What Does a 6.5" Snare Do Better?

Rattlin' Bones

Gold Member
I see a lot of 6.5" deep snares for sale. I've only used 5" and 5.5" deep snares. What does a 6.5 do that a 5 or 5.5 can't?
 
I see a lot of 6.5" deep snares for sale. I've only used 5" and 5.5" deep snares. What does a 6.5 do that a 5 or 5.5 can't?
I think it could be psychological. Coming up I played a 5” Supra, then about ten years I went to a 6.5 and am convinced I get a throatier Sound and a nicer Eagles-like “thud”. But in reality, I recall being able to get a nice deep sound from the 5” drum too. I think a thicker snare just looks cooler 😉
 
They have a little more low end to my ears. Certainly nothing that will make or break your snare sound, but I like it.
 
I think they give you a fatter and bigger sound I use a 6in deep snare mainly I have a 5.5 in and can't really notice much difference when tuned basically the same that's just my ears others may think different.
 
To me they have more low-end sustain, and are more full-bodied when playing with brushes. A good specimen won't lose sensitivity in the latter scenario, either.
 
Maybe just presence or volume. I think I'm with you, I love the way my standard depth snares respond and I own snares from 4" depth up to 7". I just got a 14x6.5 supra but that was only because that's what Bonham used.
 
All things being equal a bigger drum makes a fuller acoustic sound. My comments are based on owning a 5.5 and 6.5 Pearl ultracasts that are fitted out and tuned identically. So if I want more body I select the 6.5 if I want more emphasis on the initial stick impact I go for the 5.5 depth. There is overlap between the two although I would always select a 6.5 if I didn’t know what was coming up.
 
Maybe just presence or volume. I think I'm with you, I love the way my standard depth snares respond and I own snares from 4" depth up to 7". I just got a 14x6.5 supra but that was only because that's what Bonham used.
Oh, that Bonzo ;)
 
6.5" adds a bit more body to the sound but so much depends on the drummer, quality of the snare drum and the playing environment.

Anyone with 400s or Acrolites knows that you can get just as much body from a 14x5. One of the best "fat" tones I got from a snare was an Acrolite with a clear black CS dot.
 
All things being equal a bigger drum makes a fuller acoustic sound. My comments are based on owning a 5.5 and 6.5 Pearl ultracasts that are fitted out and tuned identically. So if I want more body I select the 6.5 if I want more emphasis on the initial stick impact I go for the 5.5 depth. There is overlap between the two although I would always select a 6.5 if I didn’t know what was coming up.
I have been tuning my 5" and 5.5" snares down (looser heads and less tension on snare wires) so I get a slushier sound. More New Orleans kinda old school Preservation Hall sound. Crushed rolls are more crushed. Less stick. Does a 6.5" do this more easily?
 
I have been tuning my 5" and 5.5" snares down (looser heads and less tension on snare wires) so I get a slushier sound. More New Orleans kinda old school Preservation Hall sound. Crushed rolls are more crushed. Less stick. Does a 6.5" do this more easily?
I don’t know much about this specific drum sound and now you have added this additional information /requirement/aim …it sound more like this could be achieved with a calf head or calf simulation and a low tuning and loose snare wre tension, rather than changing the depth of the drum shell itself. Having said that deeper drums are a tad slower and so it’s easier to get for want of a better term a sloshier sound. Calf heads are drier and have less initial impact more mid low tone. They are not for heavy hitters.
 
"Better" is relative to the listener's opinion(s). The difference is the same as with toms of varying depths.
 
I have been tuning my 5" and 5.5" snares down (looser heads and less tension on snare wires) so I get a slushier sound. More New Orleans kinda old school Preservation Hall sound. Crushed rolls are more crushed. Less stick. Does a 6.5" do this more easily?
I prefer thinner snares for low tunings and deeper snares for higher tunings. To try to answer your question, they both do what you outlined, but IMO I like the way a 5 does the things you mentioned better than a 6.5.
 
I think a deeper snare has more perceived 'warmth' which we often say is low-end sustain and you really do get a different sound for similar tensions or rather, end up with different tensions for preferred tunings which does change the feel. But most quality snares can tune high and low with great response without issue. I find 6.5s get 'tubby' easier while 5s or 4s get 'shrill' easier but can share alot of the same terrain. Broadly, I tend to 'tension' my 6.5s higher than my 5s...my ears are probable going for a favorite pitch.
 
Deeper snares have a richer overtone profile, which I think is what translates into the perception they have more body. I think of it as more "voice."

I've found, at lower tunings, that additional voice can interfere a bit if I just want a sloshy sound. Even though it's counterintuitive, I'm in agreement with Larry - a shallower drum works better at lower tunings for me. At least, it's easier to get what I want because there are less overtones to wrangle.

So, I think they are just different, not really better or worse.
 
Deeper snares have a richer overtone profile, which I think is what translates into the perception they have more body. I think of it as more "voice."

I've found, at lower tunings, that additional voice can interfere a bit if I just want a sloshy sound. Even though it's counterintuitive, I'm in agreement with Larry - a shallower drum works better at lower tunings for me. At least, it's easier to get what I want because there are less overtones to wrangle.

So, I think they are just different, not really better or worse.
Thanks. I think I will not be buying a 6.5" snare. Stick with 5' and 5.5".
 
I prefer snares 6” and less these days . This was not always the case as I used to own quite a few 6.5” and 7” deep snares . I only own one snare deeper than 6” and that is a Summit 8” Steambent Sassafras snare and I received it as a gift . A wonderful drum but it only gets sporadic use from me .

I love 5” snares a lot and they get a lot of stand time for me . I recently purchased a Tama Peter Erskine Jazz Series 4.5” snare that really impressed me right off the bat . A superb drum .
 
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