Cutting down snare wires

Diegoro

Member
I'm cutting down my puresound 20 strand blasters down to an 8 or 12 strand. I got this from Gavin Harrison, but how should I go about doing that? What should I use and should i take off outer wires or inner? I don't want to mess up and have to buy another set of wires
 
small wire clippers, cut right on the ends, leave no extra wire, cut 4 wires on each side

but better to just pay $15 and get a set of 12 strand.
 
small wire clippers, cut right on the ends, leave no extra wire, cut 4 wires on each side

but better to just pay $15 and get a set of 12 strand.

This. Just buy a set with the strand count that you want. They're cheap. You might want your 20 strand set for something else later on.

GeeDeeEmm
 
I do the same with 20 strand brass wires, usually take them down to 12 or 14 strand.

If you gently wiggle them around at the ends where they're soldered, eventually they'll give and they usually come out super clean. If they don't you can use a thin file on them just to be safe.

As for taking out outer or inner wires... it's just up to preference. I find that if you take out more of the center-most wires, you get more buzz but less initial punch, and vise-versa if you take out the outer-most wires.

The only thing you have to make sure about is that you take out the equal amount of wires from each side obviously.
 
I read some where (I think on here) that one of the posters cuts off the 2 outside wires on their 20 strand snares. I didn't try it, mostly because I don't use 20 strands. But it sounded like an interesting tweak.
 
I cut from the outer edges two at a time till I found my preference! On my sonor Greb snare, I cut the stock wires down to 12; On the Canopus dry wires I used with the Greb, I went to 16!

I say cut two at a time and just give the drum a go..rinse/repeat till you find what you like.

Another idea is to maybe buy a real cheap set of 20 strand and do the aforementioned method, and then once you find where you like it, cut down your puresounds. (Just in case.)
 
I now buy Puresound 12 strand concert snares. They are crisp and articulate as all get out, with minimal buzz.
 
I have sen the inside four cut out so that the wires remain parallel and stable with the outside pieces remaining.
 
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I have sen the inside four cut out so that the wires remain parallel and stable with the outside deices remaining.

Yes, Gatzen explains several scenarios including removing some wires from the middle in the link that I posted.
 
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I have sen the inside four cut out so that the wires remain parallel and stable with the outside pieces remaining.

Yes its best to remove from the inside as a 20 strand clip is designed for 20 strands, removing the outside wires can produce an uneven pull on the remaining center(ed) wires.

PURESOUNDS 12 strand clip as an example is designed for 12 strands, its not wider than the 12 strands.
 
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