Ludwig Classic Maple LS401 14" x 5" Snare Drum – Vintage Black Oyster
The Ludwig Classic Maple LS401 14" x 5" Snare Drum in Vintage Black Oyster brings Ludwig's legendary American maple drum sound to one of the most iconic finishes in the company's history.
Built around a 7-ply all-maple shell with a 45° bearing edge, the LS401 delivers the warmth, clarity and musical response that has made Classic Maple such an important part of the Ludwig range.
The responsive 14x5 dimensions, 10-lug design and 2.3mm steel triple-flanged hoops make this an extremely versatile wood snare for everything from studio work and pop through to rock, funk and live performance.
Finished in unmistakable Vintage Black Oyster, it's also a brilliant choice for players looking for a snare to complement a Ludwig Classic Maple kit.
7-Ply Classic Maple Shell
At the heart of the LS401 is Ludwig's 7-ply all-maple shell.
Maple is one of the most popular snare drum woods for good reason. It provides an excellent balance of warmth, clarity, attack and projection without pushing too heavily towards any one tonal extreme.
Ludwig describes Classic Maple around its combination of clarity, warmth, projection and musicality.
That makes the LS401 a particularly strong option if you're looking for one high-quality wood snare capable of covering a broad range of musical situations.
45° Bearing Edge
The Classic Maple shell features Ludwig's 45° bearing edge.
The bearing edge is the point where the drumhead meets the shell and plays an important role in the response and overall character of the drum.
Combined with the 7-ply maple shell, it helps give the LS401 the clear and responsive character associated with modern Classic Maple drums.
Classic 14" x 5" Dimensions
The 14" x 5" dimensions give the LS401 a quick and articulate response.
At higher tunings, there's plenty of crisp attack and sensitivity for detailed playing and ghost notes.
Medium tunings provide an excellent balance of warmth, body and projection.
Bring the tuning down and there's still plenty of maple warmth available, while the relatively shallow 5" shell helps retain definition.
It's an extremely versatile size for both recording and live performance.
Vintage Black Oyster Finish
Few Ludwig finishes are as instantly recognisable as Vintage Black Oyster.
Closely associated with Ludwig's heritage, the distinctive black, grey and pearl pattern gives this Classic Maple snare a vintage-inspired appearance while the shell and hardware remain firmly rooted in Ludwig's professional modern drum range.
It's an obvious choice if you're matching an existing Vintage Black Oyster Classic Maple kit, but it looks equally good as a standalone snare behind almost any drum set.
10-Lug Design
The 14x5 Classic Maple uses a 10-lug configuration, giving you precise control over head tension around the shell.
That makes it easy to experiment with different tunings and find the response you want from the maple shell.
Whether you're after a tight, articulate crack or a warmer medium tuning, the LS401 has plenty of range available.
2.3mm Steel Triple-Flanged Hoops
The LS401 features 2.3mm steel triple-flanged hoops.
These provide plenty of definition for rimshots and cross-stick playing while allowing the maple shell to retain an open and responsive character.
They're a great match for a versatile wood snare like the Classic Maple.
LS401 vs LS403 – 5" vs 6.5"
If you've decided on a Ludwig Classic Maple snare, shell depth is one of the biggest choices.
The LS401 measures 14" x 5".
The LS403 measures 14" x 6.5".
Both use Ludwig's 7-ply all-maple Classic Maple shell.
The shallower LS401 provides a quicker, tighter and more immediate response.
The deeper LS403 adds greater body, fundamental depth and weight behind the backbeat.
Choose the LS401 if you prioritise articulation and a responsive 5" snare.
Choose the LS403 if you're looking for a bigger and deeper maple backbeat.
Classic Maple vs Supraphonic LM400
The LS401 and LM400 are both classic 14x5 Ludwig snare options, but their shell materials give them very different personalities.
The LS401 uses a 7-ply maple shell, providing a warm and organic wood-snare character.
The LM400 Supraphonic uses a seamless aluminium shell, producing the crisp, controlled response associated with one of the most famous metal snares ever made.
Choose the Supraphonic if you're looking for that classic Ludwig aluminium sound.
Choose the Classic Maple if you prefer the warmth and character of a traditional wood shell.
Classic Maple vs Black Beauty LB416
The Black Beauty is another natural comparison at the premium end of Ludwig's 14x5 range.
The LS401 uses maple, giving it a warm, organic response with plenty of clarity.
The LB416 Black Beauty uses seamless brass, producing greater metal-shell projection and harmonic richness.
Both can be incredibly versatile main snares.
If you want a classic wood-snare voice, we'd lean towards the Classic Maple.
If you want the additional projection and character of brass, look towards the Black Beauty.
Classic Maple vs Acrolite
The Acrolite provides a very different take on the Ludwig snare sound.
Classic Maple gives you the warmth and body of an all-maple shell.
