Great score, curious to see how this unfolds... $100 bucks? Hahaha... Nice job, either way. A "rat rod" 70s 6.5 Black Beauty or Supra is high on my list, I want one for a player. I never seem to see them though!

When you're testing for brass versus Ludalloy the magnet test is inconclusive as a brass and Ludwigs patented alloy "ludalloy" are both non-ferrous metals.

The magnet test is only good for testing if you have steel hoops or not.

You'll know it's a brass shell by the weight. Forget the magnet.

That's almost certainly a BB. Anything chrome plated is first nickel plated. The nickel plate is the shiny silver surface that reflects the light and the chrome plate is actually a very thin almost transparent layer that prevents the nickel from ever tarnishing and also gives it an overall blueish cast (as opposed to the goldish hue of straight nickel plating).

In the case of a black beauty they put some other sort of plating (or at least not regular chrome) over the nickel that gives it that darker hue. For whatever reason that outer layer is peeling off this drum exposing the nickel.

As far as the inside matching the outside these are plated by being immersed in tanks of liquid during the electroplating process so whatever gets plated on the outside gets plated to the inside as well.

Wish I could find such a drum at that price as the cosmetic issues won't effect the sound in any way...nice snag.

Take a close look at the badge and grommet when you get the drum. If the grommet is original and unaltered, then it was never re-plated and the finish is original.

-Tim

I'll just wait until it arrives before I make up my mind. I do prefer things to be evidence based.

However, does anybody else notice what looks like a seam running through the lower lug in the first picture? It seems (pun intended) to be a straight line from top to bottom of the shell. I'm not saying the shell was made with a seam. More that maybe it had some sort of treatment or covering on it which led to there being something which takes the form of that straight line. And it would have happened while the lug was off. That's unexpected in my book, even taking into account "with Ludwig anything is possible".

Look again - I think that's a reflection of the t-rods in the still-a-little-

bit-shiny nickel plated surface.

MW

Did you get it yet??? We're all holding our collective breath for you!

[IMG]http://www.vintagedrumforum.com/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=125[/IMG]

It just came and I am pretty damn sure it IS a black beauty. It is heavier than my supraphonic, the interior is a black color that is consistent to what I would expect and it sounds figgin awesome. The only negatives aside from the condition are that the tone control is missing and the top hoop is not original. Please let me know what you experts think.

It is a black Beauty.

http://www.vintagedrumforum.com/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=126

I am pretty convinced!!!!!!