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LB417 6.5"x14" Black Beauty Snare Drum

LB417 6.5"x14" Black Beauty Snare Drum

Ludwig

Description

The Ludwig Supraphonic Black Beauty is an American classic renowned for its distinctive sound. Featuring a seamless, one-piece 14x6.5" brass shell and triple-flanged hoops, this drum produces a warm yet cutting tone with a balanced resonance that slices through any mix. Fitted with Ludwig's P85 Supraphonic strainer and snare wires, the Black Beauty offers unparalleled sensitivity and responsiveness whether tapped lightly or hammered hard.

A Seamless Brass Shell for Sonic Excellence

The Supraphonic Black Beauty's seamless brass shell is spun and drawn from a single sheet of brass, then hand-polished to a flawless finish. This meticulous construction eliminates any weak points in the shell, allowing it to resonate fully and project with power. The brass material itself delivers a crisp yet rounded tone with a slight warmth. Together, the seamless shell and brass material are responsible for the Black Beauty's coveted sonic signature.

Precision-Engineered Strainer for Ultimate Control

Fitted with Ludwig's P85 Supraphonic strainer, the Black Beauty provides unmatched control over snare response. This high-performance strainer utilizes an eccentric cam throw-off mechanism to apply even tension to the 20-strand snare wires. Drummers can make precise adjustments to the snare wires to achieve their desired tone and sensitivity, from a tight crisp crack to a loose vintage buzz. The Supraphonic strainer is a key component of the Black Beauty's highly articulate and versatile performance.

A Modern Classic With Timeless Style

While the Ludwig Black Beauty is revered for its distinctive tone, its iconic aesthetic is equally memorable. The brass shell is finished in a sleek black nickel plating and accented with chrome hardware, including triple-flanged hoops, imperial lugs and the Supraphonic strainer. This combination of black and chrome evokes a vintage yet modern vibe that complements the Black Beauty's musical heritage. A piece of drumming history, the Black Beauty's stunning looks match its legendary sound.

Open Box Ludwig Black Beauty Snare Drum Level 2 6.5x14 197881415235

Features

  • P85 throw-off
  • Seamless brass shell
  • Antique black anodized finish
  • Chrome-plated hardware
  • Imperial lugs

Specs

14x6.5" size only

Reviews

4.75

20 Reviews

100%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend

Worth every penny
Premier Snare of Royalty!

Most Liked Positive Review

5

an amazing snare

I recently bought the 6.5x14 with imperial lugs. As a musician that plays a variety of genres in various venues, I can, without a doubt, say that this is the most versatile, best sounding snare I have ever had the pleasure of playing (I have yet to get my hands on a brady or a craviotto). Some venues I have played have been pubs walled with brick that lend for some nightmarish acoustic circumstances, but even in situations like those, this snare cuts and still manages to sound great while receiving dozens of compliments. It can be sensitive, loud, resonant, or quiet and even muted (if that's the sound you're looking for- but I recommend letting the dynamics of this snare SING). It fits jazz, rock, blues, r&b and absolutely everything in between. It sounds fantastic with brushes, hot rods, nylon tips, or simple old fashioned hickory and will give you the sound you are looking for, whether you're in the studio for a session or playing a gig, mic'd or not- the sound is superb and definitely projects with definitive warmth that I have yet to find in other snares- and the black nickel finish is absolutely STUNNING. The stock heads are actually decent, but I recently picked up a coated ambassador with a hazy ambassador snare side. The stock snares sound great as well. I have puresounds, but have yet to put them on because the sound i'm getting is already really sweet. I have a spare set of die cast hoops and tried them out, they bring even MORE volume to the drum, but the stock triple flanged's feel great and give higher sensitivity and stick rebound. This drum certainly lives up to its hype. I realize the price tag is a little steep, but if you're looking into purchasing a snare like this, you've probably already done your homework on it like me. If you're on the fence about buying it, let me help you out and tell you to just splurge and get it. I receive countless compliments about the sound I get from this snare and even get friends and fellow drummers asking if they can play it in their next show (yeah right!). I am extremely picky about my snare sound and have never actually owned a brass snare before, so this is a first for me coming off of two gretsch maple snares; a 5x14 and a 6.5x14, and a couple other customs. I used to vow to stick with maple, but this snare completely changed me. For a while I was looking into the lm402 (the 6.5x14 supraphonic) after reading several reviews, but decided on the 6.5x14 BB because I can get the supra sound out of this snare, but can't get the BB sound out of a supra. Spend the extra cash get this snare, you will certainly not regret it. The quality is superb and I am proud to finally be a member of the ludwig family with the majestic and highly sought-after black beauty.

