I can't buy a high end snare drum

fess

Senior Member
I keep wanting to buy a nice really high-end snare and will spend hours researching, pricing, listening to YouTube videos. But when the time comes, I always get hung up on the fact that, for the same money, I can buy a whole additional good quality drum kit. So I think it's a crazy idea and do nothing. Hard to believe some snare drums cost more than some nice new kits, that include snares drums.
 
I have some truly amazing snares, but, to be honest, the best ones only sound moderately better than an Acrolite or a Supra. The difference isn’t worth the extra money.
 
I have some truly amazing snares, but, to be honest, the best ones only sound moderately better than an Acrolite or a Supra. The difference isn’t worth the extra money.

I think the law of diminishing returns really applies to drums. The only real reason to buy an $1000 snare drum is because you like the look and feel of the construction.
 
For me, it's finding one on sale like a black friday etc etc or scouring the 'net for a mint used one. You can also get demo priced snares that have been used just for an online video as opposed to it being used as a store banger. You'll probably put your own batter head on it anyway, so what's a few stick marks?

Just an example, I was able to buy a mint Sonor Prolite 14x6 snare for $475+$25 shipping. It was used but the photos were accurate and was a desired finish. I touched base with the seller to get some detailed info before buying. Beautiful drum that you won't fine new, in that size, for less than $880-900.

My point being, just because you're looking at something that costs $1K, it doesn't mean you can't find one for a lot less. I find the hunt to be almost as much fun as obtaining the particular item. I've already got some snares targeted for tomorrow, Black Friday, to see if they go sale !! WHOOT !!
 
I keep wanting to buy a nice really high-end snare and will spend hours researching, pricing, listening to YouTube videos. But when the time comes, I always get hung up on the fact that, for the same money, I can buy a whole additional good quality drum kit. So I think it's a crazy idea and do nothing.

Your heart or brain are telling you something. Its just not in the cards for you, so honestly I would never force this. That leads to buyers remorse. I see lots of vids and reports on here of some superb unbelievable snares. I'd like one sometimes, but then know I would feel the very same way as you.

Consider holding your $$ till the time comes....or maybe until you come across the real 'deal' (as described above) that makes this jump acceptable to you.
 
Most higher end stuff (including snares) has little to no appeal for me.

I prefer snagging good sounding/looking bargains.

But......
I do like to splurge a bit on something once in a while.
 
I've just bought my first, and likely last, high-end snare drum - a Guru - but that was a special circumstance. For thirty years now I've been very happy with, and gotten along just fine with, several snare drums that don't quite reach that price point, including Black Magics, Sensitone Elites, and Black Panthers - and all of those used. I never felt that any of them were stifling my ability or creativity.

I keep saying on this forum that we are living in a golden age of excellent snare drums at lower price points. Ludwig's new Standard Maples and Heirloom series are a great addition to their line, plus the excellent Supralite. Pearl's got their Modern Utility line and the Sensitones have always been awesome. Mapex has MPX and Black Panther, Tama has the SLP line, and Gretsch has tons of options - all below $500, and in many cases below $250.

And let's not forget that perennial used market gem, the 5x14" Acrolite, available wherever school music programs have ever been.

You don't have to fret about not having a top-shelf snare drum any more than you need to worry about drinking Jim Beam instead of Bulleit. It gets the job done and is fun to play? That's priceless.
 
I keep saying on this forum that we are living in a golden age of excellent snare drums at lower price points.

Yes yes yes. From the boutique guys like Guru and Oriollo as well as the bigger older makers. Who had ever even played a hollow log snare drum, a spun copper snare, etc. 20 years ago? And now we can get them used in excellent condition for half the price on eBay, etc. with just a little patience.
 
When; you put the snare drum behind your kit, you wrap your legs around it and the band starts playing, there is no high end snare drum.


.
 
To me high-end is over $500, but really high-end is over 800.

Hmm. New Ludwig Supraphonics (6.5") are running in the $500 range nowadays, moreso if you want a brass-phonic, or even more for the copper phonic ($799). Those I consider super working snares and they sound great in almost every circumstance. But you can get cheaper Supras under $500, and if you're lucky you could find Black Beauties in the high fives too.

But yeah, over 800 and you lose me too. Here's what I notice when I play around with high-end snares though: the ease of making it sound good. I had a Gretsch 8x14 Jasper shell that was $800 and I could tune it all kinds of ways. Contrast that to a cheap chrome-o-wood 5x14 Ludwig I found for $90 which only sounds good at a higher tuning. But there are lots of under $500 snares that can do what you need. More power to you!

However, I'm still thoroughly impressed with drum builder Cooper Acoutin's snares coming out of Huntington Beach. I discovered him at NAMM making these very cool $1300+ snares and again, there isn't anything those instruments can't sound like.
 
To me high-end is over $500, but really high-end is over 800.

There are some nice snares in the under-$500 range, and used it always a good way to get the most bang for the buck. But most boutique and major brand's nice drums are in the $500-1000 range these days, and prices can easily go higher. A Canopus Zelkova is regraded as pretty high-end, and it's a really nice drum, but at around $1500 is it twice as good a Black Beauty at $750? No, not IMO. Of course there are drums that cost even more.

Prices go up on most products. When I was starting out on drums, $800 would have bought a Ludwig kit, with cymbals, at list price, and I'd still have money left over. So it's all relative I guess. The concept of an $800 snare back then would have been laughable. Today, that's a fairly mid-range figure and shouldn't be that scary. $800 isn't $800 anymore.

Bermuda
 
Sounds like you neither want nor need a new snare.

I've got several snares, some a bit pricey, but my main one was $350 on eBay.

Many things influence the price of a drums:

Amount of labour.
Amount of hands on work and customisation.
Labour costs in the region.
Import taxes and postage.
Name and size of the company making the drum.
If it's a standard item in production or more limited.
 
Your heart or brain are telling you something. Its just not in the cards for you, so honestly I would never force this. That leads to buyers remorse. I see lots of vids and reports on here of some superb unbelievable snares. I'd like one sometimes, but then know I would feel the very same way as you.

Consider holding your $$ till the time comes....or maybe until you come across the real 'deal' (as described above) that makes this jump acceptable to you.

I agree with this entirely. Listen to that little voice inside of you that's holding you back!
 
Thing is, Im very fortunate, I have 2 nice kits and 3 nice snares already. I just love drums. I’m always reconfiguring them retuning them. And sometimes even playing them. So I always want more to play and fool around with. And Black Friday is here!
I’ll do my best to control my urges again. Thanks for the advice
 
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