Gretsch Piccolo Snares

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Pootle

Active Member
From what I see Gretsch don’t seem to manufacture piccolos. Any reason why? Can anybody recommend a nice piccolo?
 
The Noble and Cooley Maple SS Piccolo is the finest example of a piccolo snare I have ever played . Phil Collins used one for years , even when he was a Gretsch Endorser .
 
If you don't need a pro level drum I can HIGHLY suggest the pearl steel piccolo ($150-$200 depending on retailer) or the mapex steel piccolo ($60-$80 depending on retailer). They both sound and feel great, they play far above their price range, and are so cheap you can get two haha. The pearl comes with real USA Remo (not the Chinese ut/ux heads) and an upgraded wire set right out of the box.
 
RickP said:
The Noble and Cooley Maple SS Piccolo is the finest example of a piccolo snare I have ever played . Phil Collins used one for years , even when he was a Gretsch Endorser .
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Honestly the N&C piccolo's have to be one of my all time favorite snare sounds ever. 3.5x14 maple like the one on "One Headlight" is just a beautiful, beautiful sound.

I've always wondered why Gretsch never makes a 3.5 depth - I would have ordered that instantly with my Brooklyns.
 
I currently have a 4.5" deep USA Custom snare on order, I was told that they no longer make the 4" deep version.

My order was confirmed the first of May, eleven weeks ago. I'm hoping that it and the 5 1/2" deep snare that I ordered at the same time arrive around Thanksgiving.


As Tom Petty once said, the waiting is the hardest part.
 
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NouveauCliche said:
Honestly the N&C piccolo's have to be one of my all time favorite snare sounds ever. 3.5x14 maple like the one on "One Headlight" is just a beautiful, beautiful sound.

I've always wondered why Gretsch never makes a 3.5 depth - I would have ordered that instantly with my Brooklyns.
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One was also used for the Tom Petty song “ Last Dance with Mary Jane “ this shows the versatility of these wonderful drums
 
I had a Ludwig classic maple piccolo years ago and it sounded great. Not much depth to it, but it had great body to it when tuned medium high and high. It’s one of those drums I wish I’d have kept.
Hard to argue against the Noble and Cooley. It’s one of those classic drums that’s been used on some great recordings...for a reason.
 
Will a 4x14 pass as a pic?

 
Pootle said:
From what I see Gretsch don’t seem to manufacture piccolos. Any reason why? Can anybody recommend a nice piccolo?
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You can pick up Peal Free floaters fir under $200 used and they are (imho)one of the great snares of the past 40 years.
 
You’re right and I owned a Pearl brass FF piccolo back in the early 90s, very nice. I have a preference for wood snares these days and have my eye on a Pearl 13x3 maple.
 
justadrummer said:
I currently have a 4.5" deep USA Custom snare on order, I was told that they no longer make the 4" deep version.
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Had a similar thing with a customer of mine, he was ordering a full USA Custom set up and wanted a 14x4" as his second snare but Gretsch said they don't make them anymore - shortest is 4.5" besides the Vinnie signature as someone else mentioned above. I did find it odd even with a fully spec'd custom they couldn't do it.

But @Pootle Pearl ones are great, especially that 13x3 maple - or as someone said on a strict budget the Mapex MPX Steel 13x3.5 are always really popular here.
 
bananers said:
Had a similar thing with a customer of mine, he was ordering a full USA Custom set up and wanted a 14x4" as his second snare but Gretsch said they don't make them anymore - shortest is 4.5" besides the Vinnie signature as someone else mentioned above. I did find it odd even with a fully spec'd custom they couldn't do it.

But @Pootle Pearl ones are great, especially that 13x3 maple - or as someone said on a strict budget the Mapex MPX Steel 13x3.5 are always really popular here.
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I've bought a "few" USA Customs, they are building 4.5" and 5.5" deep snares for me now. But, they would not build a 4" x 14"...

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I did manage to chase down a vintage 4" x 14" round badge.

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