Gretsch Renown Snare

Aeolian

Platinum Member
I've been looking into Gretsch Renown Maple kits to upgrade my Pacific CX. The local GC has dropped the price on a couple of shell kits with the extra 8" tom but no snare. I already have some snares that I'm very happy with. A hammered brass PDP, an older maple Ludwig that I use for trad blues, and a 6x12 maple DW for that Steve Jordan funk bit. I really don't need another snare unless it's going to be really useful. Not sure how much I'll use the extra tom (tend to just use a 4pc) either but it would probably get more use than the 12 (which gets left in storage as I just put my 10 up on top).

Folks, Is the Renown snare a good piece on it's own? I can't find one locally to try out. If I bought a set with snare, it would be mail order.
 
I had a Gretsch Renown kit that came with a snare. It was the 4-piece one-up/one-down kit with a 7x14 snare. The snare was okay, but not my favorite, so I traded it back in to use a different snare with that kit. The snare that comes with their 5-piece fusion kit (or whatever they call it--the one with two smaller toms over the bass drum and a 14x14 floor tom) comes with a 5x14 eight-lug snare. I know some prefer only having eight lugs on some snares for the warmer tone, but in this case it seems like a bit of cost-cutting (kind of like the five lugs on the mounted toms). Anyway, in my opinion, the snares are usable if it comes with the kit, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get one.
 
I agree with the other post. I have one now & it is my main <wooden> snare. It really took me a lot of trial/error to dial it in, but once I did it sounds great. I get a lot of compliments on it. Problem is, I'm afraid to change the heads now for the dread of re-tuning it.

It's a good high end snare, but it was obviously not the main focus of Gretsch, more of an after thought/add on to the kit as a whole I think.
 
Hello All,
I have the Renown Maple kit with the 14 x 5 snare. Overall I love the kit, but I have never been able to get the snare to sound to my liking. In all tuning ranges it seems to have a "papery" kind of sound. I'm thinking (hoping) this is because of the heads. It still has the stock heads that came with the kit, an Evans Genera G1 coated on the batter and a no-name snare side.

Do any of you guys who have experience with this snare have any suggestions for head choices (Gruntersdad) ? I like a crisp, sensitive, articulate kind of snare, sort of like a concert orchestral snare sound.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Skinner
 
My Renown set came without a snare but all of my snares have been sounding very nice with an Evans HD Dry batter and a hazy 300. My steambent has a G2 coated batter with a hazy 300. I looked for a Renown snare in the Cherry burst and it seems, regardless of sound, anyone selling thinks they are very good considering the price being asked.
 
I have an Evans Power Center Reverse Dot over an Evans Hazy 300 for my 14" x 5" Gretsch Renown snare. This combo works well for me.

Dennis
 
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