Snares - what’s everyone using nowadays?

[T-rex]

After years of buying and selling I am down to two go to snares and two extras.

Dunnett 14x6.5 Canary Wood Snare - this is my desert island snare. It sounds like, what in my head is, the perfect snare; articulate, sensitive, but with some body and a killer rim shot. It records a bit thinner than it sounds in real life, which is a bit of a head scratcher. I used to have a Birch JR Robinson Yamaha that sounded a bit boxy in real life but recorded like a dream. It went up in value a lot and I wasn't using it, so I sold it for a hefty profit after getting the Dunnett.

World Max 14x8 - I ordered the 14x6.5 but they had just sold the last one. He convinced me to try the 14x8 for the same price or my money back and it’s awesome. I added 42 strand snares to it and between the extra wires and the size of the drum it’s a really great balance of articulation and power.

[The Scum]

There are a couple Acrolites kicking around. One with a Fyberskin on top. I could get by with just these if I had to.

I'm a drummer, so I have a pair of snares that are my gigging primary & backup. The whole reason for them is they can serve interchangably, so they're set up about the same. They're brass Pearl Sensitones - one golden brass, the other black lacquer. Coated ambassadors, die cast hoops, Puresound blasters. Vanilla metal snare drums, respond well to high, medium and low tuning, and hi/med/lo snare tensions. While I could get by with just the Acro's, the die cast hoops mean I don't have to tune these as often.

Then there's this funny Gretsch drum. 13x7, silver sparkle, possibly Asian mahogany, die cast hoops (and basically the same strainer as the Pearls, just with a G on it...). It's not a fancy drum, but a very usable one - I think it was a GC "snare of the month" in about 2002. It'll do Keltner stuff - lower tunings and looser wire stuff than the metal drums. Not super fun to play (it doesn't have great rebound), kinda the opposite of "articulate", and maybe that handicap means it gets played more intentionally, but it records nicely. It has a very narrow range of tuning where it's happy, and it'll back itself off into that range if you try to take it out. When someone says "lets use a wood snare, " this one sounds like a wood snare.

[T-rex]

That’s hilarious, my other two snares are a black galaxy acrolite and a gretsch 14x8.

The grestch I use the exact same way as you although im really not a fan of the fatback snare sound. I like a good crack but yes for a wood snare sound - that’s it for sure.

The acrolite is my most recent acquisition and I’m not sure about it yet. it has an Evans head on it and I am realizing I like them for Toms better, but even though the sound is basically the same, I like Ambassadors on snares better than the Evans equivalent.

[digitaldrummer]

Fun! Time for drummers to nerd out. I have a bunch of snares (but I won't say collector - they get used). Over 20 for sure. For gigs it depends on the venue. I have a Ludwig Supraphonic LM400 (the 5x14) that has S-hoops on top and bottom (because I rescued this snare from years of abuse) and Puresound snare wires. I also have a Pork Pie BoB snare that I again put the S-hoop on top, but it came with a die-cast hoop on bottom (that the previous owner had put on). Or if I'm doing a jazz gig or very low volume gig, I use the snare that came with a Ludwig Breakbeats kit. I still even have the stock head on it but I need to change it.

In the studio is another story. Another 70's LM400, a '65 Acrolite, an LM402 (6.5x14 Supra), a hammered bronze 6.5x14 Ludwig (also S-Hoops because the originals were rusty when I got it - I think this started my love affair with S-Hoops lol), a 6.5x14 Brass (same as a black beauty but it's not black), a Pork Pie brass 6.5x14 (this one has the "built by an American" badge and is really loud - just used this for a session yesterday). I have a GMS "vintage style" snare that is 5.5x14 with rounded bearing edges and sounds really fat. Speaking of fat, I've got a Pork Pie "Iron" shell, a 6.5x14 Maple birdseye that I think was a Premier prototype from the 2000's, and a Pearl MRX 6.5x14 that is tuned down (I call it the "Petty" snare). Tuned up higher I have a Pearl MMX 5.5x14, a Pearl Sensitone (steel) 5.5x14, a Worldmax "Jade Tiger" 5x14, a Free-floating brass Piccolo 3.5x14, a Drumcast 5.5x14 with a 3mm cast aluminum shell (super loud!), a Drumcraft 6x14 Beech, and a Pacific "Ace" 5x14 brass (black beauty clone). Also have a Craviotto 6.5x14 Ash and a Pearl 5.5x14 Solid Cherry - those were my "splurge" snares I suppose (although I got both used for pretty good prices). I had more but sold a couple. I thought about whittling it down even more but I find myself using these for sessions so I don't feel like I need to part with any yet.

[digitaldrummer]

AIt records a bit thinner than it sounds in real life, which is a bit of a head scratcher.

