rritter
Senior Member
As many of you may know about a month ago I picked up a new Pork Pie “Big Black Bob” Black Chrome over Brass 6.5x14 snare drum. I got this fantastic drum on sale from Music 123 for $191.99. The drum now sells for $239.99. My all time favorite snare is my Slingerland Chrome over Brass 6.5x14 1981 drum. That drum features an extended 15 in snare that crossed the entire snare head and is truly one of the very best ever made. Because of it age and sentimental value to me that drum stays home. I wanted a brass drum to play with my Sonor Force 3007 kit that would complement the awesome sounds of the Sonor kit I decided to give the “Bob” a try. Nothing wrong with the Sonor snare but there is just something about a brass drum that just sings.
Over the past month I have played out with this drum several times and I have experimented with several tuning styles with complete success with every experiment. From tight to a loose tuning this drum produces and it looks great doing it. The tuning I have decided to use is a medium tuning that produces a tight center strike full bodied snare sound and when played near the rim a wonderful sensitive over ring sound. Yes many of you don’t like a drum to ring but you are truly missing a dimension of a drum sound you should learn to enjoy and use in your music. Keep the “Moon Jell” off your snare, your kit too if you want your drums to sing with all the sound they are designed to produce.
It is amazing how even this drum is to my beloved Slingerland. I have read many a review of this drum compared favorably to the Ludwig Black Beauty and though I have not played a Black Beauty in some time I consider this a great complement to the Pork Pies ability.
Bottom line is if you are thinking about a brass drum you need to have the “Big Black Bob” on your list. And at a barging to boot.
Thanks for reading
J4F Drummer
www.j4fmusic.com