the p85. My p86 rattles too, quite disappointing for a drum of its price.

I owned an ahead black on brass snare and I put it up against my black beauty and it was pretty much the same drum, it wasn't a seamless spun shell like the ludwig but sounded pretty much the same (the ludwig wasn't slightly better, just slightly different). My opinion - when you buy these snares you pay a tax, I call it the Bonham tax, it's the inflated price of buying a famous drum - which is appealing even to me - but it's definitely not superior to anything else out there.

I just picked up a brass mapex nomad 13" and I think it's a better drum overall, much more civilized in volume but all the perks (sensitivity and tone) of a brass drum.
 
I have that same drum Dre, Duck, in both depths. It is a pretty drum.

I know because I look at it sitting on my shelf like everyday.
 
I would love to own a Black Beauty, but it wouldn't be because of the sound. I've played several over the years, and the BB sounds no better or worse than any other well made metal snare. But the Beauty part of the name is a perfect descriptor - it is a beauty to behold. Not to mention the legacy.

GeeDeeEmm
 
The pics posted are beautiful.

I can say pretty confidently that there won't be one in my stable of drums because of the price. I was amazed at how incredible they look and they do have a nice sound to them but I can't justify the cost.
 
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