New Ludwig Snare drum.....How Round?

steve.b.

Member
Hi All,
So I decided to order me a new Ludwig 402 COB snare drum. When I unpacked it i was a bit concerned at how the drum had been put together from the factory, the hoops were touching the shell on one side and you could see a gap between the hoop and the ring of the drum head on the other, so i thought I had better put a tape on the shell, now to the point of this post, the shell measures 1/4" smaller across the 4 snare bed lugs than the rest of the shell, is this as should be???
Steve
 
From your description, I am not sure what you are referring to. If you measure most standard shells across, from lug to opposite lug, it will be about 13 7/8" on a 14 inch drum. That is standard shell size on most companies instruments.
 
I think 1/8" difference between lugs is out of round but on here many will say it's fine.

Round to me means no difference measuring between lugs, most of my drums are out of round by a little(1/8" to 3/16ths), Mapex Saturn, Tama StarClassic BB, Gretsch New Classics, Pearl MXC Masters.
 
I got a brass snare that was out of round on just the snare side by about that and just gently bent it back and its fine. I didn't pay much for it, and it was a welded snare, Kind of odd a spun seamless drum would be that way.

Actually mine was more about 1/4" now that I think about it, PDP ace snare.
 
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1/8" out of round is generally regarded as acceptable for most low to intermediate quality drums. Anything up to 1/8" has a negligible affect on performance. Drums move, especially wood ones, & should be stored with evenly tensioned heads on at all times. Also worthy of note, it's quite common for a shell to be pulled out of round by incorrect seating/tuning.
 
This is why you need to put the hoops, triple flange anyway, back in the same place when you replace heads. The shell and the hoops ease each other into shape over time.
 
Drifting slightly from the OT but I've seen some people who store shells without heads.
I wondered about this: is it recommended to keep drums with the heads mounted (at medium tension or so)?
 
Drifting slightly from the OT but I've seen some people who store shells without heads.
I wondered about this: is it recommended to keep drums with the heads mounted (at medium tension or so)?
Yes, absolutely recommended, unless you have an environment controlled storage facility. Not so important with metal drums, advisable with modern multiple ply drums when possible, absolutely with classic constructions such as 3 ply shells, & also any modern solid shell construction.
 
I've heard the 1/8" rule of thumb that Andy mentioned and perhaps that's about right. If it's any consolation to you, I bought my 402 used and didn't notice the flat spot on the reso side until I put new heads on it - I'd guess it got dropped pretty hard at some point, so it's really out of round on that side by probably 1/4" - but it's still the "best" sounding snare I've ever owned or played on (at least to my ears). I much prefer it to my very in-round Black Beauty (hey, maybe I should throw it at the floor a few times ... ;-)
 
Yes, absolutely recommended, unless you have an environment controlled storage facility. Not so important with metal drums, advisable with modern multiple ply drums when possible, absolutely with classic constructions such as 3 ply shells, & also any modern solid shell construction.

OK, thanks Andy.
So to be safe, just leave the heads on.
 
I have to wonder how important it is on a snare reso where the snare beds destroy any notion of a uniform surface anyway....
 
Hi All,
Thanks for the feedback. The batter head side is ok, its only the reso side and just the 4 that are each side of the snare bed, it maybe something to do with shaping the snare beds?

Thanks
 
I have to wonder how important it is on a snare reso where the snare beds destroy any notion of a uniform surface anyway....
Roundness is different to evenness in it's affect on the head. In short, roundness is important on the reso side, whereas evenness perhaps a little less so. On toms however, evenness takes on a much more important roll, as it affects head sustain - head sustain being a lesser consideration on the reso side of a snare.

Hi All,
Thanks for the feedback. The batter head side is ok, its only the reso side and just the 4 that are each side of the snare bed, it maybe something to do with shaping the snare beds?

Thanks
If that's where you've identified an issue, it might just be how you're measuring the shell.
 
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