March 2013

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Ludwig

Black Beauty, Supraphonic, and Supralite Snare Drums

by Michael Dawson

Ludwig snare drums have played a crucial role throughout drumming history. These coveted instruments, from one of the U.S.’s original drum companies, have appeared on countless recordings and stages since the early 20th century. From the early days of jazz and Dixieland to the evolution of contemporary sounds like modern rock and fusion, Ludwig has always been a go-to choice. And any studio drummer would attest that no drum collection is complete without at least one Ludwig snare. Some would even argue that you could get through just about any session or gig with a single Black Beauty or Supraphonic.

Ludwig recently introduced a new snare drum line, Supralite, which features a chromed-steel shell and vintage-style tube lugs. To see where the Supralite fits within the sonic spectrum of the black-nickel-over-brass Black Beauty and chrome-over-aluminum Supraphonic, we had the company send over a sample of each: a 5×14 Supraphonic, a 5×14 Black Beauty, and a unique 5×15 Supralite. Advertisement

Click below to listen to the Supraphonic:

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Click below to listen to the Black Beauty:

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Click below to listen to the Supralite:

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Be sure to check out the March 2013 issue of Modern Drummer for the complete review.