Modern Heavy Metal Snares vs. 1980 Tama Bell Brass

Love the Gretsch Phosphor Bronze. Actually, I really like them all. Not a dud in the bunch. I do think the A&F'er is kinda ugly, but my ears don't care about appearance. My eyes do though, and they think that whomever lent you the Terminator needs to clean it. Ugly is one thing, dirty is another.
 
I hit that A&Fer at DCP yesterday. Sounded massive, in such a good way. The appearance grew on me — better in person. Cool vintage vibe. Drum weighed a ton though. Not practical for gigging in my opinion.
 
That's a pretty tough choice. I think what surprised me most is the Gretsch steel. I wasn't expecting it to sound like that at all. All were very nice. While I really like my Gretsch 1.3mm bronze, that Phosphor Bronze at twice the price proves the added cost and weight really is justified.
 
I own a Gretsch Bell Brass, it is a beast. Eventually I'd love to buy a phosphorus bronze Gretsch. And I have to second the opinion of AzHeat that the Gretsch Solid Steel snare was the big surprise in this group.
 
A quick search on the web for “Tama Bell Brass snare drum” reveals none of the 40th anniversary models for sale at any drum shop (e.g., Memphis Drum Shop, Sweetwater), a few used Starphonic models on Reverb, and a Bittner-owned drum on Reverb. This dearth gives me hope that Tama will make 50 more in the near future.

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All_The_Drums said:
This was a lot of fun. We put together a relative short list of some of today's best heavy metal snare drums, and compared them to the 1980 Tama Bell Brass "Terminator".

7 Best Snare Drums for Metal - 2022's DCP Updated Guide

Are you looking for the perfect snare drums for metal? Let DCP guide you through the best options, and you'll be playing loud and clear in no time!
www.drumcenternh.com www.drumcenternh.com
Click to expand...

Curious what heads were used for the test?
 
Fantastic all the way around!

Now I know why I have always gravitated towards heavy metal snare drums. The sound and punch moves me to the core.

As far as I'm concerned, there's no going wrong with any one of those drums. Really nice stuff.

Another grand-slam, DCP!
 
That was amazing... I love how you tuned the snare JUST like they sound on the record - great job all around! Also thanks for the education - I had no idea that was the snare used on those songs. I snagged a brass snare on Reverb (not this model, but the one that came after) just because of your video!

Does anyone have more history or catalogs about these snares?

I love Drum Center NH - keep it up guys!!
 
Don't forget about Dunnett's 2N brass.

It is my go-to snare for everything, very sensitive at lower dynamics and delivers majestically when things get wild.

I would happily weigh it but I haven't owned a scale for quite some time, but I can say with confidence it is a credible contender for the heavyweight title !
 
Groov-E said:
Don't forget about Dunnett's 2N brass.

It is my go-to snare for everything, very sensitive at lower dynamics and delivers majestically when things get wild.

I would happily weigh it but I haven't owned a scale for quite some time, but I can say with confidence it is a credible contender for the heavyweight title !
Click to expand...
They are amazing. Ronn generally feels that thinner shells sound better, so it's rare for his drums to even reach 2mm thick. Some of the 2Ns are pretty heavy, though. We just got an unusally thick 2N with a Gergo Borlai Bronze shell that is really heavy that I am partial to.
 
All_The_Drums said:
This was a lot of fun. We put together a relative short list of some of today's best heavy metal snare drums, and compared them to the 1980 Tama Bell Brass "Terminator".

7 Best Snare Drums for Metal - 2022's DCP Updated Guide

Are you looking for the perfect snare drums for metal? Let DCP guide you through the best options, and you'll be playing loud and clear in no time!
www.drumcenternh.com www.drumcenternh.com
Click to expand...
Thanks for doing this.
A 80s Bell Brass is tough to beat. Here's mine.

Tama Mastercraft Bell Brass Snare Drum 14 X 6.5
 
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