I have 3 re-issued Ludwig snare drums in my collection. The first one is the 6.5 x 14 Black Beauty snare that was re-issued for Ludwig’s 100 year Anniversary in 2009. Although the shell wasn’t modelled after the original Black Beauty snares from the past, it was beautifully and skillfully hand engraved by John Aldridge. I purchased one of the last of the limited 100 that John engraved.
The second one in my collection is a 5 x 14 standard model re-issue of a 1930 nickel over brass snare drum. This snare features the heavy 2 piece nickel plated shell that has a resonant double flanged bearing edge. This limited issue of 60 snares were recreated by goldsmith Adrian Kirchler in Italy in 2011. They were replicas of the 1920’s/30’s Black Beauty. 2 panels are hand engraved with the Ludwig Triumphal (flower).
The third snare is a re-issue of the legendary Ludwig Supraphonic 6.5 x 14 model LM40250 that was issued to celebrate the snare drum’s 50th Anniversary (1964 – 2014). It is 1 of 300 made in Monroe, North Carolina.
Danny Bilan
Our Man in Canada