Is this normal for a snare?

pinoydrummer

Senior Member
Just noticed that the bottom hoop is almost touching the snare bed when I really
tighten the tension.

Is this okay or is the snare getting choked?
 

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You could put a semi-trailer through there mate.....sideways!! :)

Plenty of clearance. All looks perfectly normal to me.

Head tension will have far more to do with the head choking out than the distance between the hoop and the bearing edge.
 
I think "choked" would mean your snare wire is so tight that the drum isn't allowed to breathe. You just have your bottom head really tensioned. Maybe you should try a new bottom head? Personally, I think there's a law of diminishing returns when you delve into high tunings - once you get passed a certain point of tension, the drum actually behaves differently and could begin to sound worse.
 
looks to me like the hoop has gotten a little skewed. it has happened to me several times. Does it lie flat on a table surface?
 
The bottom head is very thin and stretches out over time or with over tensioning. Could be time for a new head.
 
I like my reso head tight like that, too, but they do stretch over time and need to be replaced. If it sounds OK and the snares disengage freely without hanging up on the hoop, don't worry about it.

If you do need to change the head and you'd like more clearance, Remo makes a snare side head with no collar, intended for marching snares. I've had one drum where the positioning and orientation of the throw-off necessitated using that head, and it's never a bad choice.
 
Because the film is so thin snare sides seem to stretch a lot faster than batter heads. I'd say it's time to get a new one, and perhaps get a snare side with no collar so you'll have more clearance for longer. I only use Remo Clear Ambassadors with no collar now because I have two snares that need as much clearance as possible.
 
As others have commented, if the wires do not hang up, it is OK. I notice that there is a wrinkle in the strap on the wires going out to the butt plate/throw off. This could indicate that there is not even tension on the wire set, that the outer edge on the wrinkle side may have less tension than the other side. Unequal tension across the wire set can lead to broken wires. I would change the strap material, adjust the wrinkle out, or switch to non stretch strings. Since I cannot hear of feel the wires, you will have to judge this.
 
looks to me like the hoop has gotten a little skewed. it has happened to me several times. Does it lie flat on a table surface?

When I put the snare on a flat surface and hit it, the sound does get kinda muffled.

The bottom head is very thin and stretches out over time or with over tensioning. Could be time for a new head.

I actually just bought this head (Evans 300) a few days ago. hehehe.

I like my reso head tight like that, too, but they do stretch over time and need to be replaced. If it sounds OK and the snares disengage freely without hanging up on the hoop, don't worry about it.

If you do need to change the head and you'd like more clearance, Remo makes a snare side head with no collar, intended for marching snares. I've had one drum where the positioning and orientation of the throw-off necessitated using that head, and it's never a bad choice.

The snares does get off easily. I'll check out the Remo no collar head and hopefully
it's available here in the Philippines.

I notice that there is a wrinkle in the strap on the wires going out to the butt plate/throw off. This could indicate that there is not even tension on the wire set, that the outer edge on the wrinkle side may have less tension than the other side. Unequal tension across the wire set can lead to broken wires. I would change the strap material, adjust the wrinkle out, or switch to non stretch strings. Since I cannot hear of feel the wires, you will have to judge this.

Thanks for this. I saw a wrinkle on the strap and made some adjustments.

Thanks to all of the replies. I guess I have to stop cranking the reso head every time
I feel like it. hahaha.
 
Well, that will happen with any drum :) I think what he meant was that you should simply check whether the hoop laid flat against the surface or if it was uneven around the drum, which would obviously mean that the hoop is being bent.

Ahh okay. Thanks for that. Just did that and it everything looks fine.
 
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