All copper shell snare

Cmdr. Ross

Platinum Member
I did a search & didn't find this.

I'm in the market for one. I've seen the Yamaha, Ludwig & DW versions & am curious as to how they sound compared to other metals.
 
Have a listen.

As owner of two DW Collector's Series snare drums, one a Brass, the other a Bell Bronze - both 6.5x14, the Copper sounds warmer and more mellow.

The sound attributes as described by Columbus Percussion is bang-on. Copper offers many of the tonal characteristics more associated with wood drums.

If I can find a DW/CS, 6.5x14 Polished Copper w/Gold HW, I'm going to snatch it up.
 
Brass—bright, with rich, musical overtones
Steel-bright, with harsh overtones
Bronze—a little warmer/darker than brass, otherwise similar to brass
Copper—darker still than bronze, but still very resonant
Aluminum—a little brighter than copper, noticeably dryer and less resonant than all the other metals

In my experience, anyway.
 
Take a look at this beaut! Copper Hardware to match!
 
Copper can vary quite a bit in hardness depending on how it’s worked and what exact alloy is used. You may happen to have some that’s on the dry-sounding side.
Copper is copper - it isn't an alloy. Anything else is bronze or brass.

I know that's being technical, and there are differences in hardness due to annealing and that kind of thing. In my experience, the closest thing to copper that I've had was a Pearl Sensitone Elite bronze snare. It was a good snare, but it was always a bit darker than I wanted it to be, even though it was the 5.5x14 model and not the 6.5 depth. At the time I bought it, I was on the fence between brass and bronze. I picked the bronze, and always wished I'd have gotten the brass.
 
Don't overlook the copper shell PDP. A bit hard to find but well worth the search and generally low priced. I've had 2. One I got at a pawn shop for $140....the other from Craig's List for $125. They're double beaded and great sounding. There's one on ebay, but the guy's asking way too much, however keep looking. PDP copper shells rule! JW
 
Don't overlook the copper shell PDP. A bit hard to find but well worth the search and generally low priced. I've had 2. One I got at a pawn shop for $140....the other from Craig's List for $125. They're double beaded and great sounding. There's one on ebay, but the guy's asking way too much, however keep looking. PDP copper shells rule! JW

That’s an incredible price for a good copper shell drum.
 
Copper is copper - it isn't an alloy. Anything else is bronze or brass.

I know that's being technical, and there are differences in hardness due to annealing and that kind of thing.

The alloy definitely varies, I’ve seen copper drums vary in color from pink to deep orange. I’ve also seen exact numbers on the percentage of other elements like phosphorus.

http://m.farmerscopper.com/copper.html

Look at the bottom of the page for the most common copper alloys.
 
The alloy definitely varies, I’ve seen copper drums vary in color from pink to deep orange. I’ve also seen exact numbers on the percentage of other elements like phosphorus.

http://m.farmerscopper.com/copper.html

Look at the bottom of the page for the most common copper alloys.
The term "alloy" is a bit of a misnomer. What they are talking about is the metallurgical processes and methods for producing copper products. It's still nearly 100% pure copper.
 
There are many factors that influence the final sound. From construction (seamless, brazed, ...), to the grade used, thickness, technology, annealing, ...
Even in seamless shells there's difference. Deep drawn shells vs spun shells. Both are seamless construction, but they don't change the grain structure in the same way.
 
There are many factors that influence the final sound. From construction (seamless, brazed, ...), to the grade used, thickness, technology, annealing, ...
Even in seamless shells there's difference. Deep drawn shells vs spun shells. Both are seamless construction, but they don't change the grain structure in the same way.

What kind of coppper do you prefer for shells? Beryllium, pure, or something else? And tell us more about the difference between deep drawn and spun, please.
 
@Push pull stroke
We have Oriphonic shells (recognized by the beaded bottom edge), which are 100% spun, and our classic snare shells, which are made by using deep drawing and metal spinning combined.
I prefer Oriphonic shells sonically and will put more accent on them soon when we move to the new workshop. Will also make more production videos there.


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