yammyfan
Senior Member
I'm not much of a reviewer so my vocabulary is limited in that regard, but here are a few thoughts on the current model Brooklyn COS snare drum.
For starters, it's HEAVY. I have the 5.5 x 14 inch model and it must weigh close to 15 lbs. That's a good thing. The 2.0 mm steel shell is responsible for most of that weight, naturally. The 302 hoops are lovely and bridge the divide between triple flanged and die-cast hoops, saving a little bit of weight at the same time.
The construction of the drum is top-notch. The lightning throw-off is silky smooth and quite unique looking. I really like how the tension adjustment is part of the butt plate. The chrome plating is first-rate and the center knurl is a nice touch. I dare say it's a classy looking drum.
What really matters is the sound of course, and that's where the snare (pardon the pun) really shines.
I own a few steel snares and none of them have the bark that the Gretsch does. There's a really satisfying heft to the sound of the drum and the overtones it produces are wonderful and quite musical. I have mine tuned high but I'll bet it does low and middle tuning equally well.
The cross stick sound is to die for. That has been the most pleasant surprise so far. It's just a wonderful, cheerful, musical 'clonk' that should cut through live situations nicely.
The supplied heads are first-rate and happily for me, the Remo CS batter head is my go-to for all my snare drums. It's nice not to have to replace anything for once.
The snare wires are pretty standard 20 strand wires. The drum sounds great as is - nice and sensitive and responsive to the touch. I see no reason to change the wires unless you're after a really specific sound. I'm a generalist so they're fine for me.
All in all, it's easy to recommend the Brooklyn steel snare to anyone who's looking for a quality snare that won't break the bank.. The combination of the 2.0 mm shell, 30 degree bearing edges and 302 hoops make it sound sufficiently different enough to set it apart from other steel snares on the market.
Thanks for checking it out!
For starters, it's HEAVY. I have the 5.5 x 14 inch model and it must weigh close to 15 lbs. That's a good thing. The 2.0 mm steel shell is responsible for most of that weight, naturally. The 302 hoops are lovely and bridge the divide between triple flanged and die-cast hoops, saving a little bit of weight at the same time.
The construction of the drum is top-notch. The lightning throw-off is silky smooth and quite unique looking. I really like how the tension adjustment is part of the butt plate. The chrome plating is first-rate and the center knurl is a nice touch. I dare say it's a classy looking drum.
What really matters is the sound of course, and that's where the snare (pardon the pun) really shines.
I own a few steel snares and none of them have the bark that the Gretsch does. There's a really satisfying heft to the sound of the drum and the overtones it produces are wonderful and quite musical. I have mine tuned high but I'll bet it does low and middle tuning equally well.
The cross stick sound is to die for. That has been the most pleasant surprise so far. It's just a wonderful, cheerful, musical 'clonk' that should cut through live situations nicely.
The supplied heads are first-rate and happily for me, the Remo CS batter head is my go-to for all my snare drums. It's nice not to have to replace anything for once.
The snare wires are pretty standard 20 strand wires. The drum sounds great as is - nice and sensitive and responsive to the touch. I see no reason to change the wires unless you're after a really specific sound. I'm a generalist so they're fine for me.
All in all, it's easy to recommend the Brooklyn steel snare to anyone who's looking for a quality snare that won't break the bank.. The combination of the 2.0 mm shell, 30 degree bearing edges and 302 hoops make it sound sufficiently different enough to set it apart from other steel snares on the market.
Thanks for checking it out!
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