The start of an experiment

[Johnny G]

Do it! You won't regret it. The sound and feel of a 12 x 8 is very unique. My shell is completely different wood and construction method than yours, but I don't think a birch shell will disappoint. Or do you mean you have a Maxwin shell left over? What is that made of?
Either way, don't be afraid to try it! Start a thread and keep us posted!

[N2Bluz]

Yeah, the shell I would use would be the Phillipine Mahogany (Luan) one from the Maxwins. It's the "black sheep" of the Maxwin kit and Im planning on replacing it with an older Export tom with a birch inner ply. This is the one....

[Johnny G]

I wish I was tapping this out as a proper update on my progress, but, no.
Instead, I have been trying not to loose patience with the guy who is cutting the gates in the bottom rim while he finishes other projects first. He also happens to be holding on to the lugs and throw as I had to have it all shipped to him together. Capice?
Then I am trying not to loose patience with the online hardware dealer who sent me 2" tension rods in 2.5" packaging. Now, since the shell is waiting for the rest of the hardware anyway, I "have the time" to wait for the replacement tension rods, but this is killing me. I am so excited to find out what sound will come forth from this thing, it's like my own little Christmas for myself.
I am assured by the aforementioned guy-with-my-hardware that it "won't be long now", so I am ever hopeful to have pics and video well before Thanksgiving.
Peace and rhythm...

[Johnny G]

OK, so I have real progress to report. She's not playable yet, but really really close.
The only issues to be resolved are cutting the gates into the bottom rim, and buying the next longest tension rod for the bottom head. The top head makes it by just enough, but the bottom is slightly off. The 3" rods kinda float above the lugs unless I lean on the rim. Lugs seem to be ever so slightly off center. I got her assembled enough for photos.





I am really loving this finish with the chrome. The lugs look a lot cooler in person than from the website picture, too.
As a reminder, this used to be a 16" x 14" black concert tom.

[Olimpass]

SCHWEEEEEET!!!
Can't wait to hear that thing! Awesome work...it's looking great!
Please post a vid of you crackin' it with the kit when it's finished!

[imperialstar15]

Dang, it's really comin along, nice job!

[drumsetsnide]

Nice!

[The Chazbo]

Looking good! I would love to hear how a 16" snare sounds! Very cool project

[Johnny G]

So, a buddy cut the snare gates in the bottom rim just last night. Came out awesome.
The 3.5" tension rods should arrive by Tuesday! Then I can complete assembly and finally hear what this beast is gonna sound like!
Sooooooo close!

[Ricardo]

Are you going to be using this as a concert snare ?
Seems like 16 inches is an awful lot of space at the drum set and an awful lot of shell between your legs.

[slinglander]

Are you going to be using this as a concert snare ?
Seems like 16 inches is an awful lot of space at the drum set and an awful lot of shell between your legs.

Maybe he'll play the snare at chest height or he has thin legs?
Interesting, tho.

[Johnny G]

It actually fits between my legs just fine, and I'm only 5'6". You would be surprised how little extra room it takes. Just an extra 1" all around, if you can picture it. I'll take a pic of it in the driver's position when it's done.
That being said, I plan on keeping it as a side snare, next to the hats, for everyday use at home. It might end up between my legs for a particular recording or something.
Have to get it assembled and hear it first. Might throw it away and make a 14" with the hardware. Or, I might go into the 16" snare business if it's a wonderful, versatile instrument! Who knows. I think it has great potential.

[imperialstar15]

Sweeet, i really wanna hear out it turns out, good or bad, it'll be an awesome project nevertheless

[Johnny G]

OK! Big lesson learned for me during this process. Figured I should share just in case another of you didn't already know.
I won't go into the story of tension rods going back and forth across country, just the lesson learned, which is...
Tension rod length is measured from the collar to the threaded tip, not from tip to tip!
I received two incorrect orders due to my misunderstanding of this little fact. I also suffer from a severe case of inflated trust in those filling my order. I forget what kind of resume it takes to land a drum hardware wherehouse job.
Sooooo...the correct rods are indeed on their way to my hot little hands and should arrive before the end of the coming week. I have some time between Christmas and New Year's to get this thing fully assembled, tuned, and video'd as both side snare and main snare so you guys can see the size as it fits in the kit.
We are really and truly close now! Patience has been hard to muster these last few weeks.

[imperialstar15]

OK! Big lesson learned for me during this process. Figured I should share just in case another of you didn't already know.
I won't go into the story of tension rods going back and forth across country, just the lesson learned, which is...
Tension rod length is measured from the collar to the threaded tip, not from tip to tip!
I received two incorrect orders due to my misunderstanding of this little fact. I also suffer from a severe case of inflated trust in those filling my order. I forget what kind of resume it takes to land a drum hardware wherehouse job.
Sooooo...the correct rods are indeed on their way to my hot little hands and should arrive before the end of the coming week. I have some time between Christmas and New Year's to get this thing fully assembled, tuned, and video'd as both side snare and main snare so you guys can see the size as it fits in the kit.
We are really and truly close now! Patience has been hard to muster these last few weeks.

That is a good fact, sorry to hear it got messed up, but patience has it's rewards

[CB700]

Johnny cant wait to see the end product.

[Johnny G]

Hard to believe it, but she's finally fully assembled! My former black CB 700 concert tom is now re-purposed into an antique white 16" x 7" snare!!



She sounds really really fat with a nice ping at the end. Doesn't linger too long, thanks to the moon gel, but she still sounds mostly "open". I have a pretty medium tight tension on the batter side. Found a pitch just above the 10" tom that doesn't even begin to choke this shell.
I cranked it a bit more, but got too close to the pitch of my other snares. I wanted to keep this a lower end snare, as her size would seem to accommodate best anyway, so I cranked it back down.
As I got down to the pitch of the 10" tom, the batter head got too sloppy for my taste, so I tuned her back up.
The snare's side head stayed at a medium tight through this process, as I didn't have time to keep flipping her over and adjusting. So, obviously, there's a lot of experimenting with different heads and tunings to be done.
Currently wearing coated Emp on top with clear Amb on bottom. Figured I'd start simple. I just put an Evans coated Reverse Dot on one of the others, and I love it! Actually not using any gel at all on that drum now. the head is the perfect mix of dry and ping. So that will probably be the next one for this beast.
Any ideas for her name?



The fit is a little weird, but totally playable. I got used to it very quickly. The diameter is less trouble than her depth. Her special DW stand bottoms out about a 1/2" shy of perfect, so I feel like I hit her too soon, if you know what I mean. Rim shots can be played either to the middle or toward the side with very different results.
Also, cross sticks sound amazing, but are a weird angle if I don't re-position my 13" hanging floor tom. Once the got the shoulder of the stick to the spot between lugs, it was a sweet, woody knock that was as close to an actual wood block as I have heard. Really surprised me.
Video will come, but I need time to film at different tunings and stuff and edit it nicely and whatnot, but I'll get it done. Promise.
PS I had a ball breaking her in yesterday. Really fun to play. Such a huge target!

[Ricardo]

A 16 snare and a 13 floor..............
Looks like you got it backwards.
Would love to try it anyway.
Good job...........it looks great.

[CB700]

Johnny would love to hear that snare. Good job on it too.

[ettsn]

Try a Diplomat on the bottom. Should be as close to a snare side head as you'll find in 16".

Name? Hmm. How about Sixteen Tons? Girthmother? Phatburger? SurdoSnare?