Mics, placement, heads, tuning, the room - so many factors. This is actually why I have a lot of snares. Once I get them in a sweet spot I tend to not want to change them. Then when I want that certain sound for recording I just grab that snare and usually it's there - sometimes after a little fiddling.

Sometimes it doesn't sound like I remember and I end up retuning or even having to put on new heads on or new snare wires (don't underestimate this- I've had snares I could not get to sound good and new wires suddenly made them my favorite snare). parts do wear out after time.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

They're all under the bed in the guest bedroom. I actually played the drums for the first time in 5 years this past weekend, got together with some old friends for a jam. I remembered what to do! So that was nice.

My favorite is a 5x14 Grover, just sounds nice all around. There's also an acrolite, a supraphonic, a cheapo Gretsch Catalina, a nice custom 6x14 from a shop in CT near where I grew up, and a couple with some real Indie Rock Credibility: a 12x7 Pearl that Zach Barocas from Jawbox gave me, and an ancient 6.5x14 Gretsch that Gavin McCarthy from Karate gave me. Thank you nice friends! The Pearl has the sickest rimshot and will ring forever, the Gretsch is the opposite, all thick fat gush. I love em both.

[T-rex]

They're all under the bed in the guest bedroom. I actually played the drums for the first time in 5 years this past weekend, got together with some old friends for a jam. I remembered what to do! So that was nice.

My favorite is a 5x14 Grover, just sounds nice all around. There's also an acrolite, a supraphonic, a cheapo Gretsch Catalina, a nice custom 6x14 from a shop in CT near where I grew up, and a couple with some real Indie Rock Credibility: a 12x7 Pearl that Zach Barocas from Jawbox gave me, and an ancient 6.5x14 Gretsch that Gavin McCarthy from Karate gave me. Thank you nice friends! The Pearl has the sickest rimshot and will ring forever, the Gretsch is the opposite, all thick fat gush. I love em both.

Damn Jawbone and Karate!

What are you all doing with your acrolites tuning wise? I know the black galaxy may be a bit different with the extra coating. The shell is in great shape and round etc. but when I hear them on videos they sound great but I can't quite seem to get that out of mine. I think maybe it's too muted and I really like ringy snares.

[T-rex]

I have a Ludwig Supraphonic LM400 (the 5x14) that has S-hoops on top and bottom (because I rescued this snare from years of abuse) and Puresound snare wires.

a hammered bronze 6.5x14 Ludwig (also S-Hoops because the originals were rusty when I got it - I think this started my love affair with S-Hoops lol), a Worldmax "Jade Tiger" 5x14,

The Supraphonic has definitely been on my list but I have never pulled the trigger. Also I have wanted a hammered bronze ever since seeing Bill Stewart perform. His whole set sound is unbelievable.

I love the looks of that world max Jade Tiger. Is that aluminum or steel? I see those every once in a while and I am a huge fan of world max based on my 14x8.

Also, since we are geeking out, Inde throwoffs are where it's at. The world max throw off was there only thing I didn't like and I replaced it with and Inde and damn, that's an awesome throw off.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

What are you all doing with your acrolites tuning wise?

I think acros will sound good pretty much wherever. Mine's probably around an A, generally all my snares are somewhere between a G and a B. The Pearl will go up to a C# and still sound good, the old Gretsch maybe a little lower than a G.

Bottom heads aren't super cranked but they're on the tighter side, I've never liked the low tuned thuddy thing.

[digitaldrummer]

a Worldmax "Jade Tiger" 5x14,

The Supraphonic has definitely been on my list but I have never pulled the trigger. Also I have wanted a hammered bronze ever since seeing Bill Stewart perform. His whole set sound is unbelievable.

I love the looks of that world max Jade Tiger. Is that aluminum or steel? I see those every once in a while and I am a huge fan of world max based on my 14x8.

Also, since we are geeking out, Inde throwoffs are where it's at. The world max throw off was there only thing I didn't like and I replaced it with and Inde and damn, that's an awesome throw off.

the Jade Tiger I have is steel with diecast hoops. it's got a nice pop - very different than a 14x8! It's older and I got it second hand, so I'm not sure if the throwoff was replaced or is just an older model. It looks kind of like a Trick, but it's probably an attempt at a copy. It's definitely different than what they sell today.

I was thinking about getting one of the Inde throwoffs for the Pork Pie brass (it's a little wonky as is). I've heard good things.

