yammyfan
Senior Member
I gave in and picked up a classic today. Not classic in years, mind you, but in terms of design and reputation
I have several steel snares, a maple, and a birch snare. I've wanted an aluminum snare for a long time. I like the brightness of steel snares but I always seem to dampen them to cut overtones. It's my understanding that aluminum snares are drier sounding than steel snares so this seemed like a logical choice.
Now, some of you will cringe at this but I bought brand-new. New old stock, to be precise. That's what I mean by "gave in".
For some reason, used Acrolites rarely come up for sale in my neck of the woods. One finally did a couple of days ago but it was 40 years old and the seller wanted $400 for it. For that kind of money, I prefer new, honestly. The auction site lists plenty of them but cost is about the same once I factor exchange rates, duties and shipping into the equation.
Anyway, my local drum shop scored a few NOS Acrolites today and put them up for $349 Canadian which is about $260 USD. Not super cheap but not outrageous either. They say that something is worth what the buyer is willing to pay and $349 for a slam-dunk snare drum seems reasonable to me. I know that you guys who picked up $25 Acrolites are wincing right now but the drum gods have been VERY kind to me in other ways.
So, I've got my sure-thing snare at last. I paid a premium to obtain one that has never been knocked over, dented or abused but I think it was worth it. I like to support my local brick and mortar drum shop too, so that was a factor.
You've all seen dozens of photos of these things, but here's a photo of my baby for posterity ?
I have several steel snares, a maple, and a birch snare. I've wanted an aluminum snare for a long time. I like the brightness of steel snares but I always seem to dampen them to cut overtones. It's my understanding that aluminum snares are drier sounding than steel snares so this seemed like a logical choice.
Now, some of you will cringe at this but I bought brand-new. New old stock, to be precise. That's what I mean by "gave in".
For some reason, used Acrolites rarely come up for sale in my neck of the woods. One finally did a couple of days ago but it was 40 years old and the seller wanted $400 for it. For that kind of money, I prefer new, honestly. The auction site lists plenty of them but cost is about the same once I factor exchange rates, duties and shipping into the equation.
Anyway, my local drum shop scored a few NOS Acrolites today and put them up for $349 Canadian which is about $260 USD. Not super cheap but not outrageous either. They say that something is worth what the buyer is willing to pay and $349 for a slam-dunk snare drum seems reasonable to me. I know that you guys who picked up $25 Acrolites are wincing right now but the drum gods have been VERY kind to me in other ways.
So, I've got my sure-thing snare at last. I paid a premium to obtain one that has never been knocked over, dented or abused but I think it was worth it. I like to support my local brick and mortar drum shop too, so that was a factor.
You've all seen dozens of photos of these things, but here's a photo of my baby for posterity ?
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