Your information is incorrect.

A 1960 pre-serial # Badged COB Supra used 16 Strand Wires, not 18 Strand.

A simple to get, proper 16 Strand Replacement would be the Puresound #1416 Wires.

I have tried these on a once owned mint '60 COB Supra, and while they worked absolutely fine as far as fit is concerned, and the quality of manufacture is extremely good, I personally preferred the original 16 Strand Luddy Snare wires that the Drum came with.

The Puresounds had a "darker" sound to them, and slightly altered that great luddy sound that the originals provided on this '60 Drum.

I still have those Puresounds though, and they happily found a new home on a mint-nos 1975 Ludwig Supra LM-402 that I currently own.

Funny that on this particular drum, they were a major, quite noticable improvement over the original Snare wires, and whenever I sample this drum from time to time for kicks, one cannot help thinking of Bonham, as that sound is definitely there in spades.

I'm surprised you have had difficulty finding a suitable, proper replacement? Hmmm? I have heard Pearl Snare Wires were pretty good, and I have a pair lying around here that were erroneously placed on a used-mint Sligerland Buddy Rich TDR Snare I own (I did find the correct factory extended Snares not long ago)

I'm wondering why you cannot achieve proper placement of these wires? Do the wire Butts/Ends touch-contact, or extend past the shell on either side? If so, then these are more than likely the incorrect length Wires for this Drum.

Centration is very important as well as correct cord length. Mark

I agree with MarkD about preferring the original wire set from Ludwig. I see them on Ebay every now and then.

Thanks for the information!

Yes indeed, Pearl snare wires are very good ones, I love their crisp sound. However on this COB Supra they didn't seem to work. The legth including the end plates is the same as 18 strand Ludwig snares, so they dont come accross the shell's edge. I putted 16 strand Pure Sound wires on this COB and now it sounds great.

At the moment I' m restoring another COB Supra and it has original Ludwig '60 wires, but they are 18 strand, not 16. Perhaps they were replaced once or Ludwig made a change.

Blue Note, I wasn't aware of Ludwig back then using an 18 Strand Snare Wire, nor in the mid 60's or 70's either, on a SupraPhonic 400?

I would agree with anyone who would say though never say never with Ludwig, as often Drums would come with whatever they had lying around the factory, which back in 1960 was on Damen St. in Chicago, Ill. (A stone's throw from my house back then)

To re-hash this thread, we are indeed speaking of the Supraphonic, and not the Super Sensitive, with its Extended Individually Adjustable Snare Wires, correct?

Even by the 1970's, I was still seeing a 16 Strand version, as is on my 1975 6-1/2 x 14 B/O Badged LM-402 Snare, but from what I'll assume, is that somewhere along the timeline I personally believe Ludwig changed materials for the wires, even though they bore a virtually identical physical appearance. (Chrome Plated, and bore the similar Ludwig Stamp on the Snare Butts)

If my memory of history is correct, somwhere around the period of 1962-1963 Ludwig then began with the Ludalloy Shell, and the COB Shell was then dropped (More than likely due to costs) but there may be the rare oddball as I've said, Ludwig would change at the drop of the hat due to material availability, cost, or whatever an employee might find laying around (Mufflers, etc.)

These Snare Wires you spoke of that did not properly work on this particular Drum of yours, did you note that they bore the Ludwig Stamp-Logo on the Butts? They should have.

Sometimes, drummers would also modify thier Snare Drums, placing 42 Strand Wires on them. My one buddy does this with his own 1965 Supraphonic, and while the sound isn't too bad, and the combination does work, I personally prefer the original Wires that came with the Drum. I myself am lot a lover of tons of overdone Snare Wire Buzz, and like hearing the drum, and the resonance of the Drum itself.

I certainly don;t profess to be a Ludwig Snare Authority-Collector, like perhaps Mike Curotto, with his priceless collection of antique Luddy's, meaning I wouldn't exactly bet my last dollar that I am correct.

I'd like hearing others comments about this topic on Snare Strand Count on the '60's Ludwig Supraphonics, and what they have personally found residing on these Drums? Mark

Hello Mark,

Besides two COB's I also own 3 ludalloy Supra-Phonics (no Super-Sensitives!), two from '66 and one from '69 and they all have these 18 strand wires with script Ludwig logo (the same as on the P83 strainer) on the end plates. I saw these 18 strand wires also mentioned in a '60 Ludwig catalogue.

Cob's Supra's were made up until '63 and changed into ludalloy ones around '64 with the period between being unclear. About the same time this change happened Ludwig started also with serial numbers.

I also own a '67 Acrolite which has 20 strand wires with transparant yellow plastic end plates.

Koen

Forgotten to answer one of your questions: the snare wires I had trouble with on that COB were 20 strand Pearl wires. They didn't seem to fit in the snare bead which COB's have instead of the later ludalloy Supra's which don't have snare beads anymore. Although these Pearl wires didn't work, the snare bead seems to be wide enough to fit 20 strands. Perhaps it has something to do with the height or shape of the bead.

Koen

I have a '66 Supra with generic snares and an Acro with the 20 strand plastic end Ludwigs. After I break down and fully clean the Supra I will try the 20 strand Ludwigs on it. Hopefully they will work fine.

John