Memphis Drum Shop- Is it me, or is this drum shop snare demo really unkind to the drum?

LittleLegs

Senior Member
First off, I'm not a troll or a hater, and Memphis Drum Shop should get an award for robbing me of hours of my life in a really wonderful way (I know I'm not alone in this!)

But this drum really stood out because usually their snares sound great.

https://memphisdrumshop.com/george-h-way-tradition-walnut-drum-set-241316-matte-white-tw3624-mww

So, he's playing a Dunnett Classic 14 x 6.5 Gergo Borlai Desig2nate Bronze Snare Drum - $875. I love a deep thuddy snare drum and have never cranked mine, but I don't remember hearing one played just above wrinkle. I appreciate detuned snares are in fashion right now, but what do people think? Am I just not getting something and need to open my mind? I'm old, it's possible.
 
You're right. It sounds like the snare is stuffed with towels. There's absolutely no ring or sustain. I certainly wouldn't consider that particular snare based on that video alone, although with proper tuning, I'm sure it would sound much better. The other drums, however, sound pretty good to my ears.
 
Am I just not getting something and need to open my mind? I'm old, it's possible.

I think a 1/4 crank would do that snare a world of good IMO.

I like that "pop" of a snare myself.

Also, you are hearing a mic. Being in the room is a different experience, but all y'all know this already. :)
 
Pretty standard low tuning. I think it sounds pretty good but obviously you need more tunings to determine the range of mother snare...but it is a kit demo.
 
Yeah, it's a kit demo, not a snare demo. Sure, the snare doesn't sound great, but if the video were demonstrating the snare itself there'd be multiple tunings. I don't know if this is the exact same snare but they have a demo of the same model up that's much more favorable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bFTWORo2w4

A lot of the guys demo'ing for MDS tune quite differently, I've noticed. It's nice because a lot of their kit demos sound not at all like I would demonstrate a kit, so the variety is appreciated... but it can be a bit of a crapshoot.
 
Yeah, it's a kit demo, not a snare demo. Sure, the snare doesn't sound great, but if the video were demonstrating the snare itself there'd be multiple tunings. I don't know if this is the exact same snare but they have a demo of the same model up that's much more favorable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bFTWORo2w4

I love hearing different people's opinions. It's a kit demo but I've certainly watched kit demos and thought 'those cymbals sound great I'll check them out' and bought stuff. As everything cross-sells I thought it was an interesting choice for snare sound.
 
I love hearing different people's opinions. It's a kit demo but I've certainly watched kit demos and thought 'those cymbals sound great I'll check them out' and bought stuff. As everything cross-sells I thought it was an interesting choice for snare sound.

Oh, for sure. And yeah, it's nice to hear stuff when the focus isn't on demonstrating it.
 
Honestly every drum in that video is tuned too low, in my opinion. They all sound like cardboard boxes, there is no depth or roundness to the drums.
 
Those drums sound exactly like the new Barton Drums that have recently surfaced that are made in China somewhere. They offer maple, beech, and likely the same walnut as these...These are way over priced and that snare drum ...BLOWS CHUNKS!...It should be ashamed of it self.
 
Those drums sound exactly like the new Barton Drums that have recently surfaced that are made in China somewhere. They offer maple, beech, and likely the same walnut as these...These are way over priced and that snare drum ...BLOWS CHUNKS!...It should be ashamed of it self.

Everything is just tuned too low.

I am certain mds would go for a do-over if asked nicely.

Carter Mclean's youtube channel offers better demonstration of those very nice kits.
 
It's quite difficult to get a snare - pretty much any snare - sounding that bad without intentionally shooting for utterly dead & toneless, so I can only assume it's a deliberate choice. Overall, I'm picking up very slack resonant heads on all drums - especially noticeable on the floor tom.

Personally, I think it does a perfectly decent kit a disservice in terms of demonstrating it's abilities.
 
It's quite difficult to get a snare - pretty much any snare - sounding that bad without intentionally shooting for utterly dead & toneless, so I can only assume it's a deliberate choice. Overall, I'm picking up very slack resonant heads on all drums - especially noticeable on the floor tom.

Personally, I think it does a perfectly decent kit a disservice in terms of demonstrating it's abilities.

I was actually thinking about this kit (but with 26" bass drum : ) for my next purchase so that's what brought me here. I'd certainly be interested hearing everything tuned a little higher too but demo kits often seem to be tuned jaw or bop. Maybe I'm too in the middle - lukewarm water.
 
Here's the offending snare on its own:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bFTWORo2w4

I'm not a fan when they are trying to make it sound nice.

Back to that kit, I always find it's a myth that big drums should be tuned lower, it really does nothing to bring the most out of the drum. That kit would sing if it was tuned higher. The sizes of the drums and wood type would give you more than enough bottom end. There's too much air with no place to go in the kit vid.

They have done well to make a George Way walnut kit sound that bad. I think I may have to listen to some Carter McLean to remind myself what they should sound like.
 
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Holy steaming Crap on a plate.

That kit sounds like what I would expect an old Export to sound like if someone pulled it out of a storage unit after 15 years......

I'm sure there are those that want that "finger tight reso head" sound combined with jaw top head but for the love of George they should at least offer the typical sampling of multiple tunings so prospective buyers can truly get a better picture of what that kit is capable of.

If I were a rep from GW I would ask them to politely remove and re-shoot and/or never record a GW kit again. They aren't doing themselves any favors in selling kits, unless they specifically are trying to push something else instead of this GW.

And that snare, what did that poor drum ever do to deserve that tuning? They had 4 'canned" choices, "high", "medium", "low" and "dysfunctional"......they went with "dysfunctional"....

Late Edit: I listened to a few of their other kit demos and it seems to be somewhat isolated to that one bloke who must think a drum key only can loosen heads as he gets that "Great Export Sound" out of almost any quality kit he plays.
 
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