Rogers Dynasonic Snare Frame... How Does It Work?

[JLoveDrums94]

So, I was lucky enough to buy a complete and fully functioning 14x5.5 Rogers Dynasonic for $175 off of Guitar Center Online. It just needed some WD40 and some new drumheads, but there’s was one thing… I have no clue how the Dynasonic Snare Frame works. Also, I think that if I wanted to use the frame, I’d have to buy one of those vintage Puresound snare wires especially fit for Dynasonics. Another thing, is that I noticed that the screws in the snare frame made holes in the last drumhead. Is that normal? If I were to put the wires along with the frame on the snare drum, would it poke holes through my drumhead too? I got pics of the fame and of the last drumhead, so you guys can see what I mean.

 

[tamadrm]

Your best bet is to PM John Ploughman.He's our resident Rogers guru,and he'll be more than willing to help you out.There's a technique to properly adjusting the frame.I believe,you'll also need to use original or puresound wires to make it work ,but John may know an alternative.

Dynasonics are great drums,COB or wood shell.....Congrats.

Steve B

 

[JohnPloughman]

Congrats on your purchase of one of the finest snare drum designs ever.

Ok. I am biased. Still, it really is one of the finest.

First off, wires.............

Yes. Original Rogers Dyna-Sonic, or Puresound Dyna-Sonic are your only options at this time. And, yes, no other wires will work, unless specifically made for the Dyna-Sonic.

The design is rather simple. The frame keeps the wires under a constant tension, the throw off brings tensioned wires to the head. The extremely shallow snare bed interacts with the frame to produce a very sensitive snare response all the way from center to edge.

Your problem with holes is something I have not encountered in the 35 years I have used a Dyna-Sonic. I currently own 12 of them, ranging from 1963 to 1984. It is quite possible the whole thing was improperly set up or used the wrong wire set.

If you compare Rogers Dyna-Sonic wires with a standard wire set you will see how they are constructed differently, and that difference makes all the difference.

Once you have the wires mounted to the frame, you can set the tension of the snares by tightening the tension adjustment screw. This will put direct tension on the snare wires by forcing the opposing ends away from each other. This is something you do with your fingers, and NEVER a screw driver. You simply do not need a lot of tension, two fingers are more than enough to get it right. The wires will sing when strummed, and it will be just enough to take out the bow of the wires on the fram. Get the frame properly centered and mounted to the throw off and butt, you are ready to set the snares. Loosen the throw off adjustment screw, engage the throw off and bring the snares up to the head as you tap on the drum. Again, this is not a cranking up tight thing. There should be no real force on the throw lever to engage the snares. And, you will find that the frame will still move easily against the head. If it is requiring force to engage the lever, things are way too tight. This is something you can practice easily doing, and it works for every Dyna-Sonic. Adjust tuning and tension to your preference and you will begin to enjoy a fantastic snare drum.

 

[AngusWilliams]

I'm curious, has anyone ever taken the snare frame off of a dynasonic and used normal snares? Looks totally possible, just curious if anyone here has ever done so and what the results were.

 

[williamsbclontz]

I'm curious, has anyone ever taken the snare frame off of a dynasonic and used normal snares? Looks totally possible, just curious if anyone here has ever done so and what the results were.

But then what would be the point of owning a vintage rogers dynasonic?

No in all seriousness I think rogers actually did make both a wood and metal version without the crazy snare mechanism. But Mr. Ploughman can probably answer that better than me. He’s helped me with some rogers questions before, that guy really knows his stuff

 

[Mongrel]

But then what would be the point of owning a vintage rogers dynasonic?

No in all seriousness I think rogers actually did make both a wood and metal version without the crazy snare mechanism. But Mr. Ploughman can probably answer that better than me. He’s helped me with some rogers questions before, that guy really knows his stuff

Well....

I came across a crazy good deal on "Big R" dyna that someone had done just what Angus said. They set it up without the snare frame and ran regular snare wires directly to the throw\butt. I did receve the frame and a set of original Rogers wires (unfortunately broken and unusable) with the drum. Not a bad deal for $150.

Basically you have a COB snare that was similar in character to my COB Powertone.

Someday I will get around to setting it up as a proper "Dyna".