And if you don't have a coated ambassador (or maybe an Evans G1 coated) on your Acrolite, then try that. if it still doesn't sound like you want, try putting some new Puresound snares on it. I've been using the 20 strand steel or brass and the Blasters, but I know a of of folks that swear by the 30-strand too (but haven't tried those yet). And get some real Ludwig snare string too. Sometimes the clear plastic strips work OK, but the nylon straps are garbage. The real Ludwig stuff is the best. And don't crank the snare wires too tight - that just chokes the drum. With only 8 lugs an Acrolite WILL ring like a mofo if you let it (although its still a dry ring).

but if you want a drum that really rings - try that Pork Pie "Iron". I swear the sustain on the "ring" is several seconds long (if it's unmuted)

[T-rex]

I have the Evans G1 now but I’m gonna switch it to an ambassador and see if it makes any difference. They are basically the same but I think that I have used ambassadors for so long on the snare that the Evans may just not sound ‘right’ to me.

Good call on the snares, I’ve only used the ones that came on it or a set of Ludwig 12 or 14. The kind that would have come on an old school acro. I hadn’t thought about trying a bigger snare count, which is stupid considering I have 42s on both the World Max and Dunnett.

[digitaldrummer]

sometimes a Remo ambassador sounds "right" to me too. I have snares with Evans and Aquarian heads too, but man, the Ambassador is just sometimes the one.

[drumsound]

MMMmmm Snare drums.

I've got around a dozen. I'm not sure how I should categorize them. Age, material, depth, frequency of use, number of lugs?

So, My very first snare (and I do still have it) is a Slingerland 6.5x14 3 ply mahogany Student model probably from the 50s, 8 lug with the old "stick chopper" hoop with metal clips . My dad paid $5 for it at the baseball league rummage sale. It sounds best at low tuning. It doesn't have a lot of projection, so I don't bring it to gigs much.

Then there's the 5x14 metal Slingerland (maybe COB?) that I got with the '64 Slingerland set I got the summer before 7th grade (1982).

Next the Bison 5x14 mapel 10 lug that was a college graduation present from my folks. That was Number 1 for a lot of years I played blues and rock gigs all over with that one. It even went to CBGB with me in '95 I think.

When I buddy left Chicago he sold me his Peral FF brass piccolo. I don't use it much, but it's fun sometimes. I swapped it's die cast top rim for the triple flanged on the Bison. The Bison sounds better with the die cast.

The chronology gets a little goofy in my head on these next few. I was working at a music store, so I know that's when I bought the Ludwig 5x14 metal "Reliable" ANTI-GALVANIC shell, and 10 lugs.

I have a Leedy&Ludwig 5.5x14 8 lug made somewhere between 1950-55. It has even choppier 'stick chopper' rims that have more traditional tension rod holes. This has that phenomenon mentioned earlier, it records better than it sounds when your sitting there.

I bought a Gretsch roundbadge at an antique place (when I was shopping for Mark Rubel's birthday-but I bought MYESELF a gift) I barely ever used it until I bought a replacement modern strainer, because the original loosens after about 5 backbeats. That drum just sounds like 50-60s Bluenote records. A one trick pony, but a damn good trick.

I've got a great little Rogers 5x14 that is on semi permanent loan. It's great for Levon type groves.

Craigslist supplied a Pork Pie 7x13 acrylic amber with a case and stand, and the seller brought it to the studio. It's great for CRACK!

There's a 6.5x14 Gretsch Bell Brass, that I got on a super deal after it was used for the sales meeting at SW, my buddy hooked me up on that. It's beg heavy and can do just about anything. I don't usually take it to gigs because it weight more than a toddler. I use that one a lot.

After that came the Mapex Cherry Bomb 6x14. I really love that drum, tons of tone, old-school type stick saver hoops and tube lugs. I. It's best in the medium and medium high ranges. t's on the set right now, and the BB is close by.

The most recent drum was a bit of an impulse buy. It's another Mapex. It's called a Solidus, it's 11 ply maple, stick saver hoops and a slightly rounded baring edge. It's kind of the perfect straddle between a vintage drum and a modern drum. It works at a lot of tuneings and sits nicely in a lot of places.

The Mapex stuff should not be slept on, it's affordable and really well made. The owner of the company seems to be a true drum geek.

[losthighway]

Tama Star Classic (birch)
Ludwig Supralite

I go through phases where rehearsing, or recording one of them just seems like it sounds so much better than the other. Then something happens, a show, a different room, a tuning tweak and I have a different favorite.

My buddy left a Supraphonic at my place on indefinite loan. I put a new head on it and it just sounds weird. Not sure if there's a warped hoop or something, but it's very underwhelming. Haven't had the time or motivation to investigate further.

I like Remo coated heads on top.

[T-rex]

The Mapex stuff should not be slept on, it's affordable and really well made. The owner of the company seems to be a true drum geek.

One of the videos where they compare a bunch of snares had the hammered 14x6.5 brass Mapex and it sounded phenomenal. I went back several times to that vid and others. I have the brass BB thing covered, but if I came across a deal on one of those I’d get it for sure.

That was the first time I ever heard a Mapex that I liked and then shortly after that Jeff Hamilton switched to Mapex which definitely got my attention.