Good snare for two-piece, mini kit?

T

TMe

Senior Member
I built a suitcase kick drum last year, and now I'm finally getting back to mini-kit idea.
The kick sounds pretty much like a heavily dampened 20" kick.
I'd like a fairly lively snare drum that sounds good with or without snares, and can be played with brushes.
I'm thinking a 13" piccolo snare with a metal shell might be a good choice, but I see other people using deeper, 10" snares.
I've never played a 10", and find it hard to imagine how that could sound like anything other than popcorn, or how it could work with brushes.
Any suggestions, or does this guy look like a good choice? (I want a kit that's tiny, but not so cheap it's a joke.)
https://www.long-mcquade.com/6665/Drums/Snares/Pearl/Piccolo-Brass-Snare.htm
 
I agree something in the 5x14 range would be a good choice. I don't play a lot of brushes, but I like having a full size snare head to play on when I do. I feel like a smaller drum would be more challenging for brush work. Smaller drums tend to like to be tuned to a higher pitch, which many people read as being louder which can be at odds with wanting a lower volume drum.
 
If you want a piccolo you can get a mapex mpx steel for 14" or 13" or the new pearl shortfuse 13" steel piccolo for a little over $100. If you want a 10" definitely check out the Tama metalworks 10" steel. It's an incredible drum and also barely over $100. I recorded this entire EP with a Tama 10" steel snare: https://harumscarum.bandcamp.com/album/fervor
 
The issue with mini kits is that they're quieter than normal-sized kits, so the challenge is finding a snare that doesn't overpower everything. When I played my Ludwig Breakbeats kit, the snares I used were always 2 to 3 times as loud as the toms and kick.

As mentioned by @Bo Eder , the Ludwig Acrolite is one of the best 14x5" choices because they sound fantastic, and they're slightly quieter than other snares. Emphasis on slightly. And hopefully they will be easy to find in Canada?

A 13" snare would be ideal, though. Generally speaking, 13s are slightly less loud than 14s...plus it would fit with your mini kit idea. Also, I think a 13 is still large enough to play brushes.
 
While I agree with the versatility of a 5x14, and the Acrolite especially, I happen to love the feel and sensitivity of a 4x14. Especially with brushes. The bright dryness I can get from a 4x14 happens to go well with a dry thuddy bass.

13’s and smaller are cool, but they can be cramped for brush sweeps.
 
IBitePrettyHard said:
The issue with mini kits is that they're quieter than normal-sized kits, so the challenge is finding a snare that doesn't overpower everything. When I played my Ludwig Breakbeats kit, the snares I used were always 2 to 3 times as loud as the toms and kick.

As mentioned by @Bo Eder , the Ludwig Acrolite is one of the best 14x5" choices because they sound fantastic, and they're slightly quieter than other snares. Emphasis on slightly. And hopefully they will be easy to find in Canada?

A 13" snare would be ideal, though. Generally speaking, 13s are slightly less loud than 14s...plus it would fit with your mini kit idea. Also, I think a 13 is still large enough to play brushes.
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I believe the volume is in your hands, though.
 
That pearl 13" brass piccolo looks pretty loud. I have used the steel one. It sounded good but loud and not all that versatile. I have been using a Gretsch 13" wood with brushes. It's fine but I wouldn't go smaller. Pearl Omar Hakim power piccolo would fit your needs.

Questlove requested a 14 for the Ludwig breakbeats kit

Nate Smith used to favour the LM400/LM402 for his minimal setups

A CS dot head and/or a BFSD could help give you a broader palette
 
Bo Eder said:
I think weight-wise and sound-wise, a 5x14 Ludwig Acrolite would be a better choice. Every time I’ve played a piccolo they always seem too flat and only good for those high pitched cracking backbeats. With a physically larger snare you get more useful voices through tuning. My thinking, anyway.
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+1 on the Acro. I use mine with my Cat Club kit, not very loud drums by any measure. Easy to harness the Acro with a couple gels or a wallet.
 
