Top 5 Metal Snares

Resurrecting this thread for the heck of it, so I'll add my favorites (in no particular order):

Legend 4 X 14" Phosphor Bronze
Joyful Noise 6.5 X 14" TKO
Ludwig 6.5 X 14" Hammered Bronze
Joyful Noise NOB 5 X 14" Standard Issue
Dunnett Stainless Steel 6.5 X 14"
 
Agree the 60's Rogers Dynasonic was a great drum.

I also think the Sonor Ferromanganese Snares from the 70s should be on this list.

The one I did not see anywhere is the Nobles and Cooley Zildjian snare. Seems odd it is missing.
 
I'd be surprised if the Black Beauty doesn't sweep this category. Dunnett gets my vote for their stainless steel snare. The vintage Tama bell brass snares are very highly regarded and bear a hefty price tag to prove it.
 
well i only need one:
Dunnette stainless "the work horse" its the snare for me.
 
Mapex Black Panther "Panther".
Pearl Chad Smith Sig.
 
Like Vintage, I'm a huge fan of the Joyful Noise TKO. Best metal snare I've played, owned, or for that matter heard (eliminating processed stuff from a soundboard). I'm also going to add my DW Vault Edge snare to my list. Yes, I know it is technically a hybrid but the heavy bronze rings give this drum its character. It's as ballsy as any metal drum you'll come across and such projection. Gives you everything a bell brass or cast bronze will give you and then some. Surprisingly I haven't played the drum much since purchasing it months ago, in part because it is impractical to schlep around to gigs (weighs over 30 lbs), not to mention it is a collectible. Had a chance to dial it in a couple days ago and my jaw hit the floor. Wow! The promo DW shot with Bozzio didn't give this drum its proper due. Nothing to do with Bozzio's playing but the drum wasn't tuned or recorded to demonstrate its strengths. Can't think of my other choices but the other metal snares I own won't break into it because I've heard better.
 
I'm also going to add my DW Vault Edge snare to my list. The promo DW shot with Bozzio didn't give this drum its proper due. Nothing to do with Bozzio's playing but the drum wasn't tuned or recorded to demonstrate its strengths. Can't think of my other choices but the other metal snares I own won't break into it because I've heard better.

You are the third person I've met that owns this drum. Collectable doesn't begin to describe how incredibly rare it is.Of the fifty that were made, only twenty five were released in North America. To anyone that does not know about the Vault edge, you should watch it on Youtube (Memphis Drums). It is truly amazing sounding.
 
Ayotte Keplinger 14/6.5, if you want cut and depth this is the one, so aggressive. There is a an absence of the horrible clang of brass.

Pearl Ultracast 14/6.5, a metal drum that doesn't clang, goto recording metal drum.

Pearl ultracast 14/5.5 a great funk drum

Ayotte Keplinger 13/6 a great second snare, crank it up
 
Ayotte Keplinger 14/6.5, if you want cut and depth this is the one, so aggressive. There is a an absence of the horrible clang of brass.

Pearl Ultracast 14/6.5, a metal drum that doesn't clang, goto recording metal drum.

Pearl ultracast 14/5.5 a great funk drum

Ayotte Keplinger 13/6 a great second snare, crank it up

I hear the Keplingers are amazing. Are the Ayotte versions different than the ones he makes individually for clients?
 
I hear the Keplingers are amazing. Are the Ayotte versions different than the ones he makes individually for clients?

Keplinger snares are great. When Gregg worked with Ayotte, those snares had the option of standard steel or wood hoops. Here's a review that describes the sound, well:http://www.rmmusic.nl/docs/md_keplinger.pdf

I have one of his current stainless steel drums (with standard, steel hoops). The wood hoops warm up the sound and give a different rimshot/cross stick sound. But even with the steel hoops, these drums have a full bodied, woody sound. I'm not sure if the shell has changed (3mm stainless steel, straight shell, with slightly rounded over bearing edges).

There's also a nice article on Gregg in the latest Modern Drummer (May, 2014). Jason Sutter wrote the article, and owns a bunch of Keplinger drums, so he really knows about these amazing snares.
 
All drums I own now or have owned in the past;

Sonor Signature ferro-mang seamless spun steel 14x6.5", 1982
Sonor Signature Symphony brass (Rudd's favourite snare and the one his sig drum is based on)
Beverley 21, UK answer to a 400 with seamless shell etc
Sonor Signature ferro-mang seamless spun steel 14x8", 1988
Yamaha seamless brass 14x6.5"

Noble mention to the Tama Kingbeats as well, also seamless drums.

The ferro-managanese spun Sonors are by some margin the best steel drums you can buy in my opinion. unfortunately they stopped being able to get the metal forthe shells and sold the spinning machines to a car component manufacturer at about the time the Designers came in, so they aren't available new any more.
 
Taye Vintage Brass snare 6.5 x 14"
Pork Pie Patina Brass 7 x 13"
Pearl Sensitone Elite Brass 6.5 x 14"
Pearl Sensitone Bronze 6.5 x 14"
Ludwig LM402 Aluminum 6.5 x 14"
 
There's only three: Black Beauty, Supraphonic, Acrolite.

Everything else is a copy of one of those ;)

(Putting on my flame retardant suit now)
 
I've at least tried, if not owned, a lot of the ones listed.

I guess I'm pretty easy to please.
This one has everything I want in a metal snare (Pearl S1370s):

.
 
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Another vote for AK snares. I really like my 6.5x14" Standard Copper Snare.

GJS
 

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