Hands up fans of 13" diameter snare drums

W

wy yung

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I must confess I love 13" snare drums. Yesterday I played yet another gorgeous 13" snare, a Tama birch/bubinga 13x6" fitted with die cast hoops. WOW! Absolutely wonderful.

You can see a few of my 13" snares in my gear thread. They aren't all there but some are on display. I think I'll add the Tama BB as well. I recently tested a similarly dimentioned snare, the Yamaha Steve Jordan. The BB squashed it. Then threw it into the ocean. The BB 13 is really superb. It will be mine!!!! ;)
 
My first experience with 13 inch snare drums was about two years ago when I bought my Pearl Rhythm Traveler kit. It came with a wood 5x13 six lug snare that I figured that I would use for practice.
I put a PS 3 head on it and I loved it.
I have found that a PS 3 head can make a cheap drum sound real good.
I play it a lot.

I then bought a Black Panther maple 5.5x13 snare and I loved that drum also.
I usually use an Evans single ply head on the Panther.

The 13 inch snare is just perfect for most gigs.
The slightly higher pitch of a 13 inch snare drum delivers a real nice sound in a live mix.
It is also easier to control volume in a small room.

I still like my 14 inch snare drums, But I always have a use for my 13's

Enjoy your new drum wy!
 
I love 13" snares. I have just the one at the moment, a Spaun 13" x 5" maple stave. With the thicker stave shell, it produces quite a high tone, but still with enough depth to give it some grunt in the centre of the head. If I had to choose purely on diameter, I'd probably choose 13" over 14".

Get this though, my new snare (currently being built) is a 14", but will have a 2" thick stave shell! That means it's internal diameter will be only 10". I'm going deeper than usual for me, 6", so I can claw back some of the lost depth. It's a very different approach to my normal craving for resonance, & designed for a specific task. Watch this space!
 
I don't have a 13". How are they for brushes? You loose a bit of brush space moving down from 14" if you are using brushes. But I guess good technique and experience can overcome a bit smaller space.

GJS
 
I have a 13x7" Pork Pie Brass Patina...and I gotta say...it's right up there with my Black Beauty as far as my all-time favorite snares. I *almost* like it as much as the BB. It has incredible tone and an amazing tuning range. It's special!
 
Count me in! 13x6.5 Yamaha Musashi oak. I constantly have other drummers come up and ask me what snare drum I'm using.
 
bobdadruma said:
It is also easier to control volume in a small room.
Click to expand...

Is that so? I'm always looking for quieter snares. Will a 13 be somewhat quieter?
I would think, at least artificially, it would sound louder with the higher pitch.
 
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Frank said:
Is that so? I'm always looking for quieter snares. Will a 13 be somewhat quieter?
I would think, at least artificially, it would sound louder with the higher pitch.
Click to expand...
I was referring to the ability of a 5.5x13 having more focused and controlled snare response than a 5x14 inch.
It's not really lower in volume.
I just feel that I have more control of a 13 when I play in a small space.

Skulmoski brought up brushes. I don't feel that the 1 inch difference in head size matters that much with brushes. I simply adjust my motions to fit the drum.
 
bobdadruma said:
I was referring to the ability of a 5.5x13 having more focused and controlled snare response than a 5x14 inch.
It's not really lower in volume.
I just feel that I have more control of a 13 when I play in a small space.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. Thanks. Will have to try a 13 sometime.
 
Absolutely on board here.

I dig 13" snares for two reasons.
The tone, and the legroom.

I lost a bid on a 13x7" Tama Starclassic Birch/Bubinga snare last week. :(

I have a Mapex Black Panther 13x6" Maple/Cherry snare in the mail and on the way.

I cant wait.

Anyone have any experiance with this particular snare, I would love to hear it. :)
 
Just received a 6.5x13 G. Way Aero and it sounds and plays fantastic. Also have a 6.5 x 13 Ludwig Centennial that is nice and warm. I'm really into the 13's right now.
 
I've got a cheap steel shell 13" piccolo that has had my other snares sitting in their cases since I bought it three months ago.
 
My Musashi is certainly controllable, but it is also plenty loud. In a small room, it'll take your head off if you lay into it!
 
I got a 13"x6.5" Reference snare two years ago and I'm absolutely in love with it! My Pearl 14"x6.5" Brass Free Floater is sitting on the shelf.
 
Homeularis said:
Absolutely on board here.



I have a Mapex Black Panther 13x6" Maple/Cherry snare in the mail and on the way.

I cant wait.

Anyone have any experiance with this particular snare, I would love to hear it. :)
Click to expand...

Yes I have played one. You're gonna love it!
Frank said:
Is that so? I'm always looking for quieter snares. Will a 13 be somewhat quieter?
I would think, at least artificially, it would sound louder with the higher pitch.
Click to expand...


The quietest 13" I've owned was the Pearl Omar Hakim snare. I sold it to a student some time ago. Nice drum.

Oh and thanks Bob. I don't own it yet. Will check the price tomorrow when I go to the shop before I teach. Will post the result.
 
I only have one. An old Pearl 13 x 3 brass piccolo. Great little drum that I bought off a guy who had it in his home recording studio. I liked it so much I made him an offer after we'd done the session. I've only ever used it sporadically though, so my playing experience with 13" drums is very limited. Whilst I definitely like it for certain applications, this one is not for everything.

I did play the 13 x 7 Black Magic at a store and thought that was a sweet little drum.......perhaps I should further investigate. I've been lusting after a 14 x 6.5 Brady jarrah block. But with 4 snares at 14 x 6.5 already on board, I'm thinking I might need to check out a 13 x 7 now as well.
 
My two snares: Tama Metalworks 13x6.5 and Pork Pie Little Squealer 13x7

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Those are all I've got. Only 14 I ever had was an Acrolite and I sold it a while ago.
 
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