Ludwig Drums
Ludwig has been making drums in America since 1909 — the Supraphonic, the Black Beauty and the kits behind Ringo and Bonham are all theirs.
Founded in Chicago in 1909 by William F. Ludwig, Ludwig is about as close as drum-making gets to living history. The company built its name on the snare drum — the Supraphonic LM402 is probably the most recorded snare of all time, and the Black Beauty has been the brass benchmark for over a century — before a certain appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 put a Ludwig kit behind Ringo Starr and the logo in every living room in America.
John Bonham's amber Vistalite and maple Ludwigs did the rest, defining the big, open rock drum sound that players still chase today. Modern Ludwig runs from the affordable Accent and Element kits up to the Classic Maple and Legacy ranges, all still carrying that fat, musical character. Below you'll find our Ludwig coverage plus every Ludwig item documented in the Rig Vault — and the drummers who play it.
Ludwig in the Rig Vault
🥁 37 items documented👤 played by 20 drummers
Real setups documented piece by piece in the Rig Vault — every item links to who plays it, reader reviews and where to buy.
Drummers who play Ludwig
Ringo Starr
7 Ludwig itemsJohn Bonham
6 Ludwig itemsAlex Van Halen
5 Ludwig itemsQuestlove
5 Ludwig itemsFred Eltringham
3 Ludwig itemsNate Smith
3 Ludwig itemsAnderson .Paak
2 Ludwig itemsBilly Freeman
2 Ludwig itemsJonathan Barber
2 Ludwig itemsNandi Bushell
2 Ludwig itemsTré Cool
2 Ludwig itemsBill Ward
1 Ludwig itemDomino Santantonio
1 Ludwig itemJoey Jordison
1 Ludwig itemPaulina Villarreal
1 Ludwig itemSteve Gadd
1 Ludwig itemSteve Jordan
1 Ludwig itemTaylor Hawkins
1 Ludwig itemTravis Barker
1 Ludwig itemZak Starkey
1 Ludwig item
Most played Ludwig gear
Ludwig signature artist gear
Gear built with (and for) the artists who play it.
Every Ludwig item in the vault
Supraphonic× 4
Classic Maple× 3read the Classic Maple guide →
Speed King× 1
Vistalite× 1
More Ludwig× 23
- Ludwig 14" snare4
- Ludwig 14"x5" snare1
- Ludwig 14"x6.5" metal snare1
- Ludwig 402 chrome 6.5"x14"1
- Ludwig 5A1
- Ludwig Breakbeats 14"x5" snare1
- Ludwig Breakbeats by Questlove kit1
- Ludwig Classic 1960s toms1
- Ludwig double-bass kit1
- Ludwig Downbeat kit1
- Ludwig floor tom1
- Ludwig kit4
- Ludwig Legacy kit1
- Ludwig Legacy mahogany kit1
- Ludwig maple kit1
- Ludwig Nate Smith "Waterbaby" signature snare1
- Ludwig Pee .Wee Signature kit1
- Ludwig Pee .Wee signature snare1
- Ludwig Pro Beat kit1
- Ludwig Rocker kit1
- Ludwig Stainless Steel kit1
- Ludwig Standard kit1
- Ludwig timpani and gong1
Ludwig and related marks are trademarks of their respective owners. Drum Faster is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Ludwig.
Explore Ludwig Drums
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Getting Started
Buying a drum kit for a child | A parent's guide
A parent's guide to a child's first drum kit: the right size by age, electronic or acoustic, the kits worth buying, noise, lessons and ear protection.
Head to Head
Ludwig Supraphonic vs Black Beauty | Which Ludwig snare?
Ludwig Supraphonic vs Black Beauty: aluminium against brass, the two most recorded snares in history — shell, sound, sensitivity, price, and which to buy.
All Our Buying Guides
Snare drum buying guide | Wood vs metal & more
How to choose a snare drum — sizes, shell materials, hoops and wires explained, plus the snares we'd buy at every budget from £150 upwards.
Latest in Ludwig Drums
Nothing filed directly here yet — explore the sections above or head back to the blog.
Not sure what to pick? Ask the Gear Guru — free, honest gear advice for your style and budget.