Buying New Snare- Dunnet vs Sonor

[Nineball]

So I decided on the Sonor Force 3007 with Midnight Fade over the Mapex Saturn for the main reason that I can save some money off the main kit to A)Buy more cymbals and B)As the title indicates here, buy a top of the line snare.

My two choices have come down to the Dunnet 6.5x13 Titanium Snare and the Sonor Artist Series Steel Black 14x5 snare. I have heard GREAT things about the Dunnett Snares, and hearing it when Carter Beauford played it, the snare really did sound incredible. The Sonor I have not heard as much about, but people on the forums here who have them seem to swear by them (and to me, there's just something satisfying in having a full matching brand kit, I don't know why).

So I am just looking for some input from people who own either of these snares (or the brands even, doesn't have to be exact model). I'm sure both are great and the cost of them won't be a factor in my decision.

[Steady Freddy]

I have a Dunnett 6.5 X 13 titanium sanre and it's a super drum. Real loud and a pretty wide tuning range. I tend to crank that one up pretty high.

Great snare for live.

[tomtom]

I also have a 6.5x13" Dunnett Titanium. I just love that drum. I mostly tune it medium to medium loose and it still has that crack that a 13" will give you. Articulate, a combination of a tight/fat sound and a beautifull tone. It also has a special feel under the stick, a bit "buttery". In the studio this drum is incredible; it´s very mic friendly and it sounded bigger and fatter than my 7x14" Elvin Jones Yammie on tape. If there´s any drum I´d reccommend, it´s the 6.5x13" Ti.

I´m not familiar with the Sonor artist but I did play a Force 3007 steel shell snare 5.5x14" a few day´s ago and to my surprise I was very impressed.

[crazyhorse]

Call me biased but the Dunnet is overpriced. It's just rolled metal that's been welded and drilled. There are some other guys making titanium snares now and they're considerably less money for the same product. (Although my avatar makes my feelings about titanium pretty obvious lol)

[tomtom]

Call me biased but the Dunnet is overpriced. It's just rolled metal that's been welded and drilled. There are some other guys making titanium snares now and they're considerably less money for the same product. (Although my avatar makes my feelings about titanium pretty obvious lol)

It´s just rolled, very expensive metal that has very unique sound qualities that I´m happy to pay the price for. IMO the Dunnetts are not overpriced. As a hobbyist drum builder myself I´ve built a few Titanium snares for myself and a few other friends. The material alone is very expensive and if I would sell them to make minimum profit I would have to outprice the Dunnett´s.

[crazyhorse]

It´s just rolled, very expensive metal that has very unique sound qualities that I´m happy to pay the price for. IMO the Dunnetts are not overpriced. As a hobbyist drum builder myself I´ve built a few Titanium snares for myself and a few other friends. The material alone is very expensive and if I would sell them to make minimum profit I would have to outprice the Dunnett´s.


I'm not going to knock the quality of the drums... his machine shop does good work. However, the same quality product CAN be had quite a bit cheaper. Before I went the magnesium route I looked at Titanium... the welder I had botched it but I know how much the material costs and I assure you while it's expensive it doesn't justify a $900 price tag short of paying for a name. The titanium shells you can get at www.drumfoundry.com are the same titanium anyone else is going to use and if you price out a complete drum you'll find it's quite a bit cheaper that way. Artisan also builds titanium drum, I believe AllStar can get titanium shells as well.... There are some choices out there if you're stuck on titanium. I personally don't like titanium all that much but to each their own.

[tomtom]

There are some choices out there if you're stuck on titanium. I personally don't like titanium all that much but to each their own.

Of course we all like different things. And regarding your comment on me "being stuck on Titanium" I don´t quite understand. I do have have various snares made of Titanium, Steel, Aluminium, Brass, Bronze and various species of woods which I all use on different occasions. Regarding the Dunnett price; I´ve owned far more expensive drums that didn´t sound as good and I´ve already sold. I just happen to like the Dunnetts and if that bothers you, I can´t help you out. Since we´re getting really off topic here, I will say no more on this issue but feel free to PM me.

[crazyhorse]

Of course we all like different things. And regarding your comment on me "being stuck on Titanium" I don´t quite understand. I do have have various snares made of Titanium, Steel, Aluminium, Brass, Bronze and various species of woods which I all use on different occasions. Regarding the Dunnett price; I´ve owned far more expensive drums that didn´t sound as good and I´ve already sold. I just happen to like the Dunnetts and if that bothers you, I can´t help you out. Since we´re getting really off topic here, I will say no more on this issue but feel free to PM me.

Sorry for the misunderstanding... I meant "you" as in... if anyone is stuck on having a titanium drum... not "you" as in YOU. =) Hope that makes sense.

Keep in mind that my perspective is a bit off from the average person from hanging around on forums with a ton of talented builders. I watch these guys build new and innovative things all the time and they don't charge nearly as much for their stuff.

[tomtom]

Sorry for the misunderstanding... I meant "you" as in... if anyone is stuck on having a titanium drum... not "you" as in YOU. =) Hope that makes sense.

Keep in mind that my perspective is a bit off from the average person from hanging around on forums with a ton of talented builders. I watch these guys build new and innovative things all the time and they don't charge nearly as much for their stuff.

I hear ya, no hard feelings

[Andy@MIT]

My vote would be for a Dunnett. Worth every last one of the 90,000 pennies you need