My first custom snare! highwood 42 ply birch

NUTHA JASON

NUTHA JASON

Senior Administrator
got her at a steal - arrived today. 42 plies of birch with a zebrano outer ply. She was in desperate need of a tune and oil but now i've given her some TLC and then gave her a whack and wow... WOW! she cracks but she has warmth. this is going to be a versatile snare. definite jazz application but i know she will work in funk and rock too. tomorrow i'll give her a gig test. hmmmm - mmm. happy christmas to me.
j
 

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I was following that, but after ordering some other stuff, the long haired chief of staff forbade me any further drum purchases on pain of, well; pain.

I'll just have to get Gareth to make me one.
 
lol - i just love the feel and look of silky smooth olive wood:

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just got home from my gig in wimbledon. this snare is devine! so sensitive. i put here through the full range of dynamics at the gig - she rocked but also held up well in other genres. my only complaint is that she doesn't hold her tuning as well as my FF snares but i know how to solve that one.
j
 

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High wood does beautiful work, congrats on the acquisition. The only thing it needs is something improvement on the that ugly throw off. I like to add matching wood over the lever and dial. I find it odd, the rubber on these throw offs is often missing with slightly used drums. I have a bronze Ludwig with same throw and it too was missing the rubber.
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Beautiful snare Jason. You have really been amassing some sexy gear lately.

I'd like to pick your brain a little if I may... You mentioned that the snare has jazz applications, I have always been under the impression that a thicker shell was first and foremost a one trick "crack-monster" (as dubbed by Andy). What heads/tuning/wires would you use to get a nice sensitive jazz tone out of this monster?

I have a 14x5.5 custom birch ply snare with cast hoops that I have tried every which way to get a more jazz-like tone out of. It seems that despite everything I am still left with a dry, loud "crack-monster" which sounds good but not sutable for my purposes.
 
i think cast hoops might be part of the problem. i'm also keen to try gavin harrisons idea of trimming off all but 8 strands of snare wire.
my own experience of snares has been weird. i teach on a lot of crappy school kits and i tune them up regularly. one thing i've noticed - although you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear you can get pretty close - unless the heads and wires are in shocking condition.
once i took a wood snare home and removed the reso and wires and then sanded the snare bed notches just a little deeper and bang the drum was much better.
that said i'm no expert in jazz snare sound. i just know what i like.
The only thing it needs is something improvement on the that ugly throw off. I like to add matching wood over the lever and dial. I find it odd, the rubber on these throw offs is often missing with slightly used drums. I have a bronze Ludwig with same throw and it too was missing the rubber.
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that is a great idea. i have a bit of seasoned yew.
j
 
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