Acrolites?

[Drumman2]

I'm looking for a new snare for recording rock. I was considering a vintage ludwig acrolite. what are your reviews/thoughts on this snare?

[Rio_mang]

There is a ton of reviews of how great this snare has been.

Buy one cheap on eBay.

[Chloroformation]

I've never heard anything bad about an acrolite, so it's a safe bet...you could also try a supraphonic.

[MIND_DRUMMER]

I'm looking for a new snare for recording rock. I was considering a vintage ludwig acrolite. what are your reviews/thoughts on this snare?


Your choice is right on ! Go ahead an get any Acrolite, you wont regret it ;)

[jklathem]

I've two Acrolites. I would recommend them for just about anything. They have that nice, dry crack that was/is popular. They are very suitable for rock.

[ryctor]

I think everyone here knows my affection and attitude towards, to me, the most versatile and nice sounding, full of high end features and affordable snare ever made.

Its my main snare drum, I have owned more than 35, give or take, snare drums in my pro career, I sold them all, all I own now is my Acro, my Supra and my Birch Custom.

But my main still is the venerable Acrolite.

Here is some info on them...

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showpost.php?p=348219&postcount=1

The seamless, beaded shell, the deep big snare beds and the 8 lugs, gives this drum the openness, sensitivity, tone and feel, every snare drum dreams to have. It outperforms snares hundred and thousands dollars more expensive, and it has the same shell as the infamous Supraphonic, the most recorded snare drum in the music history! but, if you get one of the keystone or B/O pointy badge ones, the unpainted, unrestricted shell, gives this drum its unique tone and sound.

All Supras will pit at one time or another because alum will react to the chroming process, its the nature of alum, it does not like to be chromed.

The Acro from the era mentioned will keep its looks forever, as the shell is ionized, not painted, plus the thinner hoops, gives this snare a unique open tone that has become a legend in the drumming world. Every drummer must experience this drum in his career, and every drummer should own one.

Check out all of my posts regarding this snare drum, the first time I got one and played it, it changed my life. Try to get one of the Bay, with original heads if possible, which means it has not been messed with much, so the bearing edges and interior may be intact. I have also bought very abused ones, those usually offer a new heads installed, be careful.

Some will even come with the UFo case, which has been stored for more than 30 years, and then, put out for sale by Mom and Dad, looking forward to make some space in the attic. That is how I got mine, when I opened that case, it was pristine, almost unplayed, the time machine brought it back to me, virtually untouched.

Mr. Erwinner, a great Ludwig connoisseur and great friend, usually stock them by the tens, so maybe he can hook you up with a nice old one, the older, the better, and the more expensive they get, of course, they will sound also better.

Stay away from the Black galaxy ones, not the same sound, and the value is much less as their hardware is not all USA made as the oldies.

Enough said, I can sometimes get carried away, but by all means, get one pronto!, The only snare drum you will ever need, and maybe the last you will ever buy, trust me!

Good Luck!

The Ryctor!

[Drumman2]

thanks!

[KickassDrummer]

If you have any interest in a Supra, PM me - I have a real beaut available!

[Jdrummys]

Stay away from the Black galaxy ones, not the same sound, and the value is much less as their hardware is not all USA made as the oldies.




Does anyone else agree with this?? Because I have a "Blacrolite" and have never really noticed any difference in sound between that and a chrome Acro OR Supra.

[MIND_DRUMMER]

Does anyone else agree with this?? Because I have a "Blacrolite" and have never really noticed any difference in sound between that and a chrome Acro OR Supra.


I do think that all Acrolite series sound great for the price and I would need a "bionic" ear to hear the difference between Acrolite shell finish...

[Gilligan]

I find the blackrolite a tad brighter sounding than the anodized bare aluminum snares... both are good but given the choice I'd take the naked one....

[ryctor]

Does anyone else agree with this?? Because I have a "Blacrolite" and have never really noticed any difference in sound between that and a chrome Acro OR Supra.

I have owned more that 14 Acrolites from all eras, and I own a Supra, there is a difference in sound my friend, even the new Supras do not sound the same as the old ones, big difference.


Starting with the hoops, any metal snare, more over alum, which is a very dry drum, will show a drastic difference in sound when a thicker 2.3 or Die Cast hoop is used, I have done it and the difference is huge.


A Blackrolite sound much thinner, plus the thicker hoops, the sound vs a pointy B/O or keystone is very noticeable, thus the difference in price. open resonant vs choked sound! One has a raw unpainted shell with 1.6mm hoops, the other has a powder coated painted shell, cheaper hardware, thicker hoops, when you sum all those elements, the result is a very different sounding drum, thus the Blackro is less thought after, and retain a less resale value, much less.
And to say that a Blackrolite sounds like a Supra, is just not accurate, a lot of different elements, from finish to number of lugs.

Even the old Acro and the old Supra sound a lot different, Supra having a more controlled, wet sound, better for some situations, but I preffer the opennes of the Acro, I have them in front of me right now, so I can tell you, they do not sound the same!

There has never been a chromed Acro, they are or ionized raw shell, or powder coated, gray or Black Sparkle, as the new ones has not USA made hardware anymore, and the shells are supplied by a different supplier, even the shell size is different, thus the spacing between the lugs and the shell in the beaded area of the shell, in the newer Acros and Supras.


This is not to say that you might preffer the more controlled, choked sound of a painted Acro, but many drummers will disagree with this, as the dry sounding alum shell takes more part of the sound when its unrestricted.

Hope this helps.

Enjoy your Ludwigs, they all are magical instruments.

Good luck! :D