Reno a cheap snare

R

Razbo

Member
As a hobbyist "luthier" I would often get cheap guitars off ebay or Kijiji or wherever, and reno them with good high mass bridges, cut new corian nuts, install new tuners and pups, etc. I've made some Epi's and other geets really sing with some TLC.

I recently picked up a maple shell Mapex MPX snare with the same idea in mind. I can tell just feeling the rims they are crap, the throw is cheap looking and feeling, but it has only one job to do and may be ok... It still has original skins and strands and rings like a MOFO!

It has a maple shell, which I think is a good foundation. So, my question is, I am thinking to replace with some decent rims and heads. Does anyone have a recommendation for rims and for heads that will be low ring a cheap snare like this? I probably will try a Puresound split snare wire on it (also open to suggestions).

Anyone have any input?
 
I would put die-cast hoops on it with Remo X14 on top and Remo Hazy Ambassador on the bottom.
 
dazzlez said:
damn, was just about to buy that snare! Don't know if it's a good idea now =/
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Well, don't go by me! I have been out of touch with drums for so long, don;t know what is good or bad anymore. I have not bothered to tune it, the heads are so old, but reviews I checked were 'good for the money', so it probably not a bad investment if you were looking at one. It's got real good attack. I should have rephrased that to "inexpensive".

Dirtysticks said:
I would put die-cast hoops on it with Remo X14 on top and Remo Hazy Ambassador on the bottom.
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The only hoops listed at my local L&M are a brand called "Ahead". I guess I will need to do some research.
 
ringing is good. too ringy likely also has to do with a poor tuning. die cast hoops, and if you really wanna help matters, customize with a dampener.
It sounds like a decent snare nice maple shell) but I doubt you'd get all your money back by improving it.
 
Razbo said:
The only hoops listed at my local L&M are a brand called "Ahead". I guess I will need to do some research.
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I believe those are S-hoops and those are great uprgades as well. I think they are 2.3mm and they have a curved in top edge for enhanced click and sticking. I love those hoops as well
 
Dirtysticks said:
I believe those are S-hoops and those are great uprgades as well. I think they are 2.3mm and they have a curved in top edge for enhanced click and sticking. I love those hoops as well
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They are indeed, as I later discovered. I might give them a try. Now hoping my store has 10 hole versions. I watched a good vid on youtube where the guy played S hoops, diecast and 3 others all on the same drum for a nice comparison. I actually liked the side-stick of other hoops better, but otherwise liked the S-hoop best.

Thanks for all the input. The snare only cost me $60, so I figure I'll end back at original price, but with a better drum. I have a Pearl Sensitone, which is probably a better snare, but I like upgrading stuff to see what I get. It's just another GAS related effect :)
 
I picked this up for cheap new some time ago and came to the same conclusion on the rims and throw. So I put some die cast hoops and Aquarian power thin texture coated reverse dot and an Evans Hazy 300 and Puresound blasters, thing sounds great with no dampening if any half a moongel. Eventually I replaced the throw with a DW mag throw and put on a die cast butt plate. I love the maple shell. Good thing I just do this for a hobby. lol.



 
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