The Acrolite uses aluminium and is known for its dry, articulate and controlled response.
If you already own an Acrolite or Supraphonic, adding a Classic Maple makes a lot of sense because it gives you a genuinely different wood-shell voice rather than another variation on a metal snare.
Is Maple Good for Recording?
Absolutely.
Maple's balanced tonal character makes it an extremely useful studio material.
The 14x5 LS401 can produce a crisp and articulate response at higher tunings while retaining plenty of warmth through medium and lower tuning ranges.
It's a particularly useful snare when you want a natural wood-shell character without an excessively dark or aggressive response.
A Versatile Main Snare
One of the biggest strengths of the Classic Maple LS401 is simply its versatility.
There's nothing particularly extreme about a 14x5 maple snare – and that's exactly why it works so well.
It can sit comfortably behind a pop kit, provide plenty of attack for rock, deliver detailed ghost notes for funk or produce a warm and natural studio sound.
For players looking for one premium Ludwig wood snare capable of covering a lot of ground, the LS401 is a very strong choice.
Made in the USA
Classic Maple is part of Ludwig's professional USA-made drum range.
The series has become one of Ludwig's defining modern wood-shell lines, combining the company's heritage with a versatile contemporary maple-shell design.
Paired with Vintage Black Oyster, this LS401 brings together two of the most recognisable elements of the Ludwig name.
Ludwig Classic Maple LS401 Specifications
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Brand: Ludwig
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Series: Classic Maple
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Model: LS401
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Full Model / MPN: LS401XX1Q
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Type: Acoustic Snare Drum
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Size: 14" x 5"
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Diameter: 14"
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Depth: 5"
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Shell Material: Maple
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Shell Construction: 7-Ply All-Maple
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Bearing Edge: 45°
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Finish: Vintage Black Oyster
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Lugs: 10 Ludwig Lugs
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Hoops: 2.3mm Steel Triple-Flanged
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Hardware Finish: Chrome
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Made In: USA
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Sound Character: Warm, clear, articulate and versatile
Ludwig Classic Maple LS401 FAQs
What is the Ludwig LS401?
The Ludwig LS401 is the 14" x 5" Classic Maple snare drum.
It features Ludwig's 7-ply all-maple shell, 45° bearing edge and 2.3mm steel hoops.
What is the Ludwig Classic Maple snare made from?
The LS401 features a 7-ply all-maple shell.
What does a maple snare drum sound like?
Maple is known for providing a balanced combination of warmth, clarity, attack and body.
This makes maple an extremely versatile choice for both recording and live performance.
What is Vintage Black Oyster?
Vintage Black Oyster is one of Ludwig's most recognisable wrap finishes, combining black, grey and pearlescent tones in a vintage-inspired oyster pattern.
What is the model number for the 14x5 Classic Maple?
The base model is LS401.
The Vintage Black Oyster configuration is commonly identified as LS401XX1Q.
What is the difference between LS401 and LS403?
The difference is shell depth.
The LS401 measures 14x5, while the LS403 measures 14x6.5.
The LS401 provides a quicker and more articulate response, while the deeper LS403 offers greater body and fundamental depth.
Is Classic Maple a wood snare?
Yes. Unlike many of Ludwig's best-known snares such as the Supraphonic, Black Beauty and Acrolite, the Classic Maple uses an all-maple wood shell.
Is maple warmer than aluminium?
Maple and aluminium have distinctly different characters.
Maple provides the organic warmth and resonance associated with a wood shell, while aluminium generally produces a crisper and more controlled metal-snare response.
Classic Maple or Black Beauty?
Choose the Classic Maple if you want a warm and versatile wood-shell snare.
Choose the Black Beauty if you want the additional projection, harmonic richness and metal-shell character of seamless brass.
Classic Maple or Supraphonic?
The Classic Maple uses a 7-ply maple shell, while the classic Supraphonic uses seamless aluminium.
They're very different drums, which makes owning both a particularly useful combination.
Is the Ludwig LS401 good for recording?
Yes. The balanced character of maple and responsive 5" shell depth make the LS401 a very versatile recording snare.
Is the Ludwig Classic Maple good for rock?
Yes. The LS401 has plenty of projection and attack for rock while retaining the warmth and body associated with maple.
Is the LS401 good for funk?
Yes. The responsive 5" shell works well at higher tunings and provides plenty of articulation for ghost notes and detailed playing.
Is the Ludwig Classic Maple made in the USA?
Yes. Classic Maple is part of Ludwig's professional USA-made range.
Why choose the Ludwig LS401?
Choose the LS401 if you want a professional 14x5 Ludwig wood snare with a versatile all-maple shell, responsive feel and classic Vintage Black Oyster appearance.
It's a brilliant main snare and an excellent wood-shell counterpart to Ludwig's famous metal snares.
