I have this same drum but with nickel hardware. I love it because I feel it has sound characteristics of other Ludwig drums like the cut and crack of a Supraphonic yet with the dryness of an Acrolite along with the musicality you would get from a Black Beauty. I agree that this drum sounds at its best potential in the medium tuning range. I also switched out the snare wire with unplated Canopus snare wires. Awesome demo!
I just ordered this drum yesterday. I love the tone of copper snare drums. There are not a lot of videos of this drum and I was looking for a comparison video of this drum vs standard 6.5 x 14 copperphonic. Lots of standard copperphonic videos, but not of this pewter over copper. I didn't know the pewter would open the drum up more. I am really looking forward to unboxing it tomorrow! Thanks for the video. I liked the low tuning the best. It sounded so fat and dark. What a rich tone! Love it! Perfect for worship drumming.
That’s great to hear! You’re gonna love this snare - it’s always a toss up between this and a black beauty. Both sound fantastic, yet different from one another. Crazy how the pewter really opens it up - I think ludwig needs to add this to their collection of signature snares. Maybe add a couple different depths. Thanks for checking out the video, and enjoy!
@@NickCostaMusic Funny you mention the Black Beauty since that was the other drum I was making the decision on. I like the copper tone, and the Black Beauty is a standard and also great sounding. Looks like I made a good decision picking a drum with a little of both. Got the drum delivered today. I had to re- seat the drum head since the rim was not centered but it tuned up nicely. Played about an hour on it and it sounds great! The more I fiddled around with the tuning and snare tensions, the better it sounded. Not sure how I feel about the head that came on it or the snare wires, but they are good for now and eventually I will replace them anyways. Overall I am very happy with this drum and I am looking forward to customizing it for the sound I am looking for. Thanks again for the video on this really wonderful drum!
@@bob-carnatu-sef I do and I LOVE it! Tuning range is great and this snare really sings. I think this drum has beautiful tone. I was afraid I might have buyers remorse but I do not regret this purchase at all.
I liked around medium high tuning the best. I'm getting this drum in the mail next week, so I'm really excited to compare it to my raw copperphonic and my Black Beauty.
That sounds like a great trio of snares - each one slightly different than the other, but you'll be able to cover any sound/style with them. Thanks for checking out the vid, and enjoy the drum!
Ok, so I got the drum and Im sorry to say I dont like it. The higher overtones are dissonant with the main tone of the drum, and it sounds really boxy. A coated Ambassador only made it worse, no wonder Ludwig ships it with a Heavy head. Switching to a Controlled coated fixed the overtones (in that now they were not dissonant) but this is nowhere near a BB or Raw Copperphonic, decay was very fast. I like more ring. And it was always boxy, even switching the provided [10 wire?] Snare wires to 24 puresound. So I returned it, and I probably will go for a Supra next time around. Also, it smelled, not particularly pleasant. Was hoping for a lot better out of this, maybe someone else likes it, I didnt.
So sorry to hear. I personally didn't have this experience - especially with the smell! I'm still using the stock heads and snare wires. My ideal tuning is medium-tight. Definitely more attack than body like a BB, but that's why I dig it. Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you.
beautiful drum! I've read on some forums that starphonic copper has problems cutting through live. I wonder if this drum is the same. I just love the tone of copper
Thanks Jermss! I haven’t played the starphonic copper, but reading up in it from Tama’s site, it seems like it’s just a copper drum with die cast hoops. Tama is known for having punchier drums compared to the other brands, so unless their under mics they might not carry as well. I’ve played this drum out live, and it sure does cut - definitely cuts more than my 8x14 black beauty. Thanks for checking out the vid!
I’m currently looking for my first snare upgrade and am looking at metal mostly since since I currently have a maple one. I really like brass for the most part, bronze seems a bit too ringy for me, if that makes sense. Idk if you hear that. I’ve never really checked out copper that much, except in a few videos that included 1 or 2, but this one really sounds awesome! Idk if it’s the pewter outside or something else they did, but this drum feels and sounds like it can do anything from play a nice fat backbeat to a cracking, thunderous rock ballad, and I’d wager it could’ve probably been pushed to higher limits and could play jazz, but I doubt it’d be a first pick.
You're on the money there, Rory. Brass and Bronze have a little more sustain to them compared to aluminum, steel, or copper. Copper usually has a darker tone than brass with a more focused sound. That allows the drum to not get too muddy in lower tunings, in my opinion. I do believe the pewter plating does brighten up the copper shell compared to a straight copper shell. It creates a really nice bridge between a brass and copper shell. I have a Remo coated controlled sound on this drum now and the drum sounds fantastic! No need for gels,tape, or die-cast hoops. Any other questions you have, give a shout! Happy to help in anyway that I can.
HA! Whether accidental or intentional, that subliminal barrage of "medium tuning" comments (~ 4:11) in the closing remarks earned you a new subscriber.
