Snare Side Reso?

wsabol

Gold Member
Whats the difference between a normal head and a snare side head? Like a clear Ambassador and a Snare Side Ambassador.. I always assumed they are the same, but people talk about them like they are different.
 
They are diferent. A clear ambassador is a batter head made of a single ply of 10mil mylar. A snare side ambassador is a very thin head to be used as the resonant head on a snare only. It is NOT a batter head.
 
They are diferent. A clear ambassador is a batter head made of a single ply of 10mil mylar. A snare side ambassador is a very thin head to be used as the resonant head on a snare only. It is NOT a batter head.

Why for a snare only?? And its my impression that a head is just a head.. reso or batter whatever. A Diplomat is used as a batter head but its probably thinner than the Ambassador snare side.. I just don't get it
 
Ok. I just resaearched on the Remo website. The Ambassador and Diplomat heads are available in 3 and 2 mil weights respectively that are designed as snare reso heads. Nothing more special than that. I guess you could use them on other drums, but it up to you.
 
I use a coated emp over a standard clear amb for my Ludwig LM402 snare. The thicker standard amb definitely affects the sound in a way I like. It gives the snare a wider note and with loose-ish snares gives it a raw sound. I tune the reso way up and the batter medium-high so it still has a great crack to it.
 
Last edited:
Why for a snare only?? And its my impression that a head is just a head.. reso or batter whatever. A Diplomat is used as a batter head but its probably thinner than the Ambassador snare side.. I just don't get it

The idea is to create the maximum possible responsiveness from the snare wires. Although, yeah, you can use whatever you like.
 
Why for a snare only?? And its my impression that a head is just a head.. reso or batter whatever.

In all cases except for the snare side reso. As stated, the snare side reso is thinner to promote snare sensitivity.


A Diplomat is used as a batter head but its probably thinner than the Ambassador snare side..

A diplomat is 7.5mil thick. Thinner than a regular Ambassador at 10mil, but still more than twice as thick as an Ambassador snare side (3mil).

As you've noted, they also make a Diplomat snare side which is 2 mil thick.


I just don't get it

Here's the easiest way to get it. Take a standard Ambassador and use it as a snare reso. Hear the difference? Daylight separates the two sounds.

Some guys actually quite like the sound of a regular Amb as a snare reso, as Ethan has noted. I've never cared for it personally, makes the drum sound like a cardboard box IMHO, but to each his own.
 
Yes, the standards for a snare drums resonant head or "snare" head is usually a 3 mil head. These come in the Evans Hazy 300, Remo Hazy Ambassador and other manufacturers that I've never used. Other snare side heads from Evans is the Hazy 200 (2 mil) and the Hazy 500 (5 mil). Remo has heads with the same thickness. Their snare side Diplomat is a 2 mil head and their Emperor is a 5 mil. I sometimes use an Evans Hazy 200 for more of a pronounced snare wire effect for jazz, but here again the 2 mil heads always exhibit a more pronounced sympathetic snare buzz when other drums are struck. As already stated, a regular 7.5 mil clear Remo Diplomat head used on the snare side will more or less muffle the effects of the snare wires and make the snare drum much less sensitive.

Dennis
 
Yes, the standards for a snare drums resonant head or "snare" head is usually a 3 mil head. These come in the Evans Hazy 300, Remo Hazy Ambassador and other manufacturers that I've never used. Other snare side heads from Evans is the Hazy 200 (2 mil) and the Hazy 500 (5 mil). Remo has heads with the same thickness. Their snare side Diplomat is a 2 mil head and their Emperor is a 5 mil. I sometimes use an Evans Hazy 200 for more of a pronounced snare wire effect for jazz, but here again the 2 mil heads always exhibit a more pronounced sympathetic snare buzz when other drums are struck. As already stated, a regular 7.5 mil clear Remo Diplomat head used on the snare side will more or less muffle the effects of the snare wires and make the snare drum much less sensitive.

Dennis

Edit - Glass 500. Im not sure why they called it something different from the others. Im about to try one out actually... I've heard that they sound like mud. (didn't know mud had a sound) but still... You can't always take people's opinion. It's all about experimenting.
 
Yes in the end it's all about experimenting. If you want to know what a coated head sounds like for a snare reso (yup I've tried it) then the easiest way to get there is to try one on. Or whatever head you are thinking about. Also remember different snares respond to different heads in unique ways.
 
Yes in the end it's all about experimenting. If you want to know what a coated head sounds like for a snare reso (yup I've tried it) then the easiest way to get there is to try one on. Or whatever head you are thinking about. Also remember different snares respond to different heads in unique ways.

Likewise, I have also tried a coated ambassador on the snare side. I would highly advise you to not waste your money. Or if you have the money to throw around experimenting - go ahead. That's what it's all about. Im just saying - It didn't sound like a snare!
 
Why for a snare only?? And its my impression that a head is just a head.. reso or batter whatever. A Diplomat is used as a batter head but its probably thinner than the Ambassador snare side.. I just don't get it

It is not that hard to "get."

You HIT the top head with a drumstick.

The botton head picks up the snare vibrations, and you do not hit it with a stick.

They have two very different functions. So they are very different.
 
Likewise, I have also tried a coated ambassador on the snare side. I would highly advise you to not waste your money. Or if you have the money to throw around experimenting - go ahead. That's what it's all about. Im just saying - It didn't sound like a snare!

A month or two back, I tore a snare side ambassador (Too much tension there, yo!). The only spare head I had at the time was a Coated Amb. So I slapped that on the snare side, threw on the snares and a DIY muffling ring made from the broken snare side head.

Voila, I had of the most intersting snare sounds I'd ever heard.
 
Back
Top