Snare recommendations please

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errr314

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Right! Well its time that I started looking for another snare and I am hoping for some advice. Yes I know I can go to a drum shop and mess around but this was spur of the moment and GC and other drum shops are closed/closing soon. :)

I am just looking for a deeper snare (7" or 8") with crack and a very DRY sound. It does not matter what its made of. I just want something big, cracky and dry. Price does not matter toooooooooo much.

Something nice but not too expensive. :)

Anyone? Thanks.....!!
 
Dry...
Most of that is accomplished with head choice,(like a genera vented dry as opposed to a single ply evans) although an acrylic snare will be a bit dryer than a wood snare which is dryer than a metal snare.

Honestly, I have gone the complete gamut of super dry to super ringing, and the dry snare does not record well. It works for live but close micing a dry snare sounds like crud.

My opinion obviously.

My favorite all around snare is a 14 by 6.5 brass. It is my most versatile snare.
I prefer a 13 inch snare for faster head response and a higher head pitch. The deeper the snare the more the shell fundamental pitch comes into play. I have a 13 by 7 ,12 ply maple that really rocks but has a very low fundamental pitch that does not work for most of the stuff I record.

Some of my experience anyway.

Tom
 
i know one of the guys who comprises half of witt percussion, who hand-bend all their own custom snare drums. if you email them and tell them the sound you're looking for, they could make some recommendations, and their prices are super-reasonable.

http://www.wittpercussion.com/Home.htm
 
Cool thanks for your responses! I am going to check out witt percussion. I have always wanted a custom made job.

Also I guess I dont mean super dry. I guess I am just looking for a deeper shell. tmix, what is the brand of the brass snare that you speak of? Also thanks tmix for the info. As usual....You always provide insight to my questions. I guess its just the Texan in us eh? :)
 
I use a Ludwig 400, it's a great workhorse and has a whole variety of sounds if you know how to use it! Mine's a 14 x 6.5 steel shell, but the Brass ones sound amazing!

Otherwise I like the Mapex Black Panther
 
tmix, what is the brand of the brass snare that you speak of? Also thanks tmix for the info. As usual....You always provide insight to my questions. I guess its just the Texan in us eh? :)

Ha ha ,
More likely you just understand my accent!
My Brass is a Slingerland. It really was not that expensive maybe $200?used
Yamaha makes a better one.Tama makes a humdinger (Bell brass) probably set you back closer to $400 used.

I have heard some thick ply maple (20 ply ?) That really crack, nearly will take your head off.
Maybe Witt has something like that.

Good luck!
 
I just bought a 14X8 brass Tama & it absolutely rocks. It came with an almost new ambassador head & with my external damper its got crack, depth & is a dry or open as I want it

IMHO one of the best snares I've had to date. The best snare I ever played was a Craviotto 14x8 that cost (in the UK) £350 second hand

I got the Tama for £120 all in with p+p
 
...

The 7"x14" Allegra I have is dry, with alot of crack.
I also have a pork pie pig-lite(impulse buy at $180) that records well and is 7"x13"
 
I agree with the above - Mapex Black Panther (Stainless Steel is an awesome model and very versatile). TAMA too (I'd look for anything in the mid-level to Starclassic series) Both great choices.

I think one of the nicest "dry" snare sounds I've worked with was my old housemate who had a Yamaha Steele snare drum with a vented batter head. Very dry but still recorded well.

Happy hunting. -Rez
 
Hmmmm.....I just happen to have an old Yamaha steel snare and an Evans Genera Dry vented head lying around. Well I guess I know what I am doing tonight! I was also looking at the Pork Pie Piglite as well. I am going to have to play at the drum shops this weekend. My wife will be pleased. Uh....not. :)

Thanks for the ideas everyone.
 
try getting your hands on a ludwig black beauty and pop an evan's dry vented head on it.
 
I have a 14" x 6.5" Slingerland, and haven't been able to get a decent sound with it.

What kind of heads are you using?

Hey E,
I generally use either a Evans Reverse power dot (coated) or a evans vented. I get tired of the vented dry sound after a while and use the single ply type most of the time. I can play it wide open for some ring or stick a moon gel or 2 on it at the edge to tame it down.

Tom
I was going to attach an mp3 of a song I was working on to show you what it sounds like, but you cant post mp3s in this forum I guess.
 
I have heard some thick ply maple (20 ply ?) That really crack, nearly will take your head off.
Maybe Witt has something like that.

Witt does one-piece steam-bent shells. I'll let you know what I think of their work in about three weeks or so.:D

There are tons of builders who can throw together a 20 ply snare, you can even buy an unfinished shell with edges and beds pre-cut, and drill it yourself, if you have the aptitude. Saluda sells 'em, as well as finished drums, the shells are Kellers.
 
I have a 14" x 6.5" Slingerland, and haven't been able to get a decent sound with it.

What kind of heads are you using?


I have a slingerland 14x5.5 & it either works for me or doesn't. I find them temperamental to say the the least. I use an evans G2 & I came upon a thin white coated (hazy) snare head & a whopping 42 strand snare wire........TBH I hardly use it now over a mid 70s acrolite, remo masteredge Louie Bellson sig. & a premier genista all 14x5.5 & recently the Tama 14x8

but yeah my experience with slingerlands so far has been love & hate
 
I have a slingerland 14x5.5 & it either works for me or doesn't. I find them temperamental to say the the least. I use an evans G2 & I came upon a thin white coated (hazy) snare head & a whopping 42 strand snare wire........TBH I hardly use it now over a mid 70s acrolite, remo masteredge Louie Bellson sig. & a premier genista all 14x5.5 & recently the Tama 14x8

but yeah my experience with slingerlands so far has been love & hate

I haven't used the Slingerland since I bought a Pearl Piccolo, but I'd like a little variety.
 
my experience with ALL snare drums has been love/hate. it seems that those drums in particular are VERY sensitive to barometric pressure, humidity levels, temperature, etc.

it seems that most of my snare drums are only "happy" about 1/2 of the year.....during the times that they're not happy, they sound "dead". the other times, they're so alive it's not even funny.

my favorite of late has been a DW Collectors Series maple 5x13. nice dry sounding crack. got it for $180 used.

i've also got a 6.5x14 pearl export steel shell, a no-name 5x14 steel shell, and a mid-60's gold sparkle (that sounds amazing when it's cooperating). but the DW is my main one these days.


cheers,
wade
 
The most useful snare in the universe would have to be a 6.5x14 Ludwig Supraphonic. Followed closely by a 5x14 Supraphonic. Both are relatively cheap.

I have two deep snares, a Pearl 8x14 Freefloater and a Premier Heavy Rock Nine. With the right head, both of these sound great, but they are hard to find.
 
My go-to snare these days is my 6.5 x 14 Pearl Steve Ferrone Signature Brass... It can do everything I axe it to... :)

I keep my 20 ply custom maple (keller shell) on stage in case of a head break, but it really hasn't left it's case in months...

The Ferrone's can be found still, but you might have to fork out $300-$400...

:)
 
My go-to snare these days is my 6.5 x 14 Pearl Steve Ferrone Signature Brass... It can do everything I axe it to... :):)

What heads are you using on it? I had one briefly and I couldn't get it to stop ringing uncontrollably. The thing drove me nuts.
 
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