Do Drummers Actually Use Their "Signature Snare"?

Rock Drummer

Senior Member
Look at Chad Smith for example. His signture Pearl snare is steel, has 10 lugs, has a 2mm shell, and while these are all good things, the snare is only $225. He plays on a Pearl Masterworks (completely custom) set. I was wondering do you guys think he actually plays his $225 snare with that set, or is it just a marketing gimmick? And other drummers as well are welcome in this discussion, as long as they have a signature snare
 
Not sure about Chad, but I do know Stewart Copeland uses his signature snare, as well as Benny Greb and Phil Rudd. But at the same time, like most drummers, they probably collect snares too and try to make sure they rotate through them all ;)
 
Some will, some won't, who cares, whose next...ROFL Hell, they probably all have used their sig snares to a degree thats how the got the gig in the first place, but I doubt its their main snare.
 
Interesting point about rotating their snare collection. Because I was thinking about getting that Chad Smith snare, but I wanted to know if he actually uses it or just has his name on it. Not that it would affect my purchase, just nice to know.
 
Steve Ferrone, and Stanton Moore, and Mark Schulman are three of the 12 or so clinics I have been to that used theirs. The others I guess used what was available. But what they use to sell product and to record with could very well be two different things.
 
I would think at the time of conception they would use it, then naturally move on. They can play anything they want, and they're not gonna let anyone dictate what snare they use. It's a perk of the business. You go signature snare guys!

At least you have THAT to look forward to, right? The thought of being good enough to get a signature snare deal. Not much else is guaranteed, but if you get good enough, that will always be there, right?....I wonder if those guys get a royalty on every sig snare, that's what I really want to know. They darn well had better. If Peter Grant was handling the deal, you're darn right they would, a sweet one too.

The music world needs more Peter Grants on their side.
 
I would think at the time of conception they would use it, then naturally move on. They can play anything they want, and they're not gonna let anyone dictate what snare they use. It's a perk of the business. You go signature snare guys!

At least you have THAT to look forward to, right? The thought of being good enough to get a signature snare deal. Not much else is guaranteed, but if you get good enough, that will always be there, right?....I wonder if those guys get a royalty on every sig snare, that's what I really want to know. They darn well had better. If Peter Grant was handling the deal, you're darn right they would, a sweet one too.

The music world needs more Peter Grants on their side.

Man, I tell you what, there is no way in China they would put my name on a Sig snare and NOT give me royalties from it! Thanks but no thanks is all I could say!
 
My signature snare is a 14X5 Maple Custom Absolute. I do not have a signature cowbell though.
 
It really depends.

Some guys have sig snares because they came up with a design that was a bit different, went to their endorsed company, and had it made.

For other sig snare, it's the other way around, and it's just marketing. Look how many so-called "signature" snare drums are based around classic Ludwig designs.
 
Colaiuta has used his Gretsch sigs a lot, but he has a lot of other drums as well. I think he still even uses his Yamaha sig for recording.

Ferrone probably uses his sigs most of the time, but then he has more models than most.

Gadd, J.R., Greb, Harrison and so on I believe use their signature drums most of the time.
 
Certainly doesn't look like it on the latest tour. His tech says it's a Sensitone Elite 14x6 (although I'd suggest he means 6.5.....definitely looks it). Regardless, it's not his sig. snare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1NMZkIZ1rc (at about 0:45 secs you can clearly see the Sensitone badge)

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing; Chad Smith normally uses a Sensitone brass snare. The steel shell signature snare was just to get something that looked like what he had at a cheaper price point.
 
A lot of them do. I see Akira Jimbo for example use his all the time. Let me put it this way. Being a Yamaha guy, I pay a lot of attention to the brand drum wise, so I watch videos and such as much as possible. I have noticed the Yamaha drummers tend to use their signature snares quite a bit. Every big name drummer is going to use a number of snares, but like Vic Firth signature sticks, they get a lot of input from the drummer in question. I realize some videos are going to have it for marketing, etc., but because they choose the combinations of materials, hardware, dimensions, hoops, and the like, they tend to use them quite a bit. If you had a signature snare all done up to your specs, wouldn't you likely use it more often than not ? I sure would !
 
I love the Copeland snare :)

I've heard some endorsement contracts that artists have require them to use their signature gear in public. Which is why, I imagine, they're getting the gear free or at a discount. Whatever the drum, it still has to sound good.

The Copeland snare is amazing. Has such a wide tuning range. I went from Coated Amb to an Evans ST and has such a nice crack to it!
 
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