 

[kevinmac]

Here you go for replacement parts and how to tune a dynasonic!
http://www.rogersdrumsusa.com/resources/

 

[JohnPloughman]

I have seen lots of people claim to make it work great without the frame. I toast a shot of Cuervo in your honor. Meanwhile... I will take my shot from the top shelf, a silver if you please. Enjoy the rot gut. Lots of people cant tune, cannot set up conventional wires, cannot do any of the things necessary to make a thing work properly. But they can all shortcut the process and pretend it works better done their own way.

The Dyna-Sonic is not difficult to set up or tune. The drum isn't for everyone. Proper instructions for set up and tuning have been available from a number of sources for decades. They all came new with an owners manual that fully, and simply explained the set up process well enough any one who could read would be able to figure it out. And yet, hundreds of drums lost the frame with the first head change, because the user was too lazy to learn the drum.

The wires should lay straight and fairly level on the frame. Tension would be just enough to make the wires pull straight, and sing. The tension screw is to be tightened with your fingers only, it doesn't need to be cranked down like the head bolts on a hemi. The wire frame must be centered on the bottom head. The tension screw points to the throw side of the drum. Thread the strings through the pinch plate on the BUTT side first. Push the strings through the pinch, around the fasteners and back up on the outside of the fastener..hold the strings tight while holding the frame centered and tighten the pinch. Set the throw off in the ON position and adjust the lift of the throw so that the U of the faceplate is cradling the square block below the tension knob. Flip the drum upside down, and thread the strings through the pinch and back around towards the bottom of the drum, pull securely, and tighten the pinch. Flip. Check for snare sound, release and engage the throw, check again. if not enough increase lift of the frame by tightening the throw adjuster. Test, and you should be good.

Welcome to Rogers.

 

[AngusWilliams]

I love the passion, JohnPloughman! Thanks for the info, particularly about properly getting the strings through the pinch plates! Very useful.

I think my initial issue with it was that I wasn't wanting to over-tighten the tension screw, and in not wanting to do that, had actually not tightened it quite enough. It's still morning, but just touching it with some brushes I can already notice a big difference in sensitivity.

What I experienced yesterday playing it was a difficulty getting the sensitivity and snare sound that I wanted AND not having the snares touching the snare-side head when the throw was off. It seems that when the tension screw wasn't tightened and the snares were a bit loose, it took the snares being pressed up against the head that much more to get the sound I wanted, and then the wires were too close, meaning that when the throw was off, the snare wires were still touching the head on the butt-plate side.

Definitely a little bit of a learning curve, but I think I'm gonna have a lot of fun with this drum.

FYI, it's not a vintage, but one of the re-issues that just recently came up. I took a trip down to the Chicago Drum Exchange this weekend and grabbed one they had just unboxed the day before!

 

[Ruok]

I'm curious, has anyone ever taken the snare frame off of a dynasonic and used normal snares? Looks totally possible, just curious if anyone here has ever done so and what the results were.

I bought one that came without the snare frame 25+ years ago. I still use it this way and get a very good sound out of it. Now that they're back, I may get the frame and set it up properly, but I'm in no hurry.

 

[Red Menace]

I bought one that came without the snare frame 25+ years ago. I still use it this way and get a very good sound out of it. Now that they're back, I may get the frame and set it up properly, but I'm in no hurry.

Go for it! You can find them on Sweetwater or direct through Big Bang, plus they come with wires. Really a much different beast with the wires installed.

 

[GetAgrippa]

I wonder why, since I assume the Roger's dynasonic snare patent has long expired, there isn't a bunch of knock offs? Great invention-on my bucket list of snares to own.

 

[WhoIsTony?]

I wonder why, since I assume the Roger's dynasonic snare patent has long expired, there isn't a bunch of knock offs? Great invention-on my bucket list of snares to own.

Rogers has in recent years reissued the Dynasonic with Bill Detamore leading the charge

they are quite nice drums

 

[Fred D]

I wonder why, since I assume the Roger's dynasonic snare patent has long expired, there isn't a bunch of knock offs? Great invention-on my bucket list of snares to own.

DW came out with a similar drum.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DW-Collect...=item5d85adb37b:g:hFMAAOSwDYdcBfc3:rk:12:pf:0

 

[JohnPloughman]

Three new ones. The black is a limited, the natural,,, a prototype.

 

[rstange1]

Don't know if this helps the original question or not, but here are some photos of the snare rail from one of the reissue Dyna-Sonics