My snare wont stay in tune

Uladine

New member
I'm a rimshot freak, and my Yamaha Musashi snare doesnt want to stay in tune as a result. The snare is fabulous, but it's annoying having to retune it every couple of songs. I've tried those tight-screw tension rods, and those worked alright for a little while but they started loosening up after a few head changes (they arent meant to be a permanent solution from what I've read) and I've also tried those plastic lug lock things that are supposed to keep your tension rods from turning. Now those are starting to wear out from installing and removing them for tuning adjustments and head changes.

Does anyone have any tricks they've aquired over the years? Would Die Cast hoops help? Are there any other gizmos that I can throw my money at that are more of a permanent solution than the tight screw or lug locks? Rubber or plastic washers maybe?
 
Big question... when you put on a new head, are you seating it properly? You have to seat and stretch a new head to keep it from going all over the place. Check out this link.
 
It doesnt seem to matter how old the head is. For a while when I was doing a lot of experiments with snare heads I was changing it every 1 1/2 to 2 weeks and it would do it regardless of how tight I seemed to have it. I always try to seat my drumheads firmly, to try to lessen the detuning problem and to break them in faster, but it I'm conviced it mainly has to do with the rimshots, as the two tension rods below where my stick crosses over the hoop seem to detune the most. I did some research on the issue a while back and apparently its from the pressure of the hoop against the collar of the head being momentarily released when the stick hits the drumhead. While the pressure is absent for that brief instant, the tension rods nearest the impact zone are free to vibrate loose a little bit. So after a few hundred rimshots, some of the tension rods are noticibly looser. I'm convinced the heads aren't the culprit because the Tight Screws and the Lug Locks eliminated the problem for a while. I'm just trying to find a more permanent and reliable solution.
 
I was thinking about die cast hoops, actually. I just wasn't sure if it would really help or not. I'm definitely going to research the idea further. It seems like the easiest route. I remember seeing little plastic attachments that are supposed to stick up just above the rim to help protect the hoop from occasional stick hits but I cant remember where I saw them or what they were called. I wonder if they might help.
 
I use die-cast hoops, I have the same problem. When you hit rimshots all the time, you just have to re-tune. It's the price you have to pay.
 
I find die cast hoops help quite a bit with tuning. As Farview said, they are no magic bullet, but they make life a little easier. However, I'm in the moderate hitter category. I don't have a heavy hand.
 
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The die-cast hoops just don't bend. So it deflects from 3 of the lugs instead of just the one under where you are hitting. I use them because I break triple flange hoops.
 
I'm AMAZED!

A couple of mentions of a drum head, then straight into talking about die-cast hoops and the like...

Nobody's asked what head you're using... I had the same problem with my Ludwig snare using Remo's coated Ambassadors, switched to Powerstrokes and cured it straight away. Did you try different heads and forget to mention it, or had you just not thought of that?
 
I agree that die cast hoops are better suited for rim shots and they can certainly help your situation. But my son and I both play all the time. I am more of a fusion player and he is a metal head. His two lugs nearest him are always coming loose.

So we over tension those lugs slightly and apply some Locktite. This is a liquid that holds screws in place against vibration. They make different strengths and you would want the type that just holds and not locks. Another alternative is a little dab of nail polish and it easily comes off the next time around.
 
Hi, Here is a Thought ,It might work or it might be a Totally stupid Idea....

Here Goes, maybe try putting a Bolt on the tuneing Lugs between the Top Rim and the socket the Lugs screw into (with a washer), so when you get your snare tuned you would then tighten these bolts down towards the Socket so when you do the Rimshot and the Tention is momentary relieved the Lugs are still tightened....It is sort of the Same method that Kick pedals use to keep there tention.....

I hope I explained this so you could understand it??


Cheers
 
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