Can bearing edges get damaged through playing?

AJ3000

Silver Member
Ok so I have a Dunnett Koa over Carbon Fibre 14x6 snare, bought new last month. The time has come for a re-head, and upon taking the batter head off, it looks like it's been chewed by an angry hamster. Possibly the worst edge I've ever seen in my life. Its so bad there are actually lumps that are visible through the head (which I thought was just the head when I bought it).

My question is: could I have caused this? I have a good technique, although I do rimshot a lot (and the edge is bad all around, my snare ALWAYS goes with the throw off to the left on the stand), and my maintenance is always meticulous (cased if not on a stand being used in an ahead armour case, reheaded every 3-4 weeks). My tuning is pretty sound too, and other snares I have owned much longer are fine.

My local shop may cut funny with me, so I want to know what could cause it outside of manufacturing, if anything.

Thanks in advance!
 
There is a risk of damaging the bearing edge while changing drum heads, that's for sure, imagine that your drum shell fell on the floor while you're manipulating the drum.... ouch!!!

I'll guess that the bearing edge of a cheap entry level kit could be damaged if hit really hard and equiped with poor flimsy flanged hoops...

But generaly speaking, I do not think that the bearing edge can be damaged through normal playing.
 
Ok so took it back To the shop where it was purchased. They too one look and were disgusted. Is now being sent to Eddie Ryan in Hornchurch to get re-cut. Shop were very helpful and have even loaned me a solid shell pearl anniversary until mine is back.

I have got to say I'm pretty dissappointed that Ronn Dunnett would let something like that out. I paid nearly £700 ($1200?) for a snare, and I expected it to be perfect. I own about 6 snares (all significantly cheaper) and never had an issue. I'm sure it was an oversight on his part, and not the norm, (it's also carbon fibre, which reacts differently I guess) but still......

Cheers people!
 
Ok so I have a Dunnett Koa over Carbon Fibre 14x6 snare, bought new last month. The time has come for a re-head, and upon taking the batter head off, it looks like it's been chewed by an angry hamster. Possibly the worst edge I've ever seen in my life. Its so bad there are actually lumps that are visible through the head (which I thought was just the head when I bought it).

My question is: could I have caused this? I have a good technique, although I do rimshot a lot (and the edge is bad all around, my snare ALWAYS goes with the throw off to the left on the stand), and my maintenance is always meticulous (cased if not on a stand being used in an ahead armour case, reheaded every 3-4 weeks). My tuning is pretty sound too, and other snares I have owned much longer are fine.

My local shop may cut funny with me, so I want to know what could cause it outside of manufacturing, if anything.

Thanks in advance!


Would love to see a picture of this.
 
I bought a used Pearl export kit last year from a guy who was selling his sons kit. The heads were dented up pretty good, but overall it looked in really good condition.

I didn't look at the bearing edges initially, (lesson learned) so it wasn't until I changed the heads for the first time that I saw that on all the toms, the batter side bearing edges had huge stick tip dents in the wood all the way around. Probably 20-30 dents per tom. They were trashed.
This kids technique must've been atrocious.

I kept it for another few months and it just bugged me too much. Buh-bye!!
 
You can damage bearing edges with a drumstick while playing, tho its probably not going to look like hamster damage, more like a dent here, maybe one there if real bad.

Sounds like tap tuning with a heavy drum key.



I didn't look at the bearing edges initially, (lesson learned) so it wasn't until I changed the heads for the first time that I saw that on all the toms, the batter side bearing edges had huge stick tip dents in the wood all the way around. Probably 20-30 dents per tom. They were trashed.
This kids technique must've been atrocious.


S-HOOPS were designed to prevent this.



Dunnett is a forum member (and posts) here on DRUMMERWORLD, you could PM him.
 
I could see it happening if the edges were rounded or were cut with double 45s, and if the player was using poor technique and playing right near the edge to play quietly. Other than that, they'd have to be playing with "one-in-a-million shot" strokes to damage the edges that bad, especially on the player's side of the drum!

Sounds very suspect. *scratches chin* Hmm...
 
I'm not sure what caused it then. It seemed unlikely to me too, but all the way around the bearing edges were dents similar to a dented drum head. High toms were much worse than the floor tom.

At the time, I tried to get a few pics, but the macro on my camera is worthless.
 
I've used a drum key to tap whilst tuning often. Never had a problem. Given that you're meant to be taping (that's tapping.....lightly.....not "hitting") about an inch away from each lug........simply put, that does not have you tapping on a bearing edge.

Can't see how this causes anymore damage than if tuning with a stick......unless your drum key is actually a hammer and you're swinging it like one. :)

I think there's a greater issue here than either a light tap with a drum key, or as Caddy puts it "the one-in-a-million shot". That much damage to an edge sure is a few "one-in-a-million shots" that all somehow manage to miss the entire drum head AND the raised hoop, only to land fair square on the edge.
 
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I've used a drum key to tap whilst tuning often. Never had a problem. Given that you're meant to be taping (that's tapping.....lightly.....not "hitting") about an inch away from each lug........simply put, that does not have you tapping on a bearing edge.

Can't see how this causes anymore damage than if tuning with a stick......unless your drum key is actually a hammer and you're swinging it like one. :)

Exactly. I've been tapping with my key for 20+ years without a problem. Is anyone really tapping so close to the edge that they damage it? There's no tone there anyway.
 
I'd have to think if the inconsistencies were visible on the factory head, it almost has to be a manufacturing flaw. I don't have any experience with Dunnett or Carbon Fiber, although I've heard great things about both, but in 30+ years of playing and at least as many snares, I've never had anything like what you describe.
 
The owner of the shop said that, although he is no drum building expert, it looks like it has been cut, but not finished. Underside bearing edge looks to be fine, but getting that checked too just in case. It almost feels like tiny blade/paper marks around the entirety of the edge. It was new 6 weeks ago, and I have only done maybe 15 gigs on it. If it is that "one in a million" shot, I must've hit the drum about 65 billion times!!!

The worst thing is that I gigged the pearl solid shell last night and it blew my mind... Hope the Dunnett sounds that good when it's fixed!!!!!

PS. I would've taken pics, but the marks, especially over the black of carbon fibre, would not have come out in a picture.
 
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Perhaps you ought to talk the drum shop owner into trading the Pearl for the Dunnett and some change. It sounds like you have the proverbial "Bird in the hand". If Dunnett's workmanship is the bad on a 1200$ drum I'd be concerned about what else could be wrong.
 
Ok so after many weeks of waiting around we have some progress.

Replacement was got for me from NAMM, after RD saw the drum I sent him. I inspected the replacement today, and although the edge was better, it wasn't perfect. He also hadn't even bothered to sign the inside of the drum, so it had no date, no name (instead of a serial number), and nothing to show it was a real Dunnett. Unsuprisingly, I told my shop I didn't want it, and am now playing SJC instead. Props to Sound Attak in Colcheter, UK for sorting it.

My advice to anyone looking at Dunnett is to spend the money on firewood instead and cut out the middle man. Worst boutique snares I have ever had the misfortune of owning.
 
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