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

3

Just Another Brass Drum

I dunno about Ludwig anymore. This is supposed to be the Martin HD-28 of snare drums. They currently list it under "Additional Snares" and yet this is supposed to be the most iconic instrument on the planet..! Anyway I've owned one, a tube-lugged Supra, 5 x 14". A decently made drum, fit and finish flawless. It was fitted with 2.3mm hoops and the (yawn) P-85 strainer and wires, along with Ludwig heads. Sounded OK out of the box, but didn't turn my head sonically, although it was beautiful to look at. I tried a standard Remo setup, Ambassador over hazy and like any metal snare with triple-flange hoops, it was terribly ringy. Using a Studio Ring seemed to block the drum rather than just tone down the overring. Stopped by a GC and played a Pearl Sensitone II (same drum, die-casts standard) which sounded far better; sold the BB in disgust. If you buy one of these, be sure to install die-cast rims and you'll be fine with nearly any head combo AND obtain an iconic drum in the bargain. For the money, though IMHO an Acrolyte is a far better bargain from Ludwig and has a much better sound. Sorry, but until Ludwig gets better at marketing their brand, I can only give three stars. I agree it SHOULD be five--but you shouldn't have to hot rod a drum like this straight out of the box!

Filters
Best Uses
  1. Accompaniment2
  2. Jazz Clubs2
  3. Small Venues2
  4. School Bands1
  5. Symphonies1
Cons
  1. You will never buy another, this is it!1
  2. Expensive1
  3. None1
  4. Throw Off Is A Throw Back1
Describe Yourself
  1. Experienced6
  2. Professional Musician6
Pros
  1. Great Sound9
  2. Huge Tone8
  3. Sensitive8
  4. Versatile8
  5. Responsive7

Reviewed by 20 customers

  • Worth it!

    5

    Verified Buyer

    submitted2 years ago

    bybill

    frommidwest, USA

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    This snare deserves its reputation and praise. Very sensitive, beautiful tone tuned high or low, just the right slight amount of ring, with a 'feel it in your chest' punch when you hit it hard dead center. Love this drum!. Price is a little high, but it's worth every cent.

  • Worth every penny

    5

    Verified Buyer

    submitted3 years ago

    byDavid

    fromSan Bernardino

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    Everything you heard about this snare is true! Versatile and it has all the pop and volume I need. I play alternate and punk music and it's the perfect fit for every project I am working on.

  • From the first time I heard this snare on record to my kit..

    5

    submitted4 years ago

    byJason

    fromNaperville, IL

    Always wanted a BB. From the first time I heard it played by Scott Phillips from Creed and Alter Bridge I knew that was my snare tone to go after. I currently play on a Mapex Sledgehammer 6.5x14 Brass snare. I thought that would get me closest to Scott's sound. It's very close! As my primary its fantastic.....With the Black Beauty, I finally was able to get that snap and almost Identical sound with keeping my own sound to it. I took the Supraphoic snares off and switched out the batter and snare side heads. Batter I'm using Aquarian HI Energy with snare side being the Evans snare side 500 instead of the 300 that many use. Snares I replaced with the PureSound Custom snare wires. I like my batter heads tuned up as high as they can go without them being over tightened. As I tell everyone, choosing a snare drum is hard. The snare and the cymbals on the kit make your sound. With much debate on spending the money on a snare, I literally had a dream about the snare and I knew that I needed to pull the trigger. Best decision I made. This is a perfect addition to my collection now. Finally found the sound I wanted with making it my own and not 100% copying my major influence in drums.

  • Love this snare for real

    5

    Verified Buyer

    submitted4 years ago

    byAlex

    fromTampa FL

    Love this snare! The stock heads sound amazing surprisingly!

  • Amazing drum great crack and sensitivity

    5

    Verified Buyer

    submitted5 years ago

    byLouie R

    fromSanta Barbara

    Great all around drum.soft playing gets you the sensitivity,hard hitting gets you a powerful crack without getting obnoxious.

  • Great snare... really GC?

    4

    submitted5 years ago

    byCam

    fromLincoln, NE

    This snare drum is exactly what I was looking for! Highly versatile, solidly built, and classic design. Bottom line is, if this is the drum/sound you want, this is where you'll get it.

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