Do You Like Metal Snares?

stellar92010

Senior Member
And what heads do you use on them? I absolutely love the sounds of metal snares, especially big fat 14x6.5's. Right now I have an Ian Paice Signature, 14x6.5, which is really a Supraphonic 402 disguised as a Pearl, a Pearl 13x3 Brass Picollo, and a Sensitone Elite Beaded Brass 14x6.5. Sick.

I want to pick up one of those Sensitone Elite Aluminum 14x5's that are on sale at GC now that the new premium line is out. But my eye is really on the 14x6.5 Premium Sensitone Phosphor Bronze that just came out. Anyone heard one yet? If they sound as good as they look they will be phenomenal.

The heads I use are Remo Renaissance Emperor snare batters, and Remo Renaissance Concert Ambassadors for the Snare side (3 mil head). Brass Snares sound stunning with that set-up.

Ok. Let's hear everything you know about metal snare drums.
 
Last edited:
Yep. Love 'em. Got a few.

I run coated Emperors on my Supra 402, Black Beauty, hammered bronze (all three are 14x6.5) and Supra 400 (14x5). Whilst I use a coated Ambassador on my 13x3 brass piccolo.

I run a similar head tension on all snares and the varying shell materials and depths give me the different voices I might require or favour.


Isn't the Paice sig. a steel shell?
 
Yea, the Ian Paice Sig is a steel shell. Someone said it is just a supraphonic like he used to use when he was with Ludwig, but I don't know. It's a hell of a drum.
 
I actually prefer metal snare drums, and same here; I like the 14x6.5 size best. A 14x6.5 Tama Metalworks was practically my first snare drum. After that, I wanted to upgrade to a 14x6.5 Pearl Sensitone, but instead, I ended up finding an early 80s 14x5.5 Rogers COB Dynasonic for about $170. It was a deal that I couldn’t pass up. At first, I didn’t like the sound because it was a smaller snare drum (in depth) but I think I just got used to the sound. Now, I play that same Dynasonic, while I work on putting together this project 1974 14x6.5 Rogers COB Dynasonic that I also got for about $170. It needs some work, but I hope to have it done in about a month or so. THAT will then probably be the greatest snare drum that I will ever own. I’m just saying.
Oh, and about heads. All of my snare drums have and will have Clear Remo Pinstripes on the batter-side, and Hazy Remo Ambassadors on the resonant-side.
 
hmm love them ,i use Dunnette 14x6.5 workhorse metal.
That is for me the best one to buy,its sounds superb in every tuning.
high ,low ,live super sound.so easy to work with.
 
Well, variety is the spice of life. Though, I generally gravitate to wooden snares. I'd love to get my hands on a Tama Bell Brass though... Oh, man!
 
I've always preferred steel and aluminium snares.
 
I love my Tama Metalworks 13 X 6" snare. It's LOUD and has great overtones, I use Evans Genera HD batter heads on it.
 
Well, variety is the spice of life. Though, I generally gravitate to wooden snares.

My thoughts exactly. I have a Black Beauty 14x6.5, 1920s Ludwig Universal 14x4, and Supraphonic 14x6.5 that I switch between when their sound is needed.

BB = big, brassy, ringy
Univ = brassy, yet drier and snappier
Supra = dry, thinner sound (less overtones) but with barky body

...but, yeah, I prefer wood snares when they sit well in the mix.
 
Last edited:
First metal snare drum was made by Sonor.

I go through phases where I prefer wood or metal. Right now, I alternate between a Gretsch USA Custom 6.5" deep snare drum, and a Gretsch USA G-4000 Solid Steel 6.5" deep snare. Both great drums. Both similar yet entirely unique. I have Puresound 16 wires on both.
 
I tend to gravitate to a good metal snare, but it's hard to beat a good solid-shell wood snare of sorts. Case in point: I play my brass Supraphonic LB400 and my 13" DW Craviotto almost exclusively, even though I have a George Way and a 70s LM402. I'll probably bring out my 402 for my gig on Friday.

My next snare is definitely a Dunnett Titanium - it's everything I've ever wanted out of a snare drum.
 
Cast me upon the wood pile as well.

I like metal snares but they all sound very similar to me. I know others will same about wood snares and that's great, we're both right.

I currently have a bazillion wood snares and 1 metal snare. Yes, one bazillion.
I want one more metal snare though - a Yamaha copper snare.

Neal
 
Does a bear shit in the woods? I love them. I'm rocking the same two pearl brass snares as you. On the piccolo, I use an HD dry with the holes so it sounds like a gun shot. On the deeper brass, I use 40 strand wires and slapped a G1 coated on it. The G1 makes it ring so good.

