Position of snare throw throwoff/tension knob when replacing snare wires

AxisDrummer

Senior Member
After a long time off from playing drums, I'm trying to educate myself on the "correct" way to do things (or better/more efficient) such as setup, tuning, etc....

Using our beloved Google just provides a few different opinions on this subject. Some suggest to have the throwoff in the "snare off" position when replacing snares, some have it in the "on" position. Some have the tension completely loose, others have it at 75%.....etc, etc....lots of variables.

Any opinions/suggestions?
 
I leave the throw off in the ON position with the tension knob almost completely loose. That way once I have the wires snug and locked back in I have plenty of room left in the tension knob to bring the wires up to to where I want them.
 
What I do is, put a drum stick in the center of the snare across the rim in a perpendicular direction, keeping the snare from touching the head. I loosen the snare throw-off, and or the butt tightener (if there is one) as much as possible and then I pull the wires/ plastic strap and tighten the wires/ plastic strap as much as possible with the screws on the butt and the throw-off.

I find this allows the snare drum to be thrown off and played without the snare touching the snare head. This is the ultimate goal, to be able to use the snare on and off and be able to adjust the snare through a range of tightness.
 
On position knob loose
 
I did catch the Gatzen video to educate myself, and he de-tensions the knob completely and puts the throw-off in the OFF position initially. After fastening the straps to the butt plate, he runs them through the strainer end (without tightening the plate) but then returns the throw-off to the ON position, while the tension knob is still completely loose. Then he tightens the strainer plate. And then from there, tightens the tension knob to taste.
 
Re: Position of snare throw throw off/tension knob when replacing snare wires

I did catch the Gatzen video to educate myself, and he de-tensions the knob completely and puts the throw-off in the OFF position initially. After fastening the straps to the butt plate, he runs them through the strainer end (without tightening the plate) but then returns the throw-off to the ON position, while the tension knob is still completely loose. Then he tightens the strainer plate. And then from there, tightens the tension knob to taste.

This sometimes won't work. At times there will be too much tension on the snares to engage them. The amount of tension on the throw off is not critical as long as you have the adjustability you need and the snares are centered on the snare head when the snares are engaged. I just loosen the throw off adjustment screw a few turns before taking off the snares. When replacing them I start at the butt end so that the wires are just away from the bearing edge. I then connect the wires to the throw off when the throw off is in the off or loose position. I engage the throw off and check for the centering of the wires and equal tension on either side of the wires so it is not pulling harder on one edge than the other. I'm talking about wire one being the same tension as wire twenty. Once in a great while I'll have to tighten or loosen the butt end to get the snares centered on the bottom head.

Dennis
 
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