Head choice for piccolo snare

Muckster

Platinum Member
I recently acquired a Tama 3.5" x 13" hammered steel piccolo snare and was curious as to what head combinations anyone reading would recommend. Thanks.
 
It depends on what you're looking for in terms of sound.
The combination below would be great, but could be a little ringy in a metal snare.
Instead of just using a coated ambassador on top, try a coated controlled sound.
it's pretty much the same thing but with a power dot in the middle.
It makes it more durable and takes some of the ring out while still allowing it to have that "crack" that a lot of people look for.

Whatever you do, don't get an Emperor X, it will last forever, but the head is so thick that it kills the sound of your snare.
 
I have used Remo Coated Ambassadors and Aquarian Satin Coated on m Pearl 3x13 steel snare and it works fine. I currently use an Aquarian Modern Vintage Coated on my 4x14 Tama Starclassic Maple snare and it sounds good--crisp, nice volume.

If you want to mute the ring or lower the dynamic options, you can try Remo Controlled Sound heads, reverse dot, etc. I've heard Aquarian Jack DeJohnette heads helped to control ring in snares.

Of course, you can always use the old trick of putting your wallet on your snare near the rim or use Moongel or the like. That will help give you a nice, tight, James Brown funk snare sound.
 
I have a Pearl Brass 3x13 that came with a Coated Ambassador over an Ambassador Snare Side and it sounds great. I have the top one tuned fairly tight and the bottom one tuned moderately tight, then muffled with a segment (about 1/4-1/5) that I cut out of a Rem-O tone control ring (the whole ring was far too much.) I get a nice crack with just a tiny bit of ring.
 
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