my oddball snare collection's newest BIGGEST snare.

Evilbagua

Silver Member
I like big drums. It's going to be hard for me to top this.

This is a 15x12 red sparkle 1979-80 Ludwig 12 Lug 6 ply birch Challenger? I think? Marching snare. Heres whats weird unlike other marching snares I have this has no other holes drilled for mounting. It's only drilled for the lugs, and internal muffler. Also this has the gut snares which I've never used/heard before. I'm pretty sure the red sparkle is a re-wrap job, but overal the drum in amazing shape. You could have told me it was a year old, and I would have believed it if I didn't see the badge.

I was skeptical about buying this because I have a 14x12 which sounds pretty cool, but very one dimensional almost too harsh.However this is the throatyest, deepest, loudest, and most cutting snare I've ever played. Sounds great medium or cranked. Here is a pic you can see it takes up a whole couch cushion. I'll get some pics with it, and my current project vistalite/steel kit. When it's completed, I'll be running this snare and a 24" Steel kick and 22" vistalite kick with 15 and 18 vistalite toms. I plan to try this out on my bands next recording session too.
 

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I would love to play that drum!!

Cool find mate. How do the original snares sound? Will you leave 'em or replace with wires?

I planned to replace them until I heard them. Sounds alot different than standard snares. I'd say more throaty and full as opposed to snappy, like a 14x8 on steroids. Tons of body, but a good amount of crack due to the 12 lugs, and internal muffler when at a high tension. If I compare my 14x8 to a .357 revolver going off, then this is definitly more of a .50 caliber rifle boom. I need my snare to cut through a bunch of full stacks playing doom usually without mics, and this one seems to do that better than anything.
 
I remember those old Challengers. Great marching drums. The wrap may have been that way from the factory - Ludwig offered their line of colors on all of their drums, so the sparkles were quite popular in the 70s til the early 80s. It might not have needed extra drilling as Ludwig also sold clips for the top rim to use a strap and you could mount a leg rest on the bottom t-rods, it made the drum a little lighter at purchasing time. Great purchase! I'm sure it will do well in your situation. I recall seeing the Baby's before John Waite left that band and the drummer was using a marching snare with legs on it for his main snare. It looked like he had floor toms everywhere!

Do post a video with good audio. I'd love to hear that drum!
 
This is my main snare and its incredible with the kit, it just sits on my lowest stand. I have had and tried lots of snare drums and this is my favourite, it looks about the same age as yours but has not been re wrapped. I paid $50 for it which hopefully is a bargain. Good luck with your conversion, it should work well.
 

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I remember those old Challengers. Great marching drums. The wrap may have been that way from the factory - Ludwig offered their line of colors on all of their drums, so the sparkles were quite popular in the 70s til the early 80s. It might not have needed extra drilling as Ludwig also sold clips for the top rim to use a strap and you could mount a leg rest on the bottom t-rods, it made the drum a little lighter at purchasing time. Great purchase! I'm sure it will do well in your situation. I recall seeing the Baby's before John Waite left that band and the drummer was using a marching snare with legs on it for his main snare. It looked like he had floor toms everywhere!

Do post a video with good audio. I'd love to hear that drum!

Ah I had only seen the white or black cortex challengers before never any colors. It could be original this had the original heads, I swear it's like somebody bought this 30 years ago left it in a case. I just assumed it was a re-wrap because of the condition of it.
 
This is my main snare and its incredible with the kit, it just sits on my lowest stand. I have had and tried lots of snare drums and this is my favourite, it looks about the same age as yours but has not been re wrapped. I paid $50 for it which hopefully is a bargain. Good luck with your conversion, it should work well.

I'd say 50$ is a great deal. Worth that for the lugs alone. What size is that? I find the 12" depth fits fine in most stands lowered all the way down with the memory lock tacken off. I've used this in a dw9000 a mid level PDP and a ludwig stand. Ends up at the perfect height for me ( i'm sorta tall), but I could see it not getting low enough for everyone.
 
Its a 14x10 and it works great on the stand. I was worried about it before I tried it but like I said it turned out to be my favourite snare of all time. Get yours ready for your kit and show some photos Im sure you will be real happy.
 

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Its a 14x10 and it works great on the stand. I was worried about it before I tried it but like I said it turned out to be my favourite snare of all time. Get yours ready for your kit and show some photos Im sure you will be real happy.

It's up on it now been using it for about 2 weeks. It's turning into my favorite snare, good for everything except recording I think. I'll get some pics soon. I always want to try out a 10" depth since I have snares in 7 8 9 and 12 :).
 
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