I really like the Ludwig pre-serial # Super Sensitive snare drum. I have 10 of them in my collection from the 1920’s – 1970’s. This month I will feature 3 of them that are from 1961 – 1964.

After a production gap of nearly 20 years, the Super concept was revived in 1961. The internal snares were no longer part of the design of this drum that was now named the Super Sensitive. Many of the first of these produced in the 1960’s used old parts acquired when the Ludwig family purchased the Ludwig name back from Conn in 1955.

The triple flanged hoops with plastic heads dictated a redesign of the snare gates; the strainer guard was updated (secured by, but not fastened to, the tension rods) and the slotted glide piece was made out of plastic or nylon instead of metal. Four sets of snares were offered; 18-strandwire, 10-strandwire, all gut and 6-wire, 4 gut.

The 1961 drum weighs in at 10 lbs 2 oz and has the same cast pivot arm on the strainer as the old 1935 Silver Anniversary model snare drum. The 1962 – 63 drum weighed in at the same weight as the 1961 drum. Ludwig was still using heavy sheets of brass to make the drums but by 1964 the drum was considerably lighter weighing 8 lbs 2 oz. It also came with a Baseball bat muffler and the diecast throw-off lever was replaced by a stamped lever.

Ludwig stopped making brass drums in 1964 as the price of brass went up so that was the end of the brass drums.

**Information for this article was taken from “The Ludwig Book” by Rob Cook

Danny Bilan
Our Man in Canada