Ludwig acrolite black Galaxy 6.5"

striker said:
So, maybe in the room when they were deciding, they decided to release the new Acrolite (Acro line) only. Why bother with the black duck when you can make more money with the goose that lays a golden egg every day.
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Check but I don't think (...) there ever was a 6.5 x14 blakro (Black Galaxy) (let alone a 10 lug one)
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the only mystique the Acro had (and plays on) was the New York School system NYC Board of Ed. 10 lug 6.5x14 (see Jp over at Dfo ) and that's what was resurrected...

if I'm reading correctly
am I correct the orig 8 lug 5x14 was not resurrected
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yea wonder what happened to it ; )
 
IBitePrettyHard said:
Just had a wild thought...

What if Ludwig created the Blackrolite because they had a large number of aluminum shells with blemishes? Instead of scrapping the shells, or flooding the market with b-stock Acrolites, they decided to make Lemonaid...

I have no idea if this is true. But this sort of thing has happened before. Gretsch, Ludwig, and Slingerland have all historically painted their shell interiors to hide blemishes. It's not that far-fetched to think they did this with the Blackrolite. :unsure:
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I think that's totally the reason they started with the gray powder coat, then the gray hammered, and then the Black Galaxy...It probably wasn't so much about a singular run of blemished shells as much of a way to not even have to address it. They could use the shells pretty much as-is every time. Both the brushed and clear-coated treatment as well as the amount of cleaning and prep needed to make the shell ready for chrome plating (if becoming a Supra) simply wasn't necessary if you just apply a textured paint finish.

In the present day using fewer lugs and painting the shell isn't enough to really drop the cost so Ludwig is (I think wisely) leaning into the seamless and USA-made aspects and keeping the Acro quality high. They could have easily named the Supralite/Black Magic lines Acro-whatever and focused on price point only.

Sure it stinks that a "student drum" that used to be so plentiful and cheap is now NOT cheap but that speaks to the fact that the Acrolite was massively underpriced for so long.
 
acro always sounded dull to me.
Now the new reissue w/ 10 lug and 4 different flavors may have pulled it up out of the swamp
but still have a ? mark with me..
I've played a black 8 lug 5 acro for some gigs and it didn't bother me. I remember lifting one looking at it in a store and then put it back down. There was a silver 5 8 lug at an odds and end shop across the highway I passed on because owner had it priced too high
~
it was priced correctly back then they made money on every one
relative to Ludwig's other snare offerings
now it's just a beat down fest aiming towards a drummer :LOL:
 
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Backordered. In ten years that may become the rare one. Invest in one now @striker
 
let's see if 10 lugs snap ups the old 8L 5 formula..
memphisdrumshop.com

Ludwig 14x5 Acrolite Classic Snare Drum (LM404C10)

The Ludwig 14x5 Acrolite Classic Snare Drum (LM404C10) features a 1.6mm aluminum shell with 45 degree bearing edges, 10 twin/bowtie lugs, triple-flanged hoops, P88 throw-off, P35 butt plate, 20-strand snare wires, Ludwig Weather Master Medium Coated drumhead, aluminum finish, chrome hardware...
memphisdrumshop.com memphisdrumshop.com
it's in-stock there at Memphis

 
jda said:
Backordered. In ten years that may become the rare one. Invest in one now @striker
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About two years ago, I was very skeptical about the claims that people made about Ludwig snare drums. I purposefully stayed away from them.

So, when I wanted to buy an Aluminum snare over a year and an half ago, I bought a high end Aluminum snare from a different vendor in 5.5x14 size. I did not hear the sound that I had in my head, and for what it was I think that snare was overpriced. So, I sold it and I do not have any Aluminum snares. For now, I am happy with my Ludwig Classic Maple and Ludwig Supralite both in 6.5x14 size.

But wait, since you insist, the future is unknown and Thanksgiving is fast approaching! :)
 
Tamboreter said:
What brand/model was that?
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I do not mean this to come across the wrong way. I just do not feel comfortable stating the brand on a public forum, and I do not want my statement to turn the thread into a point counter point with others.

I am certain there are other drummers who love that snare. If they do, then more power to them. Play whatever you like. It was just my sound preference and my judgement.
 
striker said:
I do not mean this to come across the wrong way. I just do not feel comfortable stating the brand on a public forum, and I do not want my statement to turn the thread into a point counter point with others.