I use a birch snare sometimes, mainly for recording, and do enjoy its dry and subtle tone on the right song. But theres something about the sound of a deep, wet brass snare that makes my pants tighter.

My buddy has that Pearl carbon ply snare and that really does sound like a true wood/metal hybrid.
 
At one stage I had both metal and wood snares, but I got bored with the metal ones (and that included a Yamaha copper...) so I sold them. Recently I re-acquired a brass as well as an old Yamaha steel snare and I love them. Actually, I would never have thought but the old steel Yamaha is becoming a favourite (it's a 1980's SD-295, "Recording Custom" steel snare) for my folksy/jazzy/acoustic band..

Dutch
 
I am another wood guy as a rule, but have had metal drums. If I were buying one, I prefer aluminum or bronze.
 
Quote JWildman, "Does a bear shit in the woods?" Yes. But did you know that if no one is there to hear it , it doesn't make a noise.
 
And what heads do you use on them? I absolutely love the sounds of metal snares, especially big fat 14x6.5's. Right now I have an Ian Paice Signature, 14x6.5, which is really a Supraphonic 402 disguised as a Pearl, a Pearl 13x3 Brass Picollo, and a Sensitone Elite Beaded Brass 14x6.5. Sick.

I've never met a snare drum I didn't like :) Any snare can sound decent with the right tuning and heads. There are some I like better than others, for sure, but I like both metal and wood. I bought an Ian Paice during an X-mas sale at Cascio Interstate Music. They arleady had the lowest price on the web, throw on 20% off, and I got it for $243 brand new. GREAT SNARE!! GREAT PRICE!! I've been playing it exclusively since I got it, until this week when I just needed a change of Paice (pun intended).

Since we're talking metal, here's my line-up. I use different heads for different flavors.

Yamaha Seamless Copper 5.5" w/ Remo Coated Reverse Dot CS
Ludwig 1966 Supra 5" w/ above head
Ludwig 80's Supra 5" w/ Aquarian Texture Coated (great head)
Ludwig Bronze Supra 5" w/ same Aquarian
Ian Paice 6.5" Steel w/ Remo PowerStroke 3 Coated
Yamaha 6x10 Steel w/ Modern Vintage Aquarian, Medium (cool little side snare)


I currently have a bazillion wood snares and 1 metal snare. Yes, one bazillion.
I want one more metal snare though - a Yamaha copper snare.

Neal

Hey Neal, There's a seamless Yamaha Copper on the bay. Looks primo, but the guy is asking a lot. He has $525 BIN or B/O. These usually go around $300. I only saw 1 6.5" go for $400, which is the highest I've seen.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-5-5x14.../171234717462?pt=US_Drums&hash=item27de626f16

Bruce
 
Last edited:
Yes I love metal shell snare drums, especially Ludwig snare drums. My favourite head combinations on my Ludwig metal shell snare drums are as follows :

For Rock/Pop Gigs
Batter - Evans 360 Power Centre reverse dot
Resonant - Ludwig resonant snare side or Evans Hazy 300 snare side

For Jazz gigs
Batter - Ludwig Medium coated or Aquarian texture coated
Resonant - Ludwig snare side or Evans Hazy 300 snare side
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    275.9 KB · Views: 1,166
I've never met a snare drum I didn't like :) Any snare can sound decent with the right tuning and heads. There are some I like better than others, for sure, but I like both metal and wood. I bought an Ian Paice during an X-mas sale at Cascio Interstate Music. They arleady had the lowest price on the web, throw on 20% off, and I got it for $243 brand new. GREAT SNARE!! GREAT PRICE!! I've been playing it exclusively since I got it, until this week when I just needed a change of Paice (pun intended).

Since we're talking metal, here's my line-up. I use different heads for different flavors.

Yamaha Seamless Copper 5.5" w/ Remo Coated Reverse Dot CS
Ludwig 1966 Supra 5" w/ above head
Ludwig 80's Supra 5" w/ Aquarian Texture Coated (great head)
Ludwig Bronze Supra 5" w/ same Aquarian
Ian Paice 6.5" Steel w/ Remo PowerStroke 3 Coated
Yamaha 6x10 Steel w/ Vintage Ambassador (cool little side snare)




Hey Neal, There's a seamless Yamaha Copper on the bay. Looks primo, but the guy is asking a lot. He has $525 BIN or B/O. These usually go around $300. I only saw 1 6.5" go for $400, which is the highest I've seen.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-5-5x14.../171234717462?pt=US_Drums&hash=item27de626f16

Bruce

Wow , that's a nice one, don't see many of those. Kind of expensive though and I'm not sure bout those small square lugs under a lot of tension...recently sold a snare that had those lugs.

Neal
 
Back
Top