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Thread: Taye Stainless Steel 12"x6" Snare

  1. #1

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    Default Taye Stainless Steel 12"x6" Snare

    Hello all! Tonight was my first opportunity to try out my new purchase, a Taye Stainless Steel 12"x6" snare. It is hard to photograph without capturing my reflection!




    Street Price (new): $162 with an additional $15 shipping from the online retailer I dealt with
    Country of Origin: Taiwan
    Lugs: 6
    Shell: Stainless Steel (thickness not determined)
    Hoops: 2.3 mm steel
    Throwoff: Taye Sidelatch
    Ventilation: single hole, no grommet

    Backstory

    A little over ten years ago I used to own a 14"x6.5" Yamaha Steel snare. For years I looked off and on for a 12"x7" steel snare (or the necessary parts to build my own), but my only success was a Dunnett that was likely >$500.

    Satisfied with the other aspects of the kit, I started focusing more on my snares. I wanted more cut for heavier rock without mic'ing, and the two maple snares I had did not cut enough while jamming with friends. After tweaking an Acrolite, I was left with a nice all-around snare, but it didn't have quite the oomph I recalled from my old steel snare (as well as those on the recordings of Soundgarden, Our Lady Peace, and Smashing Pumpkins).

    Armed with a budget of less than $200, I set out to survey the market. I coveted an Ayotte-Keplinger, but finding one new or used was quite difficult. I came across an old Ayotte DS Steel Snare on the 'bay, but the asking price was $100 over my budget. It would also prove nearly impossible to find spare parts for either if necessary.

    I considered a Ludwig to compliment my Acrolite and Classic Maple kit, but I found the throwoff wasn't to my liking.

    I remembered Ray Ayotte worked with Taye for a spell. I looked into what they had to offer.

    What I Liked

    -The size is the primary reason I bought this drum. I was willing to scale down to a 12"x6" rather than the 12"x7", but the narrower diameter is a tad more comfortable for me to play.

    -The throwoff is comfortable and wide. Like the Ayottes, the action is smooth, even when tensioned tightly.

    -The drum tuned easily and cut with plenty of body and projection mere minutes out of the box. I got precisely the sound I was after with little tinkering.

    -The lugs and badge are, to me, rather understated and unobtrusive. Aesthetics are inherently personal.

    -The sub-$200 price tag

    What Wasn't So Great

    - Like other stainless steel drums I've handled, the shell and everything about it fingerprints something awful.

    -Over the course of two and a half hours I had to retune the drum at least three times. I wanted it tuned medium high to high, and it seemed to lose tension faster than both my Ayottes and the Acrolite.

    -I did flip the snares off and found that I did have to tighten the tension somewhat when I turned them back on.

    -Dynamically, this snare is rather loud. I'll be sticking to the Acrolite or Ayottes in low volume or true anything-goes situations. But when things get heated, this is the 98MPH two-seamer that gets swings and misses, so to speak.

    In Closing

    I'm very happy with my purchase! Having to tune the drum a little more frequently is a small consolation to live with. Flipping the snares off is not something I am apt to do in the musical styles I intend to use this drum for. Given the expense of some of the other options I could have taken, I am not swayed that the additional expense is worth it.
    Last edited by MrB; 04-11-2012 at 11:43 PM.
    A simple, elegant design is good engineering.

    Axis | Ayotte | Evans | Gibraltar | Ludwig | Pro-Mark | Remo | Roc-N-Soc | SKB | Taye | Vic Firth | Whitney| Yamaha | Zildjian

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Taye Stainless Steel 12"x6" Snare

    I have the 14x6.5 version of this drum and I love it. The factory Dynaton heads stretch like mad when they're new. I swapped out for my usual combo and the drum just sings. Another nice thing about this series is that the shell is polished, not plated, so cracking/flaking chrome will never be a problem. Congrats

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Taye Stainless Steel 12"x6" Snare

    Congrats on the new snare

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Taye Stainless Steel 12"x6" Snare

    Thank you, gentlemen!

    Quote Originally Posted by MattDrums View Post
    I have the 14x6.5 version of this drum and I love it. The factory Dynaton heads stretch like mad when they're new. I swapped out for my usual combo and the drum just sings. Another nice thing about this series is that the shell is polished, not plated, so cracking/flaking chrome will never be a problem. Congrats
    Head stretching may be just what I ran into. I'm glad to learn that the shell isn't plated as well.
    A simple, elegant design is good engineering.

    Axis | Ayotte | Evans | Gibraltar | Ludwig | Pro-Mark | Remo | Roc-N-Soc | SKB | Taye | Vic Firth | Whitney| Yamaha | Zildjian

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Taye Stainless Steel 12"x6" Snare

    I know this is an older thread now, but I've searched and can't find any videos or sound files of this snare (the 12 x 6 model) anywhere on the web. MrB, would you consider uploading a video or mp3 file so we can hear it?
    .
    kits:
    Mapex Saturn IV -- Transparent Espresso Walnut (10-12-14-16-22)
    RMV Bapeva shell -- Blue Sparkle (12-14-16-22)

    snares:
    14x6.5 Yamaha seamless brass
    14x6.5 Taye Metalworks vintage brass
    14x6.5 Taye Metalworks stainless steel
    14x6 Tama Starphonic brass
    14x6 Pork Pie maple
    10x6 Pork Pie maple

    cymbals:
    14" K's and New Beats

    20" Byzance Sand Ride
    20" K Custom Dark Ride
    21" HHX Legacy Ride
    20" and 22" Dream Contact Crash/Rides

    15" AAX Dark Crash
    16" Signature Fast Crash
    18" Saluda Earthworks Crash
    20" Crash of Doom

    8" A Custom splash
    10" Signature splash

    electronics:
    Roland SPD-30
    Alesis Sample Pad Pro

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Taye Stainless Steel 12"x6" Snare

    Hello sir! I just saw your request. I personally don't have recording equipment, but I will see if I can enlist a friend's help this Wednesday to get a sample.
    A simple, elegant design is good engineering.

    Axis | Ayotte | Evans | Gibraltar | Ludwig | Pro-Mark | Remo | Roc-N-Soc | SKB | Taye | Vic Firth | Whitney| Yamaha | Zildjian

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Taye Stainless Steel 12"x6" Snare

    Quote Originally Posted by MrB View Post
    Hello sir! I just saw your request. I personally don't have recording equipment, but I will see if I can enlist a friend's help this Wednesday to get a sample.
    Great! Will look forward to it!
    .
    kits:
    Mapex Saturn IV -- Transparent Espresso Walnut (10-12-14-16-22)
    RMV Bapeva shell -- Blue Sparkle (12-14-16-22)

    snares:
    14x6.5 Yamaha seamless brass
    14x6.5 Taye Metalworks vintage brass
    14x6.5 Taye Metalworks stainless steel
    14x6 Tama Starphonic brass
    14x6 Pork Pie maple
    10x6 Pork Pie maple

    cymbals:
    14" K's and New Beats

    20" Byzance Sand Ride
    20" K Custom Dark Ride
    21" HHX Legacy Ride
    20" and 22" Dream Contact Crash/Rides

    15" AAX Dark Crash
    16" Signature Fast Crash
    18" Saluda Earthworks Crash
    20" Crash of Doom

    8" A Custom splash
    10" Signature splash

    electronics:
    Roland SPD-30
    Alesis Sample Pad Pro

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