The Ludwig Acrolite

Thought you might find these pics interesting. Someone over on vintagedrumforum posted these. I thought it was a pretty cool use of green sparkle wrap on an Acrolite.
 

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I'm gonna resurect this thread almost a year to date since the last post.

I feel like I scored a pretty good CL deal today on an Arcolite LM 404 Black Galaxy

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This is a few year old, but brand new, student pack. I got the snare, which doesn't have a mark on it. a stand (not the one in pics), practice pad, 2 song books, a pair of sticks, and a carrying bag, all for a hundred bucks. The original Ludwig coated head didn't have a stick mark on it. At least till I got it home. Now it has a few hundred. :)

I took a crappy sound percussion snare stand back to GC that was $60., so I really only put out another $40.00.

This thing sounds awesome. I see us spending a long and happy life together.
 
I'm gonna resurect this thread almost a year to date since the last post.

I feel like I scored a pretty good CL deal today on an Arcolite LM 404 Black Galaxy

This is a few year old, but brand new, student pack. I got the snare, which doesn't have a mark on it. a stand (not the one in pics), practice pad, 2 song books, a pair of sticks, and a carrying bag, all for a hundred bucks. The original Ludwig coated head didn't have a stick mark on it. At least till I got it home. Now it has a few hundred. :)

I took a crappy sound percussion snare stand back to GC that was $60., so I really only put out another $40.00.

This thing sounds awesome. I see us spending a long and happy life together.

Nice drum, good score!
 
Since I happened to be passing thru let's bump this one up and air it out a bit.....

LVDC
 
I'm still kickin' latz, just been doing my drum talkin' face to face at a friend's shop.

For the record, I still love the smell of Flitz in the morning.......
 
I've been thinking about getting a Supraphonic or Acrolite as well.
I haven't seen too many offers over here, but I happened to see to 3 older Acrolites for sale:

http://www.mijnwebwinkel.nl/winkel/...=article&categoryID=429832&articleID=20756063
http://www.mijnwebwinkel.nl/winkel/...=article&categoryID=429832&articleID=20757922

I know listening would be best and I will, but would you prefer one of these over a new one?
Also, can anyone tell which heads come with a new one?

Eric, your question about new vs old is straight up based on personal preferences so you may get differening opinions, all would be "right answers" since it all depends on what sound a person might prefer, tight, or a more open sound.....

Over the last couple of years I've sold seven of my Acrolites and have kept only one, which is similar to the one in your bottom link, the one with the 1960's Keystone Badge. The Acro in your top link looks to be from the 1970's so essentially the two in your links would sound the same, that is if both had the same heads, strainers, etc....

Here's why I, personally, prefer the older anondized shells over the later (mid 80's & later) powder coated versions. The powder coating tightens up the sound since it doesn't allow the shell to vibrate as freely as those of the earlier 404's, now, I can always tighten up the sound on a anondized shell any number of ways, heads, tuning, rims, moon-gel, etc. but I can only open up the sound of a powder coated Acro so far due to the limitations put on me by the coating.

The above also applies to the difference between a Supra-Phonic & a non-powder coated Acrolite, only in the case of the Supra the sound is tightened up by the fact that the Supra-Phonic has 10 Lugs & the Acrolite only 8. For all intents & purposes the shells on the two are the same, they only differ when it comes to coatings & the number (and style) of Lugs. That, and the fact that all Acrolites have internal tone controls and some Supra-Phonics do not.

One last thing, if the Rims on the two Acros in your links are original to those two drums they will be thinner than the Rims you would find on a new Acrolite. Yet another thing that would help tighten up the sound.

For me, and once again this is only my personal preference, I would buy either of the two in your links before I would buy a new one, or any powder coated Acro for that matter.

As far as I know all new Acrolites would come with "Ludwig" Heads. When I recondition a vintage Ludwig Snare for re-sale in my friends Drum Shop we always put Ludwig Heads on them simply because that's what most people expect to see on a Ludwig Drum. On my personal drums, as well as my friend's, we run Remo's. We've tried many other brands looking for that "magic sound" but always came back around to the Remo's. Like the sound of the shell itself, heads are another case of personal preference so there will be many "right answers" out there.

LVDC
 
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Hi LVDC, thanks for your elaborate post. I think what remains for me is to try each snare and choose the one I like best. Like you said: it's all about personal preference.

I was just wondering: usually items decade over time, don't snares suffer as well? Like the 60's snare: it goes back 5 decades, that's quite some time. Won't a new one last longer?

Another thing: I've read some people prefer the 6,5 deep acrolite over the 5 deep one because they can make the first sound like the latter but not the reverse. What's your opinion on this?

And which Remo heads would you recommend?
 
Hi LVDC, thanks for your elaborate post. I think what remains for me is to try each snare and choose the one I like best. Like you said: it's all about personal preference.

I was just wondering: usually items decade over time, don't snares suffer as well? Like the 60's snare: it goes back 5 decades, that's quite some time. Won't a new one last longer?

