Top 5 Metal Snares

millerscapes

Senior Member
Just for fun, what are your top 5 metal snares. This is very general and very subjective but again, this is just for fun.

I'll start with mine, in no particular order:

1) Stanton Moore Spirit of New Orleans Titanium (Dunnett Titanium) 14x4.5
2) Black Beauty 14x5
3) DW Brass 14x6
4) Noble & Cooley Zildjian Alloy 14x6.5 (who doesn't like a $2000 snare?)
5) Pearl Sensitone, COB, 14x5.5 (my first nicer metal snare years ago)
 
In no particular order.

- Dunnett titanium 14x6.5
- Black Beauty 14x5
- DW Brass 14x6
- Tama 14 x 6 Starphonic Limited Edition Brass Snare Drum
- Ludwig LM402 14x6.5
 
Thanks for the responses! MLS, do you have any pics of the ayotte? I'm not familiar with that one right off.
 
For the price and the sound the Worldmax black dawgs and black hawgs are my favorite metal shelled snares.
 
In no particular order

Ludwig LM 400/402 supra phonic
Ludwig LB 416/417 black beauty
Ludwig LB 552KT hammered bronze supra phonic
Ludwig LM 404/405(pre blackrolite)acrolite
Slingerland Spitfire 12 lug lacquered brass
Honorable mention, Tama Kingbeat 5 or 6.5 x 14,no longer in production.

Steve B
 
Ludwig 6.5 x 14 Black Beauty
Tama - Copeland
Sonor - Designer 14 x 6 Ferro
DW Brass 14 x 6
Acrolite.


F
 
On no particular order:

Ludwig Supraphonic
Ludwig Acrolite
Pearl Ian Paice Snare
Mapex Black Panther Blade
Tama Sonic Steel

Right now I do not own any metal snares. I do play a Supraphonic twice a week at church. Peace and goodwill.
 
Of the snares I've actually heard and played in person

Ludwig black beauty 14x6.5 millenium edition (bought one)
Ludwig supraphonic 14x6.5 (want one)
Tama starphonic 14x6 brass
Sonor Danny Carey bronze (I'd love to hear the HLD590s etc)
Sonor Phill Rudd

I'd love to check out the dunnett titanium and tama bell brass from what I've heard on youtube.
 
Stanton Moore Titanium
Black Beauty
Supraphonic
Joyful Noise (any)
AK Drums Damion Reid Signature - AK does Craviotto metal snares as well and many others

but really, the top 5 are the 5 best tuned
 
In no particular order:
Paiste Spirit of 2002 13x5,5
Ludwig black beauty 14x6,5
Yamaha mike bordin signature
Ludwig chief titanium
LM 402
 
5 is too tough for me. I'll give you 2 I own I'm really impressed with. I've got a couple other metal snared I didn't list, but these two are far and away my favs.

14x5.5 Yamaha Jimmy Chamberlin Steel Sig
13x5.5 DW Cast Bronze
 
All I need in metal snare drums:
Ludwig LM402
Ludwig Black Beauty
Sonor Bronze
 
Five is tough for me too, but here are the top 5 in my book ( no particular order):

Ludwig lm400 Supra
Ludwig lm402 supra
Ludwig Acrolite
Ludwig Hammered aluminum supra
Ludwig hammered bronze supra
 
I'm wondering who has actually played a Ferro, AK, or Tama Bell Brass that listed them. I've only seen the Tama in person of those three drums, and I've been around.

Of the ones I've owned:
Real Keplinger 6x14 "Black Iron" (raw black steel, I believe)
5x14 Slingerland Aluminum
6.5x14 '40s NOB Leedy Commodore
Pork Pie 6.5x14 BOB
Yamaha 6.5x14 copper, seamless
 
1) 6.5x14 Supra
2) 6.5x14 Black Beauty
3) 6.5x14 Sensitone Elite Brass
4) 6.5x14 Tama Steel Mastercraft (early '80s)

I can't quite make 5. I had a 6.5x14 Rogers Steel Dynasonic that wouldn't make the cut. I also had a Gretsch 5x14 COB and an LM400 that wouldn't either.

To get it to five, I'd add a 6.5x14 Joyful Noise TKO Brass, a DW 6.5x14 Copper, and a Tama Bell Brass. That would knock out the BB and the Sensitone from my first list.
 
my fave five.

70s Premier 14x5.5" supra-faux-nic
Pearl Chad Smith Sig
Pearl 13x5.5" brass Sensitone.
70s Ludwig 14x5" supraphonic
Pearl 13x3.5" steel shelled piccolo

These are all snares that I have known and loved over the years. They may not be all that glamorous, but they are affordable, easy to find, and (aside from the piccolo), very versatile.

Barry
 
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