Bringing a Ludwig Black Beauty Back To Life!

[@howardevans6302]

If the shell is only stamped with a B, then there's a good chance the shell is bronze. Ludwig were making most of the BB drums from bronze from the first late '70s re-issues, through the 1980s, and it was only after 1994, that the BB drums were only made from Brass. the only way to tell if your drum is brass is to see raw metal. If it has a pinkish hue, it's bronze, if it looks like yellow gold, it's brass. It's only when shells are stamped either BZ or BR that you can be more certain if they are Bronze or Brass, but just a B, it will be either, and more likely Bronze.

[@NickCostaMusic]

That's what a few others mentioned too. I was always under the impression that B was brass, and BR was bronze...which is backwards. Thank you for clarifying!

[@LittleDrummerChannel]

You scrubbed up that BB and got it looking great! Really enjoyed you video and the tone of your drums! Take care and happy drumming my friend!

[@NickCostaMusic]

Really appreciate that, thank you @littledrummerchannel !

[@MrStevew53]

I really love the sound of that Black Beauty, especially where it's in medium tuning! It has such an incredible punch to it! Thanks for sharing this very informative video, Nick. Great job!

[@NickCostaMusic]

You're very welcome @mrstevew53 ! Did you prefer that tuning with or without the internal dampener?

[@Spagz]

Absolutely love this sound. Cranked sounds awesome. The higher the tuning on this one, the more I love it.

[@JedidiahBertram]

agreed, makes me want to get one.

[@NickCostaMusic]

Direct, and LOUD - you can't go wrong!

[@GolddenWaffles]

Great Video!!! That Black Beauty truly is a workhorse along side it's brothers the LM402 and the acrolites!!! I'm glad you got to finally play a 6.5x14 Black Beauty, they are the best from Ludwig!!!

[@NickCostaMusic]

Thanks @GolddenWaffles ! This was a fun drum to play for sure

[@alsdrumhang]

More than good enough to gig! What a classic sound.

[@NickCostaMusic]

Totally! It's going to be a great addition to my schools lineup. Now they're going to have a LM402 and this to choose from!

[@timm1139]

Nice job cleaning up an amazing find!

[@NickCostaMusic]

Thanks @timm1139 ! This is going to be a great addition in one of my schools

[@Claes_Isacson]

Good job! Love the drum. Thx for sharing! 🥁

[@NickCostaMusic]

Thanks @clas_isacson ! Always appreciate you watching the premier and commenting!

[@davidcenteau-depina6192]

This takes me back to a 1999 recording session. The studio had a beautiful DW studio kit. I was standing in the engineer/owners office. He had a shelf all the way around that office with snares. He asked me "which one?". I pointed to the black beauty. The side stick is amazing on that snare.

[@NickCostaMusic]

Nice! Did you use it for the entire session?

[@davidcenteau-depina6192]

@@NickCostaMusic Absolutely! Ever since I've always used the studio kit.

[@luislaureano228]

Medium-high tuning very very nice sounding!!

[@NickCostaMusic]

That's one of my favorites too. Provides a decent crack while still having a good amount of body to it

[@jchavez915]

The cup or bell washers are aluminum and get compressed or crushed when they get tightened. Sometimes to the point where you can't get a nut driver on them

[@NickCostaMusic]

Never knew that, but good to know! Appreciate the info

[@drummerdano1973]

From that era, it’s a bronze shell. Actually a great thing… I think they have more life to them than the brass

[@NickCostaMusic]

That's what a few others said too. I was under the impression B was brass and BR was bronze. Thank you for clarifying, though!

[@emrahercancakir]

Great restoration. As you also mentioned I would strongly recommend Goo Gone for glue residues or other sticky substances from all kinds of surfaces very quickly. Brasso might be too harsh for some surfaces.

[@NickCostaMusic]

Thanks @emrahercancakir ! The shell has seen better days, though it sounds fantastic! Appreciate you watching, leaving a comment, and following along !

[@MikeBixby]

glad I watched this. informative 8/32.

[@NickCostaMusic]

Appreciate you watching and leaving a comment!

[@barberjeff67]

Black beauties were reintroduced in 1988. I bought a new kit then and had to wait for it to be made. It was a bronze shell.

[@NickCostaMusic]

Good to know, thanks for that clarification!

[@barberjeff67]

@@NickCostaMusic you're welcome!

[@simonbroke-smith7783]

Some 70 reissue drums were stamped B because they were made in bronze. Brass drums did not have B stamp. Will sound a bit different to brass. Some prefer these bronze drums and it will probably be even more valuable. Good find!! 🤘😎🥁🔥👍

[@NickCostaMusic]

I had it backwards - I thought the B was brass, and BR was bronze. Thank you for the clarification!

[@ЯрославАндреев-п7я]

It's not a brass snare, it's bronze. Ludwig Black Beauty from 1987 to 1993 were bronze. The letter B means bronze. When they began to be made in brass again in 1994, they began to put the BR stamp on brass cases. They continued to make bronze ones, but under varnish and with a BZ stamp on them

[@NickCostaMusic]

Interesting - I always thought the opposite (B for brass, BR for bronze). Thanks fort the clarification!

[@jrdrum70jaime]

Hi Nick!! What’s the purpose of wrap the spring? Are you put it back in w the wrap on it? I would like to be clear on that, that way I’ll do the right thing. Thanks so much!!!

[@NickCostaMusic]

It helps reduce any rattle/vibration sounds that the springs cause while playing. Wrap the springs, put them back, no more rattle!

[@drummerboyharm3078]

LBB a difficult animal....

[@NickCostaMusic]

There's a reason everyone makes their imitation of it - it just works!

[@blueavadis22]

Unplayable means shell out of round , bended , etc … Cleaning up and replacing heads is not big deal!

[@NickCostaMusic]

Honest question - if you walked into a venue that provided backline drums and noticed the throw off was locked up in the off position, would you consider the drum playable? Either way, appreciate you taking the time to watch the video, and leave a comment!

[@BUBBAROC1]

Great job Nick. Just curious why didn’t you use an Ambassador X instead of the CS black dot ? You had mentioned that the Ambassador X is your favorite snare head . Thanks for the videos

[@NickCostaMusic]

This drum will go to one of my schools, where my students prefer a higher pitch that's pretty direct. Using the CS dot not only gives us a bit more longevity with the head, but gets closer to that sound they're going for. Hope this helps, and thank you for following!

[@BUBBAROC1]

@@NickCostaMusic thanks Nick

[@jamesangel6986]

The black dot takes the life out of the drum. Any suggestions on how to get a new butt plate to fit in the old drum, they didn’t keep the holes the same.

[@TM_Stone]

What drum and what butt plate do you have?

[@Uzziel_lay_drums]

If I'm not mistaken that Shel it's Bronze ( B) . 90's era must of them came with bronze shell

[@jamesangel6986]

@@TM_Stone the butt plate that comes with the new throw off.

[@jamesangel6986]

The drum is a 400 from 68

[@aluminati9918]

Hi. Re. the problem of new Ludwig butt plate holes not fitting old shell. There are two un-used holes in the new butt plates that will fit the old shell if you drill them out slightly and tap them with the correct tap for your fastener bolts. I did this when mounting the new butt plate on my old Acrolite.