The Ludwig Drums Black Beauty is a top notch snare drum that I have used inside of the studio.  I've used the drum a number of times in tandem with a full drum set, and have become a big fan of the drum for a number of reasons.  First, the drum has an extremely full bodied sound.  It is perfect for those types of recordings where you are looking for a deep snare drum sound.  While it is a deep sound, it also does have a good amount of snap to it, so I find that it still cuts through the mix very well.  The drum is very sturdy and well made, which is something that I have come to expect from Ludwig, so I never have to worry about it breaking during a session or anything like that.  The Black Beauty also has a very sleek design, which is always good if you want to impress your clients!  While I don't own this drum as I'm not a drummer, I have used the drum on enough recording sessions to be able to say that it is one of my favorite drums to record with.  I don't think that it is suitable for all types of recordings, but when it works, it works extremely well.  The main thing as an engineer is to know when to use it, which can be tricky sometimes.  The price of the Black Beauty isn't cheap as this is a high end snare drum, but for those drummer and studios looking for a top notch snare drum to add to their rig, you must know that this is the price that you are going to pay.  If you're looking for a full sounding snare drum you should definitely be checking out Ludwig's Black Beauty as I don't think you'll be disappointed that you did.