Hello BroKen... and Welcome to the forum!

The shell of this drum suggests your typical MIT (Made In Taiwan) drum. However, I've never seen those lugs before, but they really look cool! Not sure I'd call them "bowtie lugs". Depending on heads, snare wires and tuning, you can get these inexpensive drums to sound pretty good! As long as you got it for cheap, I'd say hang onto it!

-Mark

Hi Mark,

Thanks so much for the reply!

Taiwan eh? Not the miracle catch I was hoping for, but I’m just starting out! Should be enough for now. Got it for around $50, which is dirt cheap by my standards here in Japan.

Any brand names come to mind?

Sorry for the noob mistake. Bow tie lugs are the ones with grooves in them?

I see Yamaha makes similar lugs but slightly different.

I’ve been doing some research myself (to no avail) Help2

Being made in Taiwan, you would expect them to write or paste some chinese. :confused:

Thanks again!

-Ken

You can test whether the shell is steel or not with a magnet. If it is attracted to the shell then it's steel, if not then it could be brass, bronze, or aluminum. It most likely is steel as that is what they generally use for most cheaper metal snare drums.

Bow tie lugs do have grooves, but more important than that bow ties are a specific lug made by Ludwig, not simply a style of lug made by various manufacturers. This drum has bow ties:

Hi K.O,

Of course!

Such common sense! Why didn’t I think of that?! Mind Blowi

Yup, it does look to be steel!

Thanks so much!

-Ken

Hi Zach,

I see that now.

Thanks for the info! (as well as the patience for teaching a noob like myself ;) )

Will look for those when I become a much better drummer and need a better snare. (In a couple million years??)

Just for the record, this is up for auction right now. It’s been up for a while. Is it worth the money?

Ludwig LB400BBTM Supraphonic?

Up for $350

I say it looks pretty nice. In the description, it says that is is equal to or better than a Black Beauty, which is what Steven Adler played (my favorite drummer, to my uneducated ears).

Should I grab it before it goes? Not worth it, maybe?

Thanks,

-Ken

That appears to be a "Brass Edition" Supra with the numbered plate on it (they still make brass ones but don't have the cool placard on them anymore). With a brass shell that is essentially the very same drum as a Black Beauty except it is chrome plated rather than having a black nickel finish. Every other construction detail is the same, so unless you feel the color of the plating makes an audible difference it should sound the same.

As such I think that's a fair and actually pretty reasonable price (especially in Japan). Not just a standard Supra (those have aluminum shells) and possibly a future "collectible" with the brass edition badging. If it were close to me I'd be itching to snag it.

Wow, thanks for the input!

Makes me feel like I should snag this before somebody else does.

However, the description says that this Supra is slightly more articulate? than the Black Beauty. Bunch of bull?

Mmmh, the resale price is probably pretty good.

A new headache Hmmmm

Thanks again!