Fascinating! One of the early ones, I wonder how many snares they made a year then. Please tell more of how you found this,etc. thanks,

larry

A buddy of mine owns a small mom & pop music store in Seal Beach Calif. He occasionally takes odds & ends to the local outdoor swap meets on weekends to sell. About 15 years ago I traded him a guitar amp for this snare. He knew it as an unmarked tube lug, but never knew the maker, or that it was a first generation Ludwig. Years later I showed it to Bill Ludwig III at a drum show. He was excited & gave me a preposterous appraisal,( which I believe was just based on kindness).

Good for you! That's one of those great finds that just keeps giving!

Thanks again for showing it, a newer photo of a very rare one!

larry

p.s. please don't take it out gigging... :)

Very cool rare drum...I would guess the lack of nickel plating around the heater mount was due to heat in that area.Actually heating & cooling.When the nickel & the brass heat and cool at somewhat extreme abnormal temps(for instance from an internal heater),the two metals heat up and cool down unevenly.Slightly expanding and contracting at different speeds.This puts stress on the plating and causes teeny cracks.Eventually making it deteriorate.

Of course the whole shell was getting cooked,but where the heater was mounted would be the hottest area.

Thanks for the theory. I was wondering what the physics was behind this loss. There is no evidence of the nickel plating lifting or "peeling" off (like one sees on an old Suprahonic),.. it must have happened at a very small, microscopic level.