Ludwig 100th Anniversary Black Magic

This is the 5.5x14 model that I swore I would never get. However, they will not be making them forever, so I succumbed to the collector compulsion and grabbed it.

First, there is virtually no difference between this snare drum and a Worldmax Dawg except the Ludwig engraving. The S9 strainer is identical to the Dawg, the bearing edges and the seam look to be near identical, and even the vent behind the strainer is the same.

What is different, besides the laser engraving and the 100th Anniversary batter head, is the snares that ship with this appear to be the high-end Worldmax German steel variety instead of the very low end wires that shipped with my Dawg.

Oh, and the die cast hoops that came with the 100th Anniversary model are interesting. They are thinner and lighter than Ludwig's regular die cast hoops and - amazingly - are stick chopper style. I swapped the Ludwig hoops to my Worldmax Pup (the 4x14 model) and put the Pup's single flanged hoops with clips on the Black Magic. I also swapped out the 100th Anniversary head for a Remo Skyntone I had laying around so I can preserve the special anniversary head in case I ever want to sell the Black Magic.

She tunes up beautifully, and the brass shell on this baby makes her sing.