Need some help with my Ludwig Supraphonic snare !!

[Crydevil]

Hi guys, it's been long since i posted on this forum (not that i've actually made lots of posts :P, maybe 2 or 3 :D), but now i have a little problem with my new Ludwig snaredrum, and what better place to go and ask a question about drumming? :D

Here's the encounter of the snare before the problem began: the snare sounds absolutely FANTASTIC, OMG !!!
The first hit gave me thrills down my spine :D
It's like John Bonham on How The West Was Won :P

And then here's the problem:
I do too many rim-shots, so the lugs get loose very often, which brings it out of tuning.
And thats not really something u need during a show or something.

So my question is:
How do i solve this problem without too much modification or anything like that? :P
And changing the way i hit my snare would be a though job for me :P
But is it even normal that the lugs come loose after hitting some rim-shots.

Please dont blame me for doing this though :P we all know they sound SO POWERFUL :D

Well, anyway thx alot in advance,
Greetz, Steven Miller (Meuleman in Dutch)

[PreppieNerd]

Someone makes special tension rods that don't detune easily. I don't remember the company though.

[mikei]

I play lots of rim shots as well. My Supraphonic stays in tune pretty well.

What heads are you using?

It is an amazing sounding drum isn't it??

[Crydevil]

Yeah man, absolutely right, the sound is freaking AMAZING, it's the best snare on earth, and now it's Ludwig forever ! :)

But i use a Remo Emperor X on the batter side :).

Thx for the replies till now :D
Steven Miller

[Steady Freddy]

That's a common problem. You can use Lug Locks to keep the tension rods from backing out. They're small plastic squares that press down over the top of the rods and keep them from backing out.

I usually have an Evans torque drum key preset to the snare's batter head tension and use it to tension the rods up between songs.

Hope that helps.

[Mendozart]

I had the same problem with my Supraphonic 402 and my local drum shop (West Coast Drums) gave me some tension rods that have a urethane strip on the threads. They work great. I only use them where I hit rimshots. I don't know who makes them though.

[ermghoti]

http://www.tightscrew.com/

[Mendozart]

Originally Posted by ermghoti

http://www.tightscrew.com/

Those would be the ones.

[rockinrider]

Originally Posted by Steady Freddy

..... You can use Lug Locks to keep the tension rods from backing out....

Here's the link for Lug Locks:

http://www.luglock.com/luglock.htm

Since I'm so poor and cheap, I made my own. I cut them from plastic milk or soda bottles:



I press them over the top of the lug with the long flat side against the inside of the hoop.

These really work! lol

[Crydevil]

Thanks for all your help guys, i'll be sure to check it out at my nearest music shop :D

[BellsOfRhymney]

Every hit is a rimshot on my SuperSensitive ..nothing changes, maybe cause I don't hit hard.

[randomrod]

I have the exact same problem with my 402, also I have to tension it unevenly in order to get all lugs musically in tune with each other.
This makes the detuning-while-playing problem even worse.
I'm not a particularly heavy hitter either.
I'm going to invest in a complete set of *Tightscrews* in order to alleviate this problem.
They have been around since 2004!!

[mmulcahy1]

Also, try using some plastic washers between the tension rod head and the hoop.

[john gerrard]

If you have a plastic shopping bag ( like the ones from the grocery store) try this:

1. Take the lug screw out.
2. Just tear a little piece off of the plastic bag. About the size of nickel.
3. Wrap it around the threads on the end of the lug screw in the same direction that the threads go. You may want to go bigger or smaller, but this should work.
4. Put the screw in the lug and tension as normal.

P.S. You can also use plumbers tape ( the small white tape that plumbers use to put on threads). The shopping bags work just as well. John

[mmulcahy1]

Originally Posted by john gerrard

P.S. You can also use plumbers tape ( the small white tape that plumbers use to put on threads).

Plumbers tape!! That's a fantastic idea. I should try that on one of my tom lugs that seems to detune!

[tamadrm]

Guys...this thread is almost 6 years old and the OP hasn't signed on here in over 2 years.:)

Steve B

[randomrod]

Perhaps it's the Supraphonics?
We all seem to suffer this problem, but everyone puts up with it for the truly great sound!
Not so keen now on locknuts.
I've forked out for a set of 20 65mm Tightscrews.
Incidentally my Gretsch Renown Maple snares never seem to detune, and that's with midrange tuning and 10 lugs.
I can put up with a little tom detuning.
Bass drums never change - have you ever seen a T-handle move? I appreciate they're all square headed bolts nowadays.

[longgun]

Originally Posted by mmulcahy1

Also, try using some plastic washers between the tension rod head and the hoop.

I went and and bought some from the local hardware store..........they work great.

Here's a couple of pics

[randomrod]

Neat tube lugs!
I'm going to trial the 402 tonight at a gig, with the Tightscrews (only replaced all ten on the batter hoop)
I'll let you know how they hold up.

[longgun]

Originally Posted by tamadrm

Guys...this thread is almost 6 years old and the OP hasn't signed on here in over 2 years.:)

Steve B

Wow........didn't see that..............well hopefully he got the detuning issue resolved

Originally Posted by randomrod

Neat tube lugs!
I'm going to trial the 402 tonight at a gig, with the Tightscrews (only replaced all ten on the batter hoop)
I'll let you know how they hold up.

Thanks..................I've always loved the look of a supra with tube lugs

[randomrod]

And you've upgraded to "S" hoops too I see!
I just have a new stock 402 bought from Thomann a year ago. It was either the 402 or an Aluminium Starphonic. I'm still wondering should I have gone for the Tama rather than the Ludwig!
I'll post later after the gig, with my verdict on the Tightscrews!

[randomrod]

Yep, suffice to say the Tightscrews are all that and a hefty bag of chips.
I heartily recommend them for any problem snare.
My mid/lower-but-never-flabby-tuning held up through a whole first set.
Can't push this product enough!