A true American original, the Black Beauty provides a warm, round metallic tone that is often imitated, but never duplicated.
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Often replicated but never duplicated, the Ludwig Black Beauty snare drum is one of the most iconic snare drums of our time. Its distinctive look and sound have graced countless records, homes, and music venues for decades.
The Black Beauty's iconic sound comes from a single sheet of brass that is machine drawn and spun into a seamless beaded drum. This time-consuming process creates incredible sonic results worth the time and attention and makes the competition sound thin and anemic by comparison. The thin 1mm brass shell creates a crisp and full-bodied note that we love throughout a diverse range of tuning allowing these drums to be right at home in a variety of musical applications. The brilliant black nickel plated brass shell, which helped create the iconic name, is stunning and provides a nice contrast to the chrome hardware accents. Whether you prefer tube lugs or the Imperial lug, the Black Beauty tunes with ease allowing you to spend more time playing and less time tuning.
The Black Beauty comes in a variety of sizes and hardware options that can help you find your signature look and sound. Discover for yourself why so many have reached for the Ludwig Black Beauty as their go-to drum today.
In this video, Sound Pure drums specialist Barry Knain explains the various features of the Ludwig 6.5X14 Hammered Black Beauty Snare, and tests it out in several different tuning ranges.
The drum is constructed of a single sheet of brass that is machine drawn and spun into a seamless beaded shell, then nickel-plated with a beautifully exquisite finish. A true American original, the Black Beauty provides a warm, round metallic tone that is often imitated, but never duplicated. However, due to their truly unique and difficult manufacturing process, only a very limited number of Black Beauties is available each year from Ludwig USA
With a choice of three strainer options (P85 Supra-Phonic, P86 Millennium or P70 Super-Sensitive,) the Black Beauty responds with excellent sensitivity at all volumes. Choose from Imperial or tube lugs, die cast or triple-flanged hoops and a smooth or hand hammered shell. The 80-year tradition of the Ludwig Black Beauty carries on as the ultimate snare drum in the industry.
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