Oh man - that’s what happens when you try to be the first with a review vid. Totally missed that edit. Appreciate you checking out the vid and the subscription!
Maybe Ludwig will make a chrome over copper in the future - they already have chrome over brass and the supraphonic. The pewter and copper creates a great tone with this drum, however!
Hi Stuart. This was recording using the Blue Yeti Pro - It’s a Stereo Condenser microphone that was placed about 2 feet away from the kit. Interface is a Steinberg CI2 USB interface and recorded into logic. As for drums that are ringy, I always check the tuning of the top head first - that can usually fix the issue. If not, try a heavier head like the Remo p77 coated. If you prefer the sound of a single ply head however, then try a piece of moon gel/drum tac or very small amount of gaff tape Thanks for checking out the vid!
Thanks John! I would say is a more focused sound that sounds fuller. Since the LM402 is chrome plated aluminum, it’s brighter and to me it has more metal overtones. If I had to order Ludwig snares from bright to warm - Supraphonic, Brassphonic, pewter over copper, copperphonic. Hope this helps!
@@NickCostaMusic you know Nick, drummers such as Bonham and AVH used the LM402 but they used die-cast hoops w/ a 42 snare strands on their LM402 to give it a deeper warmer tone. I guess you wouldn't need that on a Pewter over Cooper snare.??? Or would you?
@@NickCostaMusic I imagine you wouldn't need die-cast hoops nor a 42 strand on the Pewter over Copper. Thanks Nick, keep up the vid's, they are awesome! (and informative)
I'd immediately change the top head to a Remo coated Ambassador. In my experience with Ludwig snare drums they sound much better with Remo heads. Never was a fan of the sound of Ludwig drum heads.
I’m a big fan of the ambassador x coated. Sound of a single ply, but durability of a 2 ply. I’ll surely change to Remo top and bottom when the time comes Thanks for checking out the vid!
Medium was killer. Great playing
Much appreciated, Ian.
Thanks for checking out the video!
I have this same drum but with nickel hardware. I love it because I feel it has sound characteristics of other Ludwig drums like the cut and crack of a Supraphonic yet with the dryness of an Acrolite along with the musicality you would get from a Black Beauty. I agree that this drum sounds at its best potential in the medium tuning range. I also switched out the snare wire with unplated Canopus snare wires. Awesome demo!
Exactly - love this drum! Almost has a pre-processed rock sound that just WORKS.
How are the Canopus wires - did they make a difference?
@@NickCostaMusic I swear by the Canopus wires! I have 3 other snares and they all have them.
Oh nice! I’ll have to check them out
I just ordered this drum yesterday. I love the tone of copper snare drums. There are not a lot of videos of this drum and I was looking for a comparison video of this drum vs standard 6.5 x 14 copperphonic. Lots of standard copperphonic videos, but not of this pewter over copper. I didn't know the pewter would open the drum up more. I am really looking forward to unboxing it tomorrow! Thanks for the video. I liked the low tuning the best. It sounded so fat and dark. What a rich tone! Love it! Perfect for worship drumming.
That’s great to hear! You’re gonna love this snare - it’s always a toss up between this and a black beauty. Both sound fantastic, yet different from one another.
Crazy how the pewter really opens it up - I think ludwig needs to add this to their collection of signature snares. Maybe add a couple different depths.
Thanks for checking out the video, and enjoy!
@@NickCostaMusic Funny you mention the Black Beauty since that was the other drum I was making the decision on. I like the copper tone, and the Black Beauty is a standard and also great sounding. Looks like I made a good decision picking a drum with a little of both. Got the drum delivered today. I had to re-
seat the drum head since the rim was not centered but it tuned up nicely. Played about an hour on it and it sounds great! The more I fiddled around with the tuning and snare tensions, the better it sounded. Not sure how I feel about the head that came on it or the snare wires, but they are good for now and eventually I will replace them anyways. Overall I am very happy with this drum and I am looking forward to customizing it for the sound I am looking for. Thanks again for the video on this really wonderful drum!
Rad! I'm still using stock wires and heads - and the thing still rips.
Enjoy the drum!
@@bartenderextraordina Do you still have it? If so, how do you like it now?
@@bob-carnatu-sef I do and I LOVE it! Tuning range is great and this snare really sings. I think this drum has beautiful tone. I was afraid I might have buyers remorse but I do not regret this purchase at all.
I liked around medium high tuning the best. I'm getting this drum in the mail next week, so I'm really excited to compare it to my raw copperphonic and my Black Beauty.
That sounds like a great trio of snares - each one slightly different than the other, but you'll be able to cover any sound/style with them.
Thanks for checking out the vid, and enjoy the drum!
