Which STEEL SNARE?

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piotrekk

Junior Member
Im trying to buy steel snare in affordable price
I have those 3 to choose from:
Pearl FF steel 14x3,5 (version witch triple flanged hoops)
Tama Metalworks Black Monochrome 14x6,5 http://www.tamadrum.co.jp/eu/news/product_news/2013/Metalworks/index.html
Gretsch Taylor Hawkins 14x6,5
Which one i better? Gretsch on YT sounds diffrent in diffrent movies. In one it sounds killer and suck in another. There is no good videos with Tama so i dont know tunning range of this snare. And about Pearl I like the sound of it and with die cast hoop on top it should sound even better but im wondering if its loud enogh to rock music and does it have vide tunning range?
Please Help!!! RECOMMEND :)
 
I'd get the pearl with the triple flanged hoops as its more versatile. However, if its that vintage cast hoop sound with a bit of oomph, the Tama
 
What sound are you going for?

A 3.5" deep piccolo doesn't (and never will) sound like a 6.5" deep drum, no matter how you cut it. Tell us what you're chasing and we'll be better equipped to offer advice that goes further than just blindly stabbing in the dark.
 
I have the free floating steel (but the older one with die cast hoops and those amazing 15" snare wires), and its GREAT, but I think mostly due to the special snare wires as its SO sensitive. Allow me to put three better ideas out for you:
Pearl Sensitone Elite Steel (used by MANY pro drummers out there)
Ludwig Supralte (AMAZING snares, bermuda has one I believe)
Tama SLP vntage steel (another great snare, there take on ludwig it seems).

These I would take as precedence over the ones you named.
 
Id like to have nice deep rock sound. Something like in Buckcherry 15 album, Foo Fighters or in the beggining sample of this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wjKc-S1YjU. By the way in this video You can see that tunned low this FF sound pretty decent as in medium tunning. Id like nice deep sound but not too much ringing. Of course it would be nice if snare could be tuned higher and sound clearer like in here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSZrURPPnoY
I hope i didnt mess up :)
 
BTW StaggerLee
This Tama Vintage steel sounds great but (maybe im wrong) i thing it has weird rimshot. I mean it has very high ring. And for my taste it shoud be a little warmer. Maybe die cast hoop would eliminate this issue.
Anyway another contestant in my rating
THX
 
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piotrekk said:
Id like to have nice deep rock sound.
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Stay away from the piccolo then. They are tight, high pitched and poppy by design. The 6.5" deep drums will be far more towards what you're looking for.

piotrekk said:
Id like nice deep sound but not too much ringing.
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Steel rings. It is by far the "ringyest" of all the metals. Be prepared for that. It certainly doesn't mean that you can tune (and if need be, dampen) in order to get a tone that pleases you. But, it is the nature of a steel shell to ring. That's just what they do.

It's worth being mindful of that before you lay down your hard earned.

piotrekk said:
I hope i didnt mess up :)
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Not at all mate. You did great. It'll help us be far more specific with our advice.
 
So i think my final choice will be between Tama metalworks , Pearl Sensi Stainless steel i Tama vintage steel. Metalworks is cheaper about 40 bucks. What do You think which is better??
 
I'd go with the Ludwig Supralite.Just a great sounding drum at a great price.It's a versatile snare in 6.5x14 and has a very wide tuning range,and surpriseingly sensitive.Die cast hoops will tame most overtones and ring,and focus the sound,and give you gun shot like rim shots.

Like my mate Pocket said,steel IS the ringiest of all the metals,so forget about how drums sound in vids and studio recordings.That sound happens in the board/control room,with an experienced engineer at the helm.Go play a few drums,and let your ears decide.

Steve B
 
Ludwig makes a 15" Supralite that sounds like it might be what you're looking for.
If it's like the other ones I've heard, it'll be a bit ringy, but can be easily tamed down.
Should tune low enough for you too.
 
I'm betting that shortly after you buy a steel snare, you'll hear one you like better on youtube.


LOL
 
I might be a junior member on this forum but im not deaf and stupid to not to know how steel snare sound live. Till now i used vintage yamaha snare which, despite it was wood (but very thin shell) was loud and ringy as f^%k. In comparison to it, any steel drum would be warmer in sound than bronze one :) I just want to know opinion about snares that ive never heard or seen live. Im guessing that user or person who saw/ played it know better to advise. My opinion was rather if those 2 different price range snares sound simmilar on vid, so maybe they're spicing up a little those sound samples. Especially if TH snare on vids with simple camera mic sound like crap.
 
I was just kidding you.

I've got a Yamaha wood snare too. I posted on here how surprised I was that it had more ring to it than my steel snare.
I like it though. There are lots of ways to tame down a snare that rings.
What kind of price range are you thinking of for a snare?
 
piotrekk said:
Im trying to buy steel snare in affordable price
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You like steel, and affordable?
Pearl 10 lug 'jupiter' snare (from 80's). Used < $150
Pearl Ian Paice Sig $200 ( a steel supraphonic)
Pearl Chad Smith < $150
Tama Stew Copeland Sig <$200

these are all had on ebay or used sites. check out yoru fave u-tube for them, and beware many of those vids get eq'ed.
 
opentune Youre right a lot but...
Ian Paice snare its great in sound, but itsnothing more than Sensitone elite stainless steel shell with some upgrades (Ian Paice badge, muffler and locking screws) so id rather go for cheaper Sensi. Jupiter is out of my range because i havent found any good offer on web. chad smith doesnt sound good for my taste (ive heard it live) and Tama its akiller but there are no offers below 400 buck on e bay :( Im starting to think that best choice its Supralite because its very affordable in price and with some upgrade (die cast on top) it should make me sattisfeid or Sensi Stainless and i would choose between those two.
 
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