Show your Piccolo Snare

[VIbes]

As many years as I have been playing drums I have never had much experience or owned a Piccolo Snare drum. Just this week I acquired my first. I came across a guy who was selling 3 drums from a discontinued Ludwig Gig Lite set. the 2 toms and the Piccolo snare. He sold the two toms and reduced the price of the snare. I made him a offer and we came to a agreement of $65 for the drum including shipping.
What I got was a Ludwig 3"x14" Birch Silver Sparkle Monroe Keystone badge snare that matches my vintage classic Ludwig's. was made in 2001. I can't find any other Birch Picoolo's anywhere and this came exclusively with the Gig lite sets. It has ginger ailed in a couple places but it's ok. What surprised me is how loud this thing is. I thought I could use it on some jazz gigs and with my Sonor Safari kit. Which I will. I am going to try it out tomorrow night on a gig. Anyone else use Picoolo's and what do you think about them?

[ty7177]

I dont always use a piccolo snare, as I just took mine down before logging on to DC, (funny you posted) but I do use it for some older Green Day songs.
Tre Cool used to crank his snare drum up and I dont want to stretch the head on my main snare to much, so I just use a piccolo...

[wolvie56]

To my left next to my 8" rack tom.

[Nechre]

I bought my first piccolo a month or two ago, although mine is a 4x15 giant monster piccolo. Great snare, nice and focused, Haven't used it yet other than loaning it out to a buddy of mine to play at a gig that I drum tech'd for him for. Sounded fantastic.

[pastor_bob]

Mine is a 14X3 Pearl Free Floating snare. The guy that I bought it form was using it as his main snare. I have set it up with my 6 piece kit, but for now it's been sitting in a case.

[Russ]

Very nice!^

[VIbes]

Played that thing tonight. Well, it definately cut's through , and I can play it lighter with as loud volume. You don't have to kill it to get your volume and tone. I have a couple issue's, but when I fix those I will use this one regularly. I personally will leave the Emporer heads on. I think some wider snares loosened enough to give it a full sound and the drum cranked up a little. It's going to be fine. ! It was worth it. you guys that posted have really nice snares. Love the DW and Pearl, all, nice. Mine is the least but wow, now I hear it !!!

[Russ]

Really nice piccolo you have there too, Vibes. I can't say that i've seen many Ludwig piccolos, so that's a cool sight! Good to hear about the volume though, i'm so used to the formula of the deeper the snare the louder it is.

[Exotic Matter]

12X5 DW

I have used this as my main snare in the past. I generally just use it as an aux these days. Recently, I've been playing it tuned pretty loose with loose snares. I've really been digging it tuned loose, which is pretty much the opposite of what people think of as a piccolo.

[Russ]

Very nice! Like the natural finish too, always a winner. I noticed you used re-rings(to raise pitch?), that in addition to the smaller depth and diameter must really add to the effect.

[Drumbledore]

Nice one Vibes! I haven't seen too many Ludwig piccolos with that finish. Yeah, I've a few piccolo and effects snares.

Foreground: 13x3" Pearl Maple Piccolo, 13x3" Pearl Steel Piccolo. Background: 13x5.5" Tama Starclassic Maple, 13x5.5" Ludwig Epic Birch/Maple


Foreground: 8x6" Trixon Micro Snare (as part of my co.cktail set), 8x6" Acrylic Custom Pansini Micro Snare. Background: 12x4" Tama Nickelworks Steel Soprano Snare

[Russ]

Awesome collection Drumbledore! Never seen some of that stuff there, great to see a Tama enter the ring of piccolos. Awesome finish on that Trixon too!

[Drumbledore]

Yeah Russ, that Tama Nickelworks is a great smaller drum to play. Mind you, the Starclassic is still my main workhorse at the moment. Plus the Trixon snare and the set it came with is always a real headturner.

[pastor_bob]

I hadn't thought of this as a piccolo snare, but here is a 13X6 Mapex Plack Panther Special Edition snare. It has a Cherry/Maple shell.

[SpecialAnthony]

I got a killer deal ($100!) on a Tama 13x3.25 Nickel Soprano- love it! It's my secondary snare to the left of the hats. I will have to take a pic during practice on Saturday!

[Russ]

I hadn't thought of this as a piccolo snare, but here is a 13X6 Mapex Plack Panther Special Edition snare. It has a Cherry/Maple shell.

You know, until you said something I never thought about it either. About what defines a piccolo snare and all. I had thought to be classified as one a drum would be 4" depth or shorter, but I also hear these other names like micro and popcorn thrown into the mix too so it's confusin. That's a lovely snare though, goes with your kit very nicely!

[Nechre]

Here is what typically defines these snares in my mind:

A piccolo is any snare drum that is 4" deep or shallower. Piccolo in terms of drumming only refers to depth.
13,14,15 inch snares are common snare drums defined as their diameter.
A soprano snare is a 12" snare.
A popcorn snare is a 10" snare.
A micro snare is any snare 8" or smaller in diameter.
Many companies call a 16" snare a ballad snare, so I am inclined to include this on the list.

By all of the definitions I've found, piccolo snare drums always refer to the depth of the snare, and not the diameter. Obviously I have no say in this, but I would say some standardization of terms would help the drumming community emmensely.

[Russ]

So popcorn, soprano, and ballad snares refer to those measurements in diameter and not depth? But piccolo is only a depth reference? Thanks for heads up on that, I was trying but couldn't seem to locate anything concrete.

[ty7177]

Here is what typically defines these snares in my mind:

A piccolo is any snare drum that is 4" deep or shallower. Piccolo in terms of drumming only refers to depth.
13,14,15 inch snares are common snare drums defined as their diameter.
A soprano snare is a 12" snare.
A popcorn snare is a 10" snare.
A micro snare is any snare 8" or smaller in diameter.
Many companies call a 16" snare a ballad snare, so I am inclined to include this on the list.

By all of the definitions I've found, piccolo snare drums always refer to the depth of the snare, and not the diameter. Obviously I have no say in this, but I would say some standardization of terms would help the drumming community emmensely.

DW offers a snare that's 16x8(ish) I think. The thing has freaking legs on it haha, but somebody has to use it right??

[Drumbledore]

Here is what typically defines these snares in my mind:

A piccolo is any snare drum that is 4" deep or shallower. Piccolo in terms of drumming only refers to depth.
13,14,15 inch snares are common snare drums defined as their diameter.
A soprano snare is a 12" snare.
A popcorn snare is a 10" snare.
A micro snare is any snare 8" or smaller in diameter.
Many companies call a 16" snare a ballad snare, so I am inclined to include this on the list.

By all of the definitions I've found, piccolo snare drums always refer to the depth of the snare, and not the diameter. Obviously I have no say in this, but I would say some standardization of terms would help the drumming community emmensely.

Actually you're bang on (no pun intended) with that definition. I'd back you 100% on that, because I've seen those very same definitions in a ton of catalogues and magazines over the years.

[pastor_bob]

Here is what typically defines these snares in my mind:

A piccolo is any snare drum that is 4" deep or shallower. Piccolo in terms of drumming only refers to depth.
13,14,15 inch snares are common snare drums defined as their diameter.
A soprano snare is a 12" snare.
A popcorn snare is a 10" snare.
A micro snare is any snare 8" or smaller in diameter.
Many companies call a 16" snare a ballad snare, so I am inclined to include this on the list.

By all of the definitions I've found, piccolo snare drums always refer to the depth of the snare, and not the diameter. Obviously I have no say in this, but I would say some standardization of terms would help the drumming community emmensely.

Thanks for the definitions Nechre.