Metal vs. Wood Snare

[Stevo42w]

i tried a perspex snare the other day. looked awesome.... lime green with black hardwear *pics coming* but it sounded horrid.... too much resonance. bad sound in general too.

[signia fan]

Another equation to the mix is: are you playing acoustically or miked through a PA? In my club experience, wood snares bottom characteristics are multiplied when using a mic. Meaning, you need gobs more top end out of a deep wood snare to get the highs through the system. Usually my wood snares live have the bottom head cranked quite tight.

[funkymcstain]

too much resonance....impossible people always feel that way about my drums when they play em by themselves, but feel differently when they hear em out front with a band.

[backtodrum]

Opposite can be said as well for a metal snare. My 402 when miced has a tendency to sound more ringy than I would like when micked. If you have ever struck a basketball with a drum stick and noticed the sound it makes, it is what my snare sounds like sometimes without gating to limit the signal. I have noticed it more at a particular theater that I play at regularly, but it is annoying none the less.

[BWard08]

Hey I play a wood snare and I love the warmth especially when we play outside. Metal though has a great crack to it, I love that to. Just get one of each!! haha Anybody here ever try one of those carbon fiber snares?

[backtodrum]

Carbon fiber is very loud and bright, I have fooled around on one and that was my impression.

[BWard08]

pretty much what I thought. Thanks

[funkymcstain]

Hey I play a wood snare and I love the warmth especially when we play outside. Metal though has a great crack to it, I love that to. Just get one of each!! haha Anybody here ever try one of those carbon fiber snares?

i havnt played the all carbon fiber shells, but have played pearl masterworks carbon ply drums. they are a maple shell with inner and outer carbon fiber plies. they have a ton of attack and projection. if i still played metal seriously i would prolly buy them.

[brutal juice]

i like a pretty dark tone so i stick with a basswood snare and 20 strand snare wire

[Michael]

A good index / general rule of thumb might be "how heavy the guitar distortion is in a song".....

For example, country music / bluegrass / folk = wood snare.

Hard Rock = metal snare.

Metal = Metal Snare

after all the nuances of the maple get lost in distortion.


I almost always prefer a maple snare drum unless of course it isn't cutting through the mix. Although I am very interested in the Noble & Cooley Alloy Snare. I haven't heard it yet but really want to give one a try. The metal snares I use now are a Vintage Ludwig Supraphonic, a vintage Ludwig NOB snare and a Yamaha Jimmy Chamberlain Signature snare.

Metal = REFERENCE Maple/Birch Snare! :D this is still acceptable IMO.. :D

[drumnpk]

Well for me it depends,sometimes i use a Gretsch 10 ply maple imho this is a great sounding snare lovely overtones and very resonant that baby sings.Other times i will switch between a World Max brass 14"x6.5 which i have the snare chain quite slack and this gives it a dirty sound or my DW Edge 12"x7" and it is one loud snare cuts through anything thrown at it.Bands that i fill the drum stool with comment that it's the loudest snare that they have ever heard..And today my 14"x5" RCI Acrylic snare arrived so i'm going to use it tonight..Review and pics will be up tomorrow evening..!!
So really it's good to have a choice of a few different snares that you like and to suit the gig you are playing

[SEAN8293]

i have a pearl free floating maple shell snare, its proaabably louder than most metal snares

[Russ]

what about metal snares for a side snare so can have good soft strokes with a wood main?

[dave0549jv]

i've only ever owned a metal snare. it's a pearl steel snare that sounds great with an evans power center batter. it's got a great, loud, metallic crack to it. i really like it a lot, but ive been thinking about picking up a wooden snare. something warmer and mellower. not sure what yet, i've gotta get out and try some.

any suggestions?

[drumnpk]

i've only ever owned a metal snare. it's a pearl steel snare that sounds great with an evans power center batter. it's got a great, loud, metallic crack to it. i really like it a lot, but ive been thinking about picking up a wooden snare. something warmer and mellower. not sure what yet, i've gotta get out and try some.

any suggestions?

Try as many as you can Dave and try different depths..I like deep snares 6.5"/7 but i have a 5" also..its a matter of affordability and personal choice..

[Russ]

didnt pearl make one with a crazy depth of like 3.4 or something. mike mancino or mancini's(i forgot the name)

[Deedubs!]

I vote for aluminum. It's kinda got the best attributes that meal and wood have all in one.

[davewilson]

I have an assortment of birch, maple, steel.etc. I discovered a few years ago that there are actually three distinct types of snares:
1. Wood snares
2. Metal snares
3. Ludwig Black Beauty snares

yes, it's true.. once you go black (as in black nickel over brass)... you can never go back.

[Drumbledore]

Chrome over brass or brass snares have a warmth to them that steel and aluminium snares don't quite have.

Then again, I love playing my highly cranked wood piccolo too, lol. The trick is to find the right snare for the right kit and the right song. I admire guys that can just do that so well.

[davewilson]

Chrome over brass or brass snares have a warmth to them that steel and aluminium snares don't quite have.

Then again, I love playing my highly cranked wood piccolo too, lol. The trick is to find the right snare for the right kit and the right song. I admire guys that can just do that so well.

So true.. I love them all.... but those plated brass snares, especially the Luddies... in a class of their own.

[Drumbledore]

So true.. I love them all.... but those plated brass snares, especially the Luddies... in a class of their own.

Wholeheartedly agrees.....I'm a Ludwig nut too.

[Deedubs!]

I would love to have a black beauty someday!.....it's only a matter of time.

[Deedubs!]

I would love to have a black beauty someday!.....it's only a matter of time.

An old keystone at that!

[davewilson]

a classic design that has endured for over 70 years...

[itchie]

thread revival..

again ...seriously