I did not like the Evans 500 snare side... 300 is my go to!

BenOBrienSmith said:
Again, and this depends on the wire design, pulling certain wires like this will tension the wires themselves more than applying tension of the wires against the head,. This issue can be less present depending on the break angle of the snare throw, snare wire end plate design, and snare bed but it can easily mitigated with string.

Either way, never use polyester film with snare wires- it has memory, it stretches, and generally isn't a great way to go.
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I’m using string because I actually find it easier to work with than ribbon or plastic strips. Plus my strainer, the design of which I believe dates to the early 30s, requires it. Sonically I don’t think it makes a lick of difference, but I only have two snares and one is amazing but one is crap. So don’t listen to me, folks.

;)
 
BenOBrienSmith said:
Again, and this depends on the wire design, pulling certain wires like this will tension the wires themselves more than applying tension of the wires against the head,. This issue can be less present depending on the break angle of the snare throw, snare wire end plate design, and snare bed but it can easily mitigated with string.

Either way, I strongly advise against the use polyester film to mount snare wires- it has memory, it stretches, and generally isn't a great way to go.
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This is definitely great information!
 
The best thing with strings is that it's easy to align the wires without needing to loosen the snare mechanism. Some vintage throwoffs (like on my #1 Amati) only accept strings which doesn't hurt, either. It's also possible to simulate a Noble and Cooley Cam Action mounting, which works great on my Trowa with minimal snare beds (originally designed for parallel action). I'd buy commercial cotton threads or braided strings, though, as drum-branded accessories of this kind tend to be overpriced.
One thing I'd avoid is the plastic-coated steel cable made by Trick, etc. These things sound great as concert snare wires, but don't conform to snare beds as well as strings, and might dig into them on wood snares over time.
 
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roncadillac said:
Conversely, I lately have been considering trying the 200 but I'm worried it may be too thin and papery sounding.
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It likely will, unfortunately. I tried it once and it made my Ludwig LEGACY thin. Not sure if anyone makes a 250 as a happy medium, but a 300 still works.
 
TheDrummerFromAmsterdam said:
Avoid strings with metal. They can eat from the wood and can even dent softer metal made snares.

I will change the only one left (the left side of this snare) soon too.
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Yeah, NEVER use cord with any kind of wire inside. That old blue Puresound cable was notorious for this.
 
BenOBrienSmith said:
Yeah, NEVER use cord with any kind of wire inside. That old blue Puresound cable was notorious for this.
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Sorry to be the one detractor, but I started using aircraft cable back in the 80s (I was a kid and Stan at ProDrum did up my snare back then), and I’ve never experienced anything bad. I do use metal snare drums mostly, and I don’t normally run the drum with everything super-tight, so maybe I’m lucky.

I’ve tried regular Ludwig cord, PureSound black strips, and other stuff over the years, but I always go back to the aircraft cable in a pinch.
 
I gambled on some of the Trick wire-core cords once, and they didn’t even last long enough to damage the shell. They snapped apart at the stress points where they clamped to the strainer and butt. The pack included four cords, and all four broke the same way.
 
Bo Eder said:
Sorry to be the one detractor, but I started using aircraft cable back in the 80s (I was a kid and Stan at ProDrum did up my snare back then), and I’ve never experienced anything bad. I do use metal snare drums mostly, and I don’t normally run the drum with everything super-tight, so maybe I’m lucky.

I’ve tried regular Ludwig cord, PureSound black strips, and other stuff over the years, but I always go back to the aircraft cable in a pinch.
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Great! If that works for you, I'm happy to hear it. But I can tell you from experience and LOTS of customer service inquiries that the issue is real and it's something that's easy to avoid.

SpazApproved said:
Funny how the cables to attach the wires can be such a debate! keep it going
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That's kind of my reaction to most internet commentary. There's lots of anecdotal experience masquerading as scientific evidence and groupthink out there and, while I love these forums, they're far from immune to it.
 
how's this get 29 responses 😁 ?
 
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