Buying a versatile snare

Red Menace said:

Larry, I have a thick birch snare, 14x6, that was made by a good friend of mine. Due to the thicker shell it has a limited range in the lower registers. It is a great snare when I need a loud, cutting rock snare but I won't do a lower Blues tuning like some of my other drums will.

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Really. I have a thick maple snare, a full one inch thick, 10 plies. It does low so well I can't believe it. I'd love to take your drum and give it a try. I have a hard time believing that a round and true drum won't do something that a different but same sized drum will. So color me skeptical. I betcha I could get a great low tone out of your birch drum and if I can't I'd publicly admit being wrong, and offer formal apologies.

With a budget of $300-$400 how about buying used, and get one wood, one metal, an acro can be found on e-bay in the $100-150 range.....

I'd say try a used Black Beauty.

larryace said:

Prove me wrong.

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Not my intention and if I'm honest even if it was, I'm not sure it's achievable. But I've certainly proven it to myself. I've owned, played and been exposed to enough drums to be totally convinced that they ain't all created equally. That some can indeed deliver across a far wider musical spectrum than others and that if I absolutely had to choose one snare to cover everything, then some will make a far better choice for that task than others. I'm also convinced that the reason for this isn't solely attributed to the guy hitting them.

Pocket-full-of-gold said:

I've owned, played and been exposed to enough drums to be totally convinced that they ain't all created equally. That some can indeed deliver across a far wider musical spectrum than others and that if I absolutely had to choose one snare to cover everything, then some will make a far better choice for that task than others. I'm also convinced that the reason for this isn't solely attributed to the guy hitting them.

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I agree.

Pyromaniac777 said:

Especially a snare like an Acrolite or Supraphonic, both 5 x 14.

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+1 for this.

Given the nature of the question, it sounds like a fairly "new" player.

Suggestion: Find/Buy an Acro for less than $100 and spend the $$ you save on some pro cymbals (if you don't have them already).

Good luck,
radman

I have a bit of a foot in 2 camps.

1/ With keep it simple that not all drums are the same

and

2/ With Larry that 2 much emphasis is placed on those differences rather than the key thing...the kinds of sounds you can get create with your tecnique, skills, loves etc.

Otherwise all recordings with a certain drum would all sound the same.

I can never understand why people ask "what sort of drum should I buy ?> as we all have different tastes and styles. I have had at least 5 players of different styles play my kit and they all get a different sound, and none sound like me !!

I haunted drum shops and "kicked tyers" asked shop blokes to play something while I stand at a distance and listen to see if I can hear the "sound" I want. Talk to the shoppy about the sound I heard and compare feedback they get......and as long as its not a hand made 5,000 kit I will ask for a play ( once I have convinced hem I know how to hit a cymbal without cracking it)

Many times they are surprised as I play very lightly (almost ghost notes) to "hear" how subtle it can be, play grooves to see how the kit interacts etc.

They are surprised because I take the time to listen, not just bash the crap out of it, and play the drummers equivalent of smoke on the water.

So yes take your time, play and listen, read reviews if you must...but its your money...buy what suits your style and even more so will allow thatstyle to expand and grow !!

Good Luck

Amazing how many folks responding to the question about a versatile wood-shell snare are advising the OP to get a metal shell, electronic drum or even a Firchie -- not that there's anything wrong with those, but that wasn't the question.

Any well-built (and I'm talking specifically about the edges) snare that's made of a medium-density hardwood like maple or birch, and not too thin a shell, can be versatile. The further you get into harder or softer woods, the more versatility you'll give up. Going from soft music to loud music requires good responsiveness from the drum (again, edges and beds), not different shell material.

There are a lot of ways to achieve versatility from a single snare drum. Want an easy way to change the sound of a drum? Use different sticks. Change the snare wire tension. Hit a different part of the head. Loosen one tension rod a half turn. Or, not quite as convenient, change heads.

I agree that a used drum might be a good bet since you can generally get something that would have been twice the price new, putting you into a better range of design and construction, including edges. Don't buy used unless you know how to evaluate a drum's condition, though.

motleyh said:

Amazing how many folks responding to the question about a versatile wood-shell snare are advising the OP to get a metal shell, electronic drum or even a Firchie -- not that there's anything wrong with those, but that wasn't the question.

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I have to disagree. The OP was looking for a versatile snare, and "pretty sure" he wanted wood. When I think of wood snares, I hear some unique and exotic sounds. I also hear the $75 wood snare that comes bundled with every cheap and intermediate kit in existence. I honestly don't have the background to suggest a one-size-fits-all wood snare. I'm not sure if one exists.

I 'do' know that Supras can be configured a million different ways for a million different styles, all of which sound pleasant to the ear.