New! Official Guru In-Tense snare comparison video :)

33 tunings lol. All spot on. I'm REALLY seriously excited about hearing an In-Tense tom. I think this is where you will really hear the difference compared to standard construction. I expect an In-Tense tom to be as lively as wood drums get.
The video shows you really care about what drummers need to make decisions. Drums are a time consuming instrument to tune. You guys always deliver more than anyone else. Your standards are totally fresh.

I can vouch for the Ovangkol hoops. They add such a unique tonality to the drum....I tried S hoops on my 10" tom as an experiment and like Andy says, you can REALLY hear a difference. I hit that tom with the S hoop like 3 times, and that was it. Off they went. The ovangkol hoops are unique to the industry, and they are indeed alive. They change a drums tone for the better in a totally musical way. I'll never use another hoop on my toms.

Now on my snare.... I gigged my Guru snare with the ovangkol hoops one night and with some metal S hoops on a different night. Same room. This is where I re-discovered how much I depend on a die cast hoop on my snare. The wood hoop didn't have the rimshot cut I liked, (although the rim click recorded just gorgeously, I mean really exceptional) and the S hoops.... while better for me live than the ovangkol hoops...the drum was a little too out of control to me with the S's. I can't believe I'm saying that actually. I like lively toms but I like a more focused snare I re-discovered.

I haven't tried the Guru snare with die casts yet at a gig. That's next. I'm very curious as to how well I will like it. I'm so imprinted with my 6.5" deep maple snare, and I continue to be in love with the recorded sound of it, that I don't know if any other drum will ever satisfy me. But that won't stop me from trying lol.

I think the Guru snare with the ovangkol hoops would be a superior recording drum hands down. Those hoops are so musical sounding...they need an environment where they can be appreciated. In a quiet intimate live setting they would excel in spades. But live, in a crowded noisy environment, I need a deeper drum with metal die casts for cut and focus. I love playing the Guru in my studio so much with the wood hoops on though...I was surprised that at a gig how my own perceptions change.
Thanks so much for the detailed reply Larry.

In general, die cast hoops on snares are absolutely the tool of choice for us rimshot addicts out there. I use them myself, absolutely in preference to any other hoops, even the ovangkol ones. Recording = a different game altogether, & if you use cross stick, those ovangkol hoops are unbeatable. They're so different to a multiple ply hoop, it's untrue. Same with toms. You don't need to rimshot them to appreciate just how much they add to the tone. A single centre head tom strike is all it takes to reveal that difference.

Now to die cast hoops on an In-Tense series steam bent snare. Unlike you Larry, I've already had the luxury of trying that combo. It's incredible. Those heavy hoops keep the heads in check, whilst the super resonant shell aligned with low mass lugs allows the tone to dominate from the back room. A heady live combination. I'm taking bets on your reaction when you try it Larry :)

As for In-Tense toms/kits, if the prototypes are anything to go by, & if you like drums that deliver almost too much of everything when you so much as go near them - hold on to your hats! I'm so delighted at the big difference between Origin & In-Tense. Opposite ends of the upper echelon instruments. One is pure, the other is just disgustingly alive - both musical. I couldn't be happier with our ability to offer two genuinely new voices in the industry :)
 
The snare that is being played starting at 00:11 of the video has the ideal sound for me. Amazing. Is it the same as the one on 03:06? Doesn't sound the same on any tuning, but looks the same.

/e wrong! just saw there is a 4th tuning called "very low" haha. ok that's awesome.
 
The snare that is being played starting at 00:11 of the video has the ideal sound for me. Amazing. Is it the same as the one on 03:06? Doesn't sound the same on any tuning, but looks the same.

/e wrong! just saw there is a 4th tuning called "very low" haha. ok that's awesome.
Yup, you got it :) That very low tuning with a 13" drum was achieved with a high reso head tension - slacken the batter head right off, then depressing the head in the centre, even wrinkle tune until the drum produces a tone. That's the lowest voice the drum has. A high reso head tension is absolutely the way to go if you want ultra low tuning but still allow the drum to deliver tone. Additionally, a drum that has a highly resonant shell that opens up easily helps too.
 
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