Great comments. I agree 14-13 in snare and no smaller for brushes. My 13X7 in maple snare sounds fantastic with brushes (I think the deeper shells gives it a more pleasing timbre with brushes). I just put my ovangkol wood hoops on it-which I haven't had on the snare in a few years now-since our last move I had them stored. I forgot how great it sounds with these ovangkol hoops.
Screen Shot 2022-01-17 at 1.04.16 PM.jpeg
 
Bo Eder said:
I think weight-wise and sound-wise, a 5x14 Ludwig Acrolite would be a better choice. Every time I’ve played a piccolo they always seem too flat and only good for those high pitched cracking backbeats. With a physically larger snare you get more useful voices through tuning. My thinking, anyway.
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Interesting. Right now I'm using a 6.5" x 14" Supraphonic. I love how that sounds but it weighs a tonne. Not really in keeping with the mini-kit aesthetic. Is an Acrolite really "lite", compared to a Supra?
I'm not happy with my cheapo 14" piccolo at all. I was thinking a better quality piccolo might work, but maybe not.
My ideal drum for this would be a lightweight drum that really sings (with a lot of "ringggg...."), but without huge volume. I'm not sure if such a drum exists.
 
TMe said:
Interesting. Right now I'm using a 6.5" x 14" Supraphonic. I love how that sounds but it weighs a tonne. Not really in keeping with the mini-kit aesthetic. Is an Acrolite really "lite", compared to a Supra?
I'm not happy with my cheapo 14" piccolo at all. I was thinking a better quality piccolo might work, but maybe not.
My ideal drum for this would be a lightweight drum that really sings (with a lot of "ringggg...."), but without huge volume. I'm not sure if such a drum exists.
Click to expand...
There aren’t many snares that are lighter than the Supra, you know. I also play a 6.5” Supra and its aluminum shell makes it one of the lightest snares around. Acrolites, being of the same material, are about the same.

A drum that really sings at all volume levels, would be a Rogers Dyna-Sonic. But those are much heavier because of the brass shell. And wooden ones seriously break the bank.
 
I think the 5" deep Supraphonic deserves a look. Fantastic sounding, versatile as heck and light as a feather. It would be at the top of my list, personally speaking.
 
Bo Eder said:
There aren’t many snares that are lighter than the Supra, you know. I also play a 6.5” Supra and its aluminum shell makes it one of the lightest snares around.
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Really? Mine's a "B" stock, and maybe that's why. Maybe the shell is thicker than normal, because it's about the heaviest snare drum I've ever hoisted, much heavier than my old Ludwig 5" steel shell drum (which, sadly, was stolen).
plaid sabbath said:
Maybe look into the Ludwig Supralite lineup.
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Maybe that's it, or something with a thin steel shell.
 
You have been spoiled if the 6.5" Supra is the heaviest snare you've encountered. I can tell you (as others have) that it is one of the lightest snares in production today. I have a B-Stock LM402 also and it is anything but heavy.

Do yourself a favour and go lift a few 6.5 or 8" deep brass snares for comparison. That will give you a new appreciation for your LM402. ;)

While you're out, pick up (literally, not figuratively) a 5" deep Supraphonic to see how light it is. I doubt there are many (or any) lighter snares out there. Sounds killer, too. Seems a shoo-in for what you're looking for.
 
I play a two-piece and my favourite snares for that are two 14x4 maple drums that I got used for very little money. One is a Tama Artwood, the other one a Pearl that says "Piccolo" on the badge. I was told it´s the same drum as the JR Robinson signature snare and was renamed when JR left Pearl.
Great for brush playing. lively, full sound, very sensitive and articulate.
For 13" I can recommend the Pearl piccolos as well. I had the brass and still have the steel - it´s a little drier which is what I preferred. Both have a surprisingly wide tuning range, lots of crack but still a good amount of body. At medium tuning they sound quite a bit bigger than what you´d expect from a 13x3.
 
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