Some new snares come with straps (fabric or plastic) or string to tighten the snare wires. Why would you use anything except a strap. I would expect the strap would be stronger, easier to adjust and less apt to slip or break. It would also be less likely to damage the drum head as it spreads the load across the surface more
I predominately use string to attach snare wires. I don’t care for straps or grosgrain ribbon. It’s on a case-by-case basis for me. If a snare doesn’t need to new wires and it has straps, I won’t change it for no reason. But if a snare isn’t giving me the response I want, I will switch wires and mount those wires with string if it doesn’t already have them.
I’m used to string. I won’t try to convince anyone that it sounds better. (Too subjective.) I don’t even have any snares that require string to mount wires anymore. (I got out of the vintage drum game years ago and only use modern drums now.) I just like string more. Not better or worse, just different.
Between my snares ..... about half have strap and half have string. Never thought to change out any, for the "other". Both types work. And I've never had a string break, so that's not a worry for me.
Neither...I use ribbon these days. Cheap, super flexible and looks cool too. It may be in my head, but I think snare wires sound a little less harsh with ribbon, which I like.
I go to New Zealand and harvest the rare middlemist flower when it is in season once every five years. I then carefully dry the stems, weave them, and use them for my snare strings.
Strap/ribbon for me, because I absolutely 100% CAN center the snare wires with it. It's easy. Also, I've never had a strap break, but had a cord break once. On my one snare with a strainer that doesn't allow a strap, I use cord in conjunction with snare wires like this (not my wires, but a found pic) that have those small "channels" for the cord, so as to not lift the solder plate up off the reso head:
Some new snares come with straps (fabric or plastic) or string to tighten the snare wires. Why would you use anything except a strap. I would expect the strap would be stronger, easier to adjust and less apt to slip or break. It would also be less likely to damage the drum head as it spreads the load across the surface more
I'm a snare cord guy. I've only owned snares with strainers that required cord. I remember when they started coming out with straps and thought I was missing out on something. When they change things up I always think it's for the better. Not always true!
The only thing I can think of is that straps make for faster/easier replacement.
I should clarify. I can get the strap centered in the mechanisms just fine. However, if the slot in the wires is wider than the strap, it allows for lateral movement. I cannot accept that. A string will not do this. It will always return to center because it pulls from 2 points instead of 1.
I suppose if the strings arent spread as far apart as possible it makes it more difficult.
Straps or grosgrain ribbon for me. Under high tension over time, strings can dig into the bearing edge and leave indentations. Straps won't do that since they spread the tension over a greater area.
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