Looking for a Snare Set Recommendation

bodhran

bodhran

Member
Hello,
I recently bought a Slingerland Haskell W. Harr 10x14 parade snare drum. It's dated 1962.
By the catalog I believe it to be the model 536F in Mahogany.
I'd like to continue to use the Zoomatic strainer, as it is in great shape.
However, I'd like to get away from the individual snare wires and attach a snare set.
Any recommendations on that is greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
 
Is this what it looks like with the wires? I've managed to McGyver snare wires onto my marching snare by simply looping the cord around the mechanism. It's not the best solution but it works, and you won't notice unless you look for it, haha.

UcqjwXM.png
 
Let me clarify my original question.
What I should have asked is, "what snare set is recommended for this type of snare drum."
Rather than how do I attach it to the strainer.
 
bodhran said:
Let me clarify my original question.
What I should have asked is, "what snare set is recommended for this type of snare drum."
Rather than how do I attach it to the strainer.
Click to expand...
A 20 to 24 strand Puresound set will work just fine. For a thicker sound, you could go with more strands.

My Ludwig marching snare originally came with synthetic gut wires. I replaced them with standard Ludwig snares and it sounds fine.

Just make sure the snare bed is designed for a standard wire configuration. My marching snare had gut snares that hung over the edge like a Ludwig Supersensitive strainer, so there were almost no snare beds at all.

It looked just like this...

6ZgnfOF.png


I carefully sanded down the snare beds myself to accommodate the new wires. Works great now!
 
Thanks very much for the follow-up response.
The snare beds are very pronounced. See photo.
 

Attachments

  • snarebed.jpg
    snarebed.jpg
    92.6 KB · Views: 10
There really is no such thing a snare wires recommended for any drum.

It's more of a function of how you want your snare wires to sound.

Brass to my ear is brightest, with the unchromed steel like PureSounds a little darker and ballsier than brass, and to my ear chrome "snappy" wires sit between brass and raw steel.

What's your poison?
 
IBitePrettyHard said:
20-24 strand wires would be perfect.
Click to expand...
Any experience or thoughts on this snare unit?

14" 24 Strand Fat Cat Dual Adjustable Snappy Snare Wires

14" 24 Strand Fat Cat Dual Adjustable Snappy Snare Wires, FCS14 [FCS14] - $21.95 : drum parts, sticks, drumheads, cymbals, stands, drumfactorydirect.com

drum parts, sticks, drumheads, cymbals, stands, drumfactorydirect.com 14 24 Strand Fat Cat Dual Adjustable Snappy Snare Wires, FCS14 [FCS14] - 14 inch 24 strand Fat Cat dual adjustable snare drum snare wires for 14 inch drums. The stainless steel end caps have the dual adjusting mechanism to...
www.drumfactorydirect.com www.drumfactorydirect.com
 
bodhran said:
Let me clarify my original question.
What I should have asked is, "what snare set is recommended for this type of snare drum."
Rather than how do I attach it to the strainer.
Click to expand...
Depends upon what your doing.
If you want a ballsy dry marching sound ,stick with the gut snares.
You're pretty much stuck with cord attaching ,so no nylon straps.
Being an old DCI guy from way back,you can redo the gut snares using tennis strings for cheap (under $5 bucks) if that's your issue as they stretch and loosen after all those years.
 
bodhran said:
Any experience or thoughts on this snare unit?

14" 24 Strand Fat Cat Dual Adjustable Snappy Snare Wires

14" 24 Strand Fat Cat Dual Adjustable Snappy Snare Wires, FCS14 [FCS14] - $21.95 : drum parts, sticks, drumheads, cymbals, stands, drumfactorydirect.com

drum parts, sticks, drumheads, cymbals, stands, drumfactorydirect.com 14 24 Strand Fat Cat Dual Adjustable Snappy Snare Wires, FCS14 [FCS14] - 14 inch 24 strand Fat Cat dual adjustable snare drum snare wires for 14 inch drums. The stainless steel end caps have the dual adjusting mechanism to...
www.drumfactorydirect.com www.drumfactorydirect.com
Click to expand...
I've never used Fat Cat snares, but I've heard only good things.
 
IBitePrettyHard said:
I've never used Fat Cat snares, but I've heard only good things.
Click to expand...
I've used their pitched snares for snares with little or no snare beds.
Worked fine.
 
bodhran said:
Any experience or thoughts on this snare unit?

14" 24 Strand Fat Cat Dual Adjustable Snappy Snare Wires

14" 24 Strand Fat Cat Dual Adjustable Snappy Snare Wires, FCS14 [FCS14] - $21.95 : drum parts, sticks, drumheads, cymbals, stands, drumfactorydirect.com

drum parts, sticks, drumheads, cymbals, stands, drumfactorydirect.com 14 24 Strand Fat Cat Dual Adjustable Snappy Snare Wires, FCS14 [FCS14] - 14 inch 24 strand Fat Cat dual adjustable snare drum snare wires for 14 inch drums. The stainless steel end caps have the dual adjusting mechanism to...
www.drumfactorydirect.com www.drumfactorydirect.com
Click to expand...
Been using them for 20 years now...love'm
 
pgm554 said:
Depends upon what your doing.
If you want a ballsy dry marching sound ,stick with the gut snares.
You're pretty much stuck with cord attaching ,so no nylon straps.
Being an old DCI guy from way back,you can redo the gut snares using tennis strings for cheap (under $5 bucks) if that's your issue as they stretch and loosen after all those years.
Click to expand...

we still use the tennis racquet strings even today!! Funny how somethings stand the test of time....no double hooping anymore though! Or taking the snares off of the outside 2 guys and filling the drum with stuffing....
 
Some thoughts on the Fat Cat adjustables here and here. My personal summary is, I love 'em. They perform exactly as described- crisp AND buttery/sensitive- and it sounds great.

One of my two sets- one came stock on an Ahead snare, the other purchased a few years later for another snare, and the screw is slightly different- had the screw back out during a gig. (I found it, but so as to not risk it happening again, I just tightened it all the way, losing the desired effect, but they still sounded good, like similar non-adjustable wires. The middle set stayed put after the screw came out but it became too loose for my taste.) I don't recall if it's the older or newer ones. It may have been on me for having it too loose. Haven't been able to test this, as it happened shortly before COVID.
 
Fantastic information all!
We are going to proceed with a "Fat Cat" snare set on the Slingerland. We've already have a Fiberskyn Ambassador on the batter side.
I should have mentioned before, this drum will likely be used as a concert snare and not for marching (it's kinda small.) Also, might use it occasionally with a small kit.
Any suggestions for the snare side with the aforementioned snare set?
Thanks everybody!
 
I do NOT have that exact set of Fat Cat wires, but I do have a nice set on a snare I built. EXCELLENT. They're great. Well made.
 
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX said:
we still use the tennis racquet strings even today!! Funny how somethings stand the test of time....no double hooping anymore though! Or taking the snares off of the outside 2 guys and filling the drum with stuffing....
Click to expand...
Don't forget the hair spray to lacquer them if they're real gut.
 
pgm554 said:
Don't forget the hair spray to lacquer them if they're real gut.
Click to expand...

yep... some people still do that to the tennis racquet strings....that is too snappy of a sound for me
 
Hey folks, thanks for all the advice you sent my way on this project!
I thought you might want to hear the Haskell Harr with the 14" 24 Strand Fat Cat Dual Adjustable Snappy Snare Wires set.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top