Alex Van Halen Tribute Snare! As you surely remember, during Van Halen’s 1981 tour for Fair Warning, Alex Van Halen played an iconic, black and white Ludwig drum set. I had a poster of this kit in my room. It is what every great rock kit should be – huge (six bass drums), too many toms and cymbals to use, a fire extinguisher, and a gong you can light on fire. So, I built this snare as a tribute to AVH and that kit.
It’s made from walnut and maple to mimic the stripes and is the same size (6-1/2 x 14) that Alex used on that tour. It has Ludwig-style lugs, a P85 throw off and P32 butt plate, which where common on Ludwig snares of that era. The top head is a clear Remo black dot, which he used on that tour and I attached the snare with wires because I like to believe that’s what Alex did.
My Friend the Bird 
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