The updated Musashi

daredrummer

Gold Member
I have quite a few changes to my greatly adored Musashi snare. I have switched the lousy stock bottom head for a clear ambassador snare side, and replaced the coated emperor on top for a controlled sound x, which I like much better.

But the most significant change was the change in the wires. Cut my 20 strand puresound down to not 16, not 12, not even 8, but just 4 snare wires. I went down in increments of two and finally settled at 4. I really love the sound. It's almost pure tone from the drum. I tune the bottom head up as high as I can while still getting the snare response at quiet taps. It's somewhere between medium/low and medium. It's actually kind of hard to explain, but it's a very unique sound. Certainly not meant for all genres, but works great in progressive, funk, drum n bass, funk, fusion and even some jazz. I tune the top head anywhere from medium to medium/high, depending on the pitch I want.

Like I said, it's hard to explain the sound. I will try to get sound clips up soon, but my laptop is having problems and it will be at least a week until I get my new one. For now, all I have is more pictures.

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Great drum at that price point. I have the 6.5 x 13 myself. I use 20 strand Puresound wires too, but I don't think I want to trim them down. Interesting idea though.

Now I wish I could find a black Groove Wedge like the one that is stock on the 12" Musashi. Yamaha doesn't offer the black version separate from that drum.
 
I may have gone from the inside out so that the last two on each side are remaining. Makes it easier to keep the metal strips at the end parallel. I have seen them sold that way. 12 or 16 strand with 6 or 8 on each side with the middle bare. A clip would be great. I always did regret selling that drum.
 
I may have gone from the inside out so that the last two on each side are remaining. Makes it easier to keep the metal strips at the end parallel. I have seen them sold that way. 12 or 16 strand with 6 or 8 on each side with the middle bare. A clip would be great. I always did regret selling that drum.

That's a very good idea, I might try that next time.
I had a very hard time getting the strips lined up and parallel. After maybe 30 minutes, I finally got it perfect, and now I am reluctant to do anything with the snares again because I'm afraid that I won't be able to get them perfect again.
 
How do you tune it?

Tight top & bottom?

Somewhere between medium/loose and medium on the bottom. (Just enough to still get the definition of the snares.) And usually medium/tight on the top, sometimes just medium if I want a deeper pitch.

I would think you'd want more snares on a drum like that.........?

Well like I said, I was going for a very unique sound with this drum. It sounded great with the 20 strand too, but just more of a "standard" sound. The small diameter, black dot head, backwards tuning, and few snare wires create a very unique sound, far from anything I've heard before.
 
Will be able to get a clip up this weekend. The quality won't be great. It's with my Zoom Q3 and it's hard to capture the fullness of the drum with that.
 
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