Any info on the Gretsch Limited Edition Gold Series Maple Snare?

TK-421

TK-421

Senior Member
I found this used on the Guitar Center website for a great price—$229—and decided to jump on it. It will arrive next week. I'm having it shipped to the GC closest to my work, so when it arrives I can check it out in the store, and return it on the spot if something is wrong with it or if I just don't like it. But I'm hoping I'll love it. However, in anticipation of it arriving, I've been searching for more info online with only limited success. I did find a couple of videos, and it sounds good in those, but it's still not the same as playing/hearing it in person. Additionally, I've found zero reviews so I thought I'd ask here. Does anyone own or have played one of these? If so, what do you think?
 

Attachments

  • dd1gmlbzhi42hhyzvxzw.jpg
    dd1gmlbzhi42hhyzvxzw.jpg
    46.2 KB · Views: 22
That's exactly what I was thinking. I already know (and like) Renown snares, so this should be at least somewhat similar. One thing that kind of threw me, I found another image elsewhere where I could see inside the drum. It does not have Silver Sealer. As far as I knew, all of their Renown and higher-level drums have Silver Sealer if they're maple, though I've seen some Renown birch and Renown Purewoods without the Silver Sealer.

This snare is definitely maple, and seems to be at the same level as Renowns and New Classics. So I'm wondering why it doesn't have the Silver Sealer.

Edit: In the video, I know Shane says he doesn't think it favors lower tunings, but I thought the lower tuning sounded great. At least it does in the video, not sure how that will translate when playing it in person.
 
Last edited:
TK-421 said:
Edit: In the video, I know Shane says he doesn't think it favors lower tunings, but I thought the lower tuning sounded great. At least it does in the video, not sure how that will translate when playing it in person.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I thought! The low tuning sounded great just like the mid and high tunings.
 
I owned a New Classic snare in the same dimensions. Basically the same drum with a different throw off and silver sealer. Sounded great...punchy with good body underneath the attack.

This is a good deal...I saw the same listing and thought about picking this one up. But, I don’t need a snare so I passed.
 
incrementalg said:
I owned a New Classic snare in the same dimensions. Basically the same drum with a different throw off and silver sealer. Sounded great...punchy with good body underneath the attack.

This is a good deal...I saw the same listing and thought about picking this one up. But, I don’t need a snare so I passed.
Click to expand...

Never played a NC snare, but I'm sure it sounded great. I had been looking for a good deal on a nice maple snare, as my two main snares are a COB Brooklyn and a NOB Brooklyn. My kit is a piano black Renown, so this snare seemed like a slam dunk. It should arrive tomorrow, so I'm really looking forward to trying it out.
 
I'd like to hear a set of gretsch with the sealer removed and hear the difference.
I like the natural look of drum interiors..although most folks use coated heads.
I like the sound of the coated heads..covers up that ugly silver interior..lol
 
Yo could compare a Marquee and Renown side by side. Marquee is a Renown without silver sealer. Not a ton of Marqees being sold though, so that may say something.
 
AzHeat said:
Yo could compare a Marquee and Renown side by side. Marquee is a Renown without silver sealer. Not a ton of Marqees being sold though, so that may say something.
Click to expand...
Put either die cast hoops or 302 hoops on the Marquee (depending on which version of the Renown you're comparing it to) and then see. That would be an interesting test, though I suspect silver sealer probably works no better or worse than any other finished interior.

As for the snare, it came in the other night. It sounds really good. Highly sensitive response that opens up immediately, with a nice woody crack. It came with a coated Ambassador on top, which I haven't used in a while on snares (I've been using CS coated white dot heads), and I have to say, it was eye opening. Worlds more responsive than my 6x14 NOB Brooklyn snare. I'm thinking about going back to Ambassadors on all of my snares now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top