Ok, so I got the drum and Im sorry to say I dont like it. The higher overtones are dissonant with the main tone of the drum, and it sounds really boxy. A coated Ambassador only made it worse, no wonder Ludwig ships it with a Heavy head. Switching to a Controlled coated fixed the overtones (in that now they were not dissonant) but this is nowhere near a BB or Raw Copperphonic, decay was very fast. I like more ring. And it was always boxy, even switching the provided [10 wire?] Snare wires to 24 puresound. So I returned it, and I probably will go for a Supra next time around. Also, it smelled, not particularly pleasant. Was hoping for a lot better out of this, maybe someone else likes it, I didnt.
So sorry to hear. I personally didn't have this experience - especially with the smell! I'm still using the stock heads and snare wires. My ideal tuning is medium-tight. Definitely more attack than body like a BB, but that's why I dig it.
Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you.
beautiful drum! I've read on some forums that starphonic copper has problems cutting through live. I wonder if this drum is the same. I just love the tone of copper
Thanks Jermss! I haven’t played the starphonic copper, but reading up in it from Tama’s site, it seems like it’s just a copper drum with die cast hoops. Tama is known for having punchier drums compared to the other brands, so unless their under mics they might not carry as well.
I’ve played this drum out live, and it sure does cut - definitely cuts more than my 8x14 black beauty.
Thanks for checking out the vid!
I’m currently looking for my first snare upgrade and am looking at metal mostly since since I currently have a maple one.
I really like brass for the most part, bronze seems a bit too ringy for me, if that makes sense. Idk if you hear that.
I’ve never really checked out copper that much, except in a few videos that included 1 or 2, but this one really sounds awesome!
Idk if it’s the pewter outside or something else they did, but this drum feels and sounds like it can do anything from play a nice fat backbeat to a cracking, thunderous rock ballad, and I’d wager it could’ve probably been pushed to higher limits and could play jazz, but I doubt it’d be a first pick.
You're on the money there, Rory. Brass and Bronze have a little more sustain to them compared to aluminum, steel, or copper. Copper usually has a darker tone than brass with a more focused sound. That allows the drum to not get too muddy in lower tunings, in my opinion.
I do believe the pewter plating does brighten up the copper shell compared to a straight copper shell. It creates a really nice bridge between a brass and copper shell. I have a Remo coated controlled sound on this drum now and the drum sounds fantastic! No need for gels,tape, or die-cast hoops.
Any other questions you have, give a shout! Happy to help in anyway that I can.
HA! Whether accidental or intentional, that subliminal barrage of "medium tuning" comments (~ 4:11) in the closing remarks earned you a new subscriber.
Oh man - that’s what happens when you try to be the first with a review vid. Totally missed that edit.
Appreciate you checking out the vid and the subscription!
I wish it had a chrome finish!
Maybe Ludwig will make a chrome over copper in the future - they already have chrome over brass and the supraphonic.
The pewter and copper creates a great tone with this drum, however!
Thanks for this Nick. What audio were you using? Also, what do you do about a “ringy” drum? I have this issue with many of my thinner shell drums
Hi Stuart.
This was recording using the Blue Yeti Pro - It’s a Stereo Condenser microphone that was placed about 2 feet away from the kit.
Interface is a Steinberg CI2 USB interface and recorded into logic.
As for drums that are ringy, I always check the tuning of the top head first - that can usually fix the issue. If not, try a heavier head like the Remo p77 coated. If you prefer the sound of a single ply head however, then try a piece of moon gel/drum tac or very small amount of gaff tape
Thanks for checking out the vid!
Nick Costa Thank You!
Such a beautiful snare. How would you compare this to the legendary Supraphonic LM402? And thank you for sharing, awesome video!
Thanks John! I would say is a more focused sound that sounds fuller. Since the LM402 is chrome plated aluminum, it’s brighter and to me it has more metal overtones.
If I had to order Ludwig snares from bright to warm - Supraphonic, Brassphonic, pewter over copper, copperphonic.
Hope this helps!
@@NickCostaMusic you know Nick, drummers such as Bonham and AVH used the LM402 but they used die-cast hoops w/ a 42 snare strands on their LM402 to give it a deeper warmer tone. I guess you wouldn't need that on a Pewter over Cooper snare.??? Or would you?
@@johnpeterson6946 Possibly, but keep in mind the characteristics you get from an aluminum shell are completely different than a copper shell.
@@NickCostaMusic I imagine you wouldn't need die-cast hoops nor a 42 strand on the Pewter over Copper. Thanks Nick, keep up the vid's, they are awesome! (and informative)
@@johnpeterson6946 Me personally I wouldn't need them - really like the sound!
Thanks for checking out the vids, John!
I'd immediately change the top head to a Remo coated Ambassador. In my experience with Ludwig snare drums they sound much better with Remo heads. Never was a fan of the sound of Ludwig drum heads.
I’m a big fan of the ambassador x coated. Sound of a single ply, but durability of a 2 ply. I’ll surely change to Remo top and bottom when the time comes
Thanks for checking out the vid!