Another thing: I've read some people prefer the 6,5 deep acrolite over the 5 deep one because they can make the first sound like the latter but not the reverse. What's your opinion on this?

And which Remo heads would you recommend?

I've re-conditioned dozens of snares, some from the 1930's and if I thought that the older ones were weak in any way I wouldn't have sold off my newer Acro's, including a Black Galaxy, and kept the oldest.

I've never played a 6.5" Acro so someone else can probably better address that question.......

For me, I tend to use the single-ply Ambassadors on my metal shell snares, no matter if it's the Acrolite or Supra-Phonic but do also use the Emporers from time to time. Because I never use brushes I sometimes will use the smooth white coated heads but they do reduce the "attack", or stick definition, when compared to the "rough coated" version.

Since I'm not a gigging drummer anymore and have never been in the studio I'm sure others can give you better, more informed advice. I choose what sounds best to me from behind the Kit so my preference has been limited to that perspective for many years. What I hear from behind the Kit isn't necessarily what others hear out in front, especially when other instruments and room acoustics come into play.

LVDC
 
Thanks LVDC, you've been very helpful!
 
The Ludwig Acrolite is a great little snare drum. I had one years ago and for some reason I got rid of it, and I have been kicking myself since. Well this past summer I found one at a garage sale for $15.00!! I couldn't believe it, so wrote a check and was on my way. Brand new heads, new set of snares and it sounds great. Yesterday I posted some videos of me playing my Bonham kit and jamming to some Zeppelin, the snare I am playing is the bargain Acrolite. I have been playing it a lot lately, love it!
 
I just thought I would bump this thread to confirm something:

6.5 Keystone Acrolites exist! Even more interesting is they have 10 lugs instead of 8, so it is basically a 6.5 Supra. Apparently there was a line of a 100 or so made for the NYC school district. I wonder what a going price would be for one of those.

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Thanks for posting; that one's mine! The NYC story is the most plausible I've heard; the badge dates it about '66, I believe. And yes, I do need to change those bottom tension rods.
 
The highest I've ever seen a 6.5 10-lug go for is $780.00 on eBay. I got mine for $35.00 at Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, AL about 1992-3.
 
I just got one from Ebay. USD 190 + freight to Malaysia.

Not exactly cheap, but I wanted a non powdercoated model in very good condition.

Based on the appearance of the drum(anodized, 2 hole P85, pointy BO badge, s/n 1368778), the drum should be from 1978 or 1979.
At that time Ludwig was, by far, the leading brand in Denmark and I am happy to finally own one of their drums.

The drum is in perfect condition, no rust, no pitting, throw-off works smoothly and the shell only have one or 2 minor scratches.
And it sounds good too right out of the box.
 

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Reading LVDC's assessment of the coatings on the Acro's (the most desirable in his opinion being the anodized and not the coated) I was wondering if it's worth it to somehow removing any coating off the newer Acro's. Like if you took a wire wheel to a Black Galaxy, I wonder if you would have to protect the shell with anything after the coating is removed. Since it's aluminum, I was thinking a coating of car wax inside and out should keep any oxidation in check. Any thoughts?
 
Reading LVDC's assessment of the coatings on the Acro's (the most desirable in his opinion being the anodized and not the coated) I was wondering if it's worth it to somehow removing any coating off the newer Acro's. Like if you took a wire wheel to a Black Galaxy, I wonder if you would have to protect the shell with anything after the coating is removed. Since it's aluminum, I was thinking a coating of car wax inside and out should keep any oxidation in check. Any thoughts?

Most agree that the 60's acros are clear coated to prevent oxidation.A few guys on some forums where I'm a member,have removed the black galaxy finish on some blackros.They all feel its a propritary powder coating its a b*tch to remove.Once its off,they went to an auto body shop to have the drum bead blasted,then sanded with various grades of sand paper till they got the finish to where it could be clearcoated.

A few guys went the other way,and refinished their supras,and then did an ultra fine polishing and clear coat that is real close to chrome.I saw this done to a 6 1/2x14 acro,and it looks spectacular.

The car wax thing I have done to my acro and supra, and it does seem to help in keeping the finish of both drums looking good.

Steve B
 
I just got one from Ebay. USD 190 + freight to Malaysia.

Not exactly cheap, but I wanted a non powdercoated model in very good condition.

Based on the appearance of the drum(anodized, 2 hole P85, pointy BO badge, s/n 1368778), the drum should be from 1978 or 1979.
At that time Ludwig was, by far, the leading brand in Denmark and I am happy to finally own one of their drums.

The drum is in perfect condition, no rust, no pitting, throw-off works smoothly and the shell only have one or 2 minor scratches.
And it sounds good too right out of the box.

well congrats on your new Acro. I just got one too. Looks like yours but mine has the round corner BO badge. I think mine is a 1979. Good shape and sounds fantastic.
Do you know if the serial number can tell you the production date?

take care,
Mike
 
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