My Music City Custom Snare Verdict

We saw this coming yesterday. What took you so long? What evidence in the trials stalled your decision?

And no inlay? I get that you prefer being understated (I was a black-only wetsuit surfer for the same reason), but Mother Pearl has options. You could’ve done both.
Once the deed is done, the deed is done. No woulda, coulda, shouldas… and that goes for calling out different finishes or inlay options.
 
We saw this coming yesterday. What took you so long? What evidence in the trials stalled your decision?

And no inlay? I get that you prefer being understated (I was a black-only wetsuit surfer for the same reason), but Mother Pearl has options. You could’ve done both.
I just needed an evening for further thought. As of yesterday afternoon, I was eighty percent in the walnut column. This morning, I soared to the mid-nineties. There was no turning back at that point.

Inlays: I like them on the maple shells but feel that they deduct from the dark sophistication of walnut. Hence, I kept things simple and shunned the inlay option altogether.
 
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We saw this coming yesterday. What took you so long? What evidence in the trials stalled your decision?

And no inlay? I get that you prefer being understated (I was a black-only wetsuit surfer for the same reason), but Mother Pearl has options. You could’ve done both.
CB, in the spirit of GAS, though he did keep us in brief suspense over the selection, it’s like a baby face (wrestling term) turn we should embrace.
Of course just kidding C.M. - I’m honestly stoked for ya brother!
May the kiddo someday be a proud owner of that snare.

Imagine him dawning that inlay finish, though it’d be a nice touch for his nicotine Pearl finish Sessions.

Or further, his snare coming slicked up like Eric Singer’s entirely pieced Abalone Reference kit from 2017s Tour?

Let me keep the GAS spirits brewing and say “don’t forget pics or didn’t happen!”
 
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May the kiddo someday be a proud owner of that snare.

Let me keep the GAS spirits brewing and say “don’t forget pics or didn’t happen!”
Yes, my son, now age seven, will certainly inherent this keepsake. He's already a passionate Pearl patron. He plays a Roadshow Jr. kit, frequently dons a Pearl hat, and has Pearl stickers on his school folders. Never accuse me of patriarchal indoctrination.

Pics will be forthcoming, tomorrow or Saturday.
 
I had the maple one with Pearl inlay.

But I ultimately ended up returning it because of a defect in the snare bed. It was just made weird.. Pearl said they had a small batch that was affected and offered to fix it free But I ultimately chose to return it.

it was a beautiful snare though. I loved the lugs. But I do wish for the price of these things that they didn't just throw on a 20 dollar Snare throw off.
 
But I ultimately ended up returning it because of a defect in the snare bed. It was just made weird.. Pearl said they had a small batch that was affected and offered to fix it free But I ultimately chose to return it.
You'd expect a drum of this quality to be flawless, but nothing in the material world is immune to imperfection. In fact, because each snare in this series is crafted by a single artisan, I'd anticipate more variation from drum to drum than I would with standardized, assembly-line models. Regardless, the reviews I've read have been consistently high. I think my chances of disappointment are negligible.
 
I didn't know your new snare had maple rerings! I love the look of maple and walnut in the same drum! I hope it delivers sonically in the way you expect. I'm really looking forward to your thoughts after you put it through it's paces and develop a solid opinion. Please share when you are ready.

I have a steambent birdseye maple drum from Carolina Drumworks, and I had it built with walnut re-rings.
The drum has dark mineral streaks that came out after lathing the shell. Jeff from Carolina offered to get a new shell, but I declined. "Imperfections" in wood grain appeal to me. The streaks exactly match the color of the walnut re-rings. Can't plan things like that. I'm glad I kept that shell.

I have 8 other drums that combine walnut and maple, I'm talking about the Yolanda kit, which sports walnut shells and maple hoops on toms and bass drums. Love that look. The Yolanda snare is 100% walnut and very badass.

This is my current favorite thread
 
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C.M., did you order directly from Pearl or through a dealer? Just curious. I'm impressed that Pearl is doing direct to consumer sales. It's a good idea to cut out the middle men if the consumer knows what they want.
 
C.M., did you order directly from Pearl or through a dealer? Just curious. I'm impressed that Pearl is doing direct to consumer sales. It's a good idea to cut out the middle men if the consumer knows what they want.
I explored various routes for getting the shell as quickly as possible and ended up (unexpectedly) purchasing it through Musician's Friend. My norm for drums is to conduct business with Pearl directly or with Sweetwater, but Musician's Friend had the shell in stock and was prepared to ship it immediately. Also, I received a seventy-five-dollar credit for a future purchase. That sum represents a free set of heads, so I couldn't turn it down.
 
I explored various routes for getting the shell as quickly as possible and ended up (unexpectedly) purchasing it through Musician's Friend. My norm for drums is to conduct business with Pearl directly or with Sweetwater, but Musician's Friend had the shell in stock and was prepared to ship it immediately. Also, I received a seventy-five-dollar credit for a future purchase. That sum represents a free set of heads, so I couldn't turn it down.
Nice. What bag/case will you use?
 
The drum looks glorious without an inlay. Not a fan of them, but that's just me.
Do you have a preference for snare wires?

May your drum be flawless and a fresh source for inspiration!
Cheers C.M.!
 
I’m absolutely aghast that you’re not “double bagging” this sacred object of unparalleled beauty… :unsure: ;)
AHEAD Armor Cases are very well equipped. They're both waterproof and luxuriously lined, so my anxiety level will be low in terms of transport. I must confess, however, that gigging with this shell in certain settings could degenerate into a nail-biting experience, especially at outdoor venues that might require prolonged exposure to unstable conditions. But to hell with it, really. I'm buying the drum to play it, not to lock it away in a showcase. If it takes on some road wear, so be it. A life without scars is a life unlived.

That mantra is easy to subscribe to now. If the drum gets a scar, I'll be grief stricken. :)
 
The drum looks glorious without an inlay. Not a fan of them, but that's just me.
Do you have a preference for snare wires?

May your drum be flawless and a fresh source for inspiration!
Cheers C.M.!
I like the twenty-strand Pearl wires the shell will be equipped with, so I'll be in good shape there. I have identical wires on my Session snare.
 
Very cool snares! We've got a couple maple solid shells at 2112, and formerly had a cherry in the same size as yours (the guy who brought in the Dunnett Titanium I bought traded it for the cherry), which I thought was an absolutely phenomenal snare drum. I'm sure the walnut will be just as good!
 
I like the twenty-strand Pearl wires the shell will be equipped with, so I'll be in good shape there. I have identical wires on my Session snare.
CM, not for nothing, my gigging kit is a Studio Session Select, the Antique Crimson Burst paired with the 6.5 x 14 Studio Session Select snare in the Natural Birch...I love that snare, throaty, kinda fat but with a nice crack...enjoy your new snare!!
 
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