DW's $4000 True Cast Bell Bronze snare!

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

Singel head with low, medium and high tunings. Is that so hard?

It might well have more to offer than shown here. I'll probably stick with my Gretsch stuff all the same, though.

In any case. There's no way I'll ever spend 4k on a snare drum. I will someday buy an AK BB for probably around 2k, that's the limit and probably the only time I'll spend that much on a snare.

 

[Soulfinger]

Oh dear.
I don´t even like the looks of that drum, let alone the sound. Major fail IMHO.
I recently bought a Tama Power Metal Bronze snare that has tone for days. Beautiful drum that set me back 200 bucks.
That´s... wait a minute... 5% of the price of the DW. Come on!!!

 

[newoldie]

They have both heads cranked. That's why the mids and lows are missing. Hopefully Drumcenternh will do a video that will be more representative of what this drum capable of.

$4,000 Timbale

 

[IBitePrettyHard]

I agree that the Gretsch Bell Brass snare sounds great.

I'm guessing that Dave Elitch had a concept for a concave shell design (5mm outer edges curved into a 3mm center), and he worked with John Good to make it happen. On paper, a concave shell sounds like a great idea to try. I don't know of any other drums that have a curved design like that. I'm sure some exist, but they aren't common. Maybe there's a new snare sound that hasn't been discovered yet. Lets see what it sounds like!

...and now we know what it sounds like.

But instead of maybe slimming down the shell to get some more lows and resonance, they stuck with the thick design anyway. Not something I would've been happy with, but who am I.

 

[ineedaclutch]

I wouldn't be surprised if they are politely asked to redo that video.

 

[IBitePrettyHard]

I wouldn't be surprised if they are politely asked to redo that video.

Nah, I honestly think that snare isn't capable of having a much better tone. Of course I could be wrong.

 

[makinao]

No overhead or room mic? If so, no wonder it sounds small.

 

[Lee-Bro]

I like how Nick played his version of the Superstition intro w/ the Evans head.

 

[aparker2005]

My 6mm Drumcraft bell brass sounds a million times better than this thing. Hopefully it's just this one video. But this snare is nowhere near 4k imo

 

[Jeremy Bender]

For every drummer that makes a purchase with his ears there's probably two that choose using only their eyes.

 

[Andy]

Interesting how the presenter flips from "bell brass" (doesn't actually exist in the real world) & 'bell bronze" - which is it? Also, the grossly over positive review is so typical of many shop based review videos - they're trying to sell the product, and that seriously skews the content. The opening statements "it sounds great" & "will cover anything from top to bottom" are clearly disconnected from reality, & I think most drummers can see / hear straight through that.

 

[Steady Freddy]

When they played the super 2 head the drum started to open up a little. I am 100% sure this is a tuning issue. I spend hours a week messing with snare drums. I know what a choked drum sounds like. That said, is this drum worth 4 grand? LOL Not to me and I am a DW player.

I also like how he suggested dampening the drum. Like his screwed up tuning scheme wasn't enough to totally kill it. Nicks a great drummer but he's also a salesman.

 

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

Strangely, though I have some preferrences, I've liked prety much any Gretsch snare I've heard or tried.

Conversely, there aren't many DW drums I've liked at all.

I'm just waiting for John Good to make a drum out of marble, granite, cowdung, led or cactus.

Personally, I'm waiting for one made of a bunch of old iPhones glued together.

 

[Steady Freddy]

Strangely, though I have some preferences, I've liked pretty much any Gretsch snare I've heard or tried.

Conversely, there aren't many DW drums I've liked

Gretsch and DW use the same shells on their metal drums. Some guys just have this thing against DW.

 

[SYMBOLIC DEATH]

Nice! What size is that? Does it have the brass/gold and black badge, or is that just the lighting?

 

[Jeff Almeyda]

$4000.00 for a DW snare drum that sucks is like paying $400.00 for an Armani black t-shirt.

Same kind of customer. Not buying for real quality but perceived prestige.

 

[TJK]

$4000.00 for a DW snare drum that sucks is like paying $400.00 for an Armani black t-shirt.

Same kind of customer. Not buying for real quality but perceived prestige.

Well deducted from the original poster they only paid 400 for it. And only an idiot would pay 400 for a t shirt, I’ll take the Hanes $5 Walmart special

 

[TJK]

Speaking of DW cast bronze snares, this came in today.

90's seamless cast, 11kg (24,25lb) beasty, I call ''Golden Boy''.

It turned out to be 5mm instead of 3mm and it had cost me 10x less than the new one.

Now I'm so hooked on its sounds and possibilities, that I would love to get a 12x5 side snare model.

It is so versatile in both extreme low and extreme high tensions, yet keeps its sensitivity played both really soft as really loud.

It replaced all my other snares in a short first bonding session, only to be confirmed when I came back from a meeting downtown.

Wow you got a steal. I would take that deal alllll day long

 

[IBitePrettyHard]

Speaking of DW cast bronze snares, this came in today.

90's seamless cast, 11kg (24,25lb) beasty, I call ''Golden Boy''.

It turned out to be 5mm instead of 3mm and it had cost me 10x less than the new one.

Now I'm so hooked on its sounds and possibilities, that I would love to get a 12x5 side snare model.

It is so versatile in both extreme low and extreme high tensions, yet keeps its sensitivity played both really soft as really loud.

It replaced all my other snares in a short first bonding session, only to be confirmed when I came back from a meeting downtown.

13x7" is such a great size! They have the quickness and crack of a 14x5 combined with the deep throaty sound of a ballad drum. Best of both worlds.

I have a 13x7" DW Edge that sounds amazing, kinda halfway to sounding like a bell brass like yours. It has thick 5 mm brass rings on top and bottom.

Can't wait to hear it! *wink wink*

 

[AudioWonderland]

My opinion: It's a gorgeous drum! A work of art! .....but it sounds terrible. In fact, I think it's the worst sounding bell brass snare I've ever heard. I'm not even kidding.

The tone is all upper midrange, no bottom end to speak of, and has no real "crack" either, despite having an aggressive sound and lots of volume.

How is that even possible? DW managed to fit all the worst frequencies --and none of the good frequencies-- into one snare drum. And it's $4,000!

But that's just my opinion... (flame suit on)

You are hearing a recording. Its not hard to make any instrument sound really bad in a recording