I am certain there are other drummers who love that snare. If they do, then more power to them. Play whatever you like. It was just my sound preference and my judgement.
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I think most of us wear our big boy/girl pants here. It's not uncommon for someone to express their dislike of a particular brand. A bad experience or unfavored drum can be discussed without bashing. But if you really prefer not, then....

Feel free to PM me, I am really interested to know, even if it was a Gretsch.
 
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The Ludwig Black Galaxy snare may not be on every drummer's radar, but perhaps because of its control tone it may be easy to record. I am not a recording engineer, but if anyone has experience in this area, please feel free to chime in.

I have posted this clip twice before. These two fellows are listening to several snares and looking at the recording monitors. They both really like the Ludwig Black Galaxy snare for recoding projects.

 
striker said:
The Ludwig Black Galaxy snare may not be on every drummer's radar, but perhaps because of its control tone it may be easy to record. I am not a recording engineer, but if anyone has experience in this area, please feel free to chime in.

I have posted this clip twice before. These two fellows are listening to several snares and looking at the recording monitors. They both really like the Ludwig Black Galaxy snare for recoding projects.

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I agree.
Also, there are a few Acrolite comparison videos on YouTube where it’s shows there isn’t a huge difference between generations and variants.
Mine is in the picture below.


1753629051998.jpeg
 
jda said:
let's see if 10 lugs snap ups the old 8L 5 formula..
memphisdrumshop.com

Ludwig 14x5 Acrolite Classic Snare Drum (LM404C10)

The Ludwig 14x5 Acrolite Classic Snare Drum (LM404C10) features a 1.6mm aluminum shell with 45 degree bearing edges, 10 twin/bowtie lugs, triple-flanged hoops, P88 throw-off, P35 butt plate, 20-strand snare wires, Ludwig Weather Master Medium Coated drumhead, aluminum finish, chrome hardware...
memphisdrumshop.com memphisdrumshop.com
it's in-stock there at Memphis

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That 5" 10-lug Acrolite sounds good, but it is slightly drier. The 8-lug version have slightly more body.

This 10-lug sounds ever so slightly stifled, so I prefer the original 8-lug versions. I'm definitely nitpicking though.

With that being said, I think the 10-lug Acrolite still sounds better than 95% of Aluminum snares (not including the Supra).


Danakin said:
I agree.
Also, there are a few Acrolite comparison videos on YouTube where it’s shows there isn’t a huge difference between generations and variants.
Mine is in the picture below.


View attachment 159739
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Do you like those Fat Tone 1.6mm hoops on the Acrolite? How do they differ from the sound and feel of the stock hoops?

I've always wanted to try them. The thinner hoops with the reinforced top edge sounds like a cool idea. Do they feel like 1.6mm hoops, or do they feel like stick choppers, or more like a "die-cast lite?"
 
IBitePrettyHard said:
That 5" 10-lug Acrolite sounds good, but it is slightly drier. The 8-lug version have slightly more body.

This 10-lug sounds ever so slightly stifled, so I prefer the original 8-lug versions. I'm definitely nitpicking though.

With that being said, I think the 10-lug Acrolite still sounds better than 95% of Aluminum snares (not including the Supra).



Do you like those Fat Tone 1.6mm hoops on the Acrolite? How do they differ from the sound and feel of the stock hoops?

I've always wanted to try them. The thinner hoops with the reinforced top edge sounds like a cool idea. Do they feel like 1.6mm hoops, or do they feel like stick choppers, or more like a "die-cast lite?"
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I like them a lot. I also added them to my 5x14 8-lug Black Beauty.
Thet sound “open” but without the flex and de-tuning of traditional 1.6mm triple flanged hoops.
The cross stick is very pronounced and rimshots are woody and present.
For snares, they’re easily my favourite hoops.
Hope this helps
 
Tamboreter said:
I think most of us wear our big boy/girl pants here. It's not uncommon for someone to express their dislike of a particular brand. A bad experience or unfavored drum can be discussed without bashing. But if you really prefer not, then....

Feel free to PM me, I am really interested to know, even if it was a Gretsch.
Click to expand...
I desperately want to like Ludwig - but twice now (years apart) I have gone out with cash in hand to get a black beauty - first one had a blemish on the shell and the second one the badge was on crooked. I pointed it out to the store owner and he said 'yep - that's Ludwig for ya!'
On what is meant to be their top legacy name, "the most famous snare drum ever' that level of poor QC has put me off everything Ludwig.
 
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