Who gets the stock snare with new kit and why!

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sticks4drums

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Just wondering what most of you do when you order a new kit. Do you order the stock snare with it. If you see a new kit already at a store, is it a deterrent if the kit does not come with the stock snare, or do you say so what I am going to use one of my favorite snares anyways, and the stock snare will just sit in a corner and look pretty.
 
sticks4drums said:
Just wondering what most of you do when you order a new kit. Do you order the stock snare with it. If you see a new kit already at a store, is it a deterrent if the kit does not come with the stock snare, or do you say so what I am going to use one of my favorite snares anyways, and the stock snare will just sit in a corner and look pretty.
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Seeing that the snare is pretty much the most important drum, why wouldn't I want my new kit to come with a good snare ? This is especially true if you like a good wood snare. Otherwise, a different wood snare would not match your kit. My main kit came with a matching wood snare, and it's the best snare drum I own, and one of the best I have ever played. For me, a matching wood snare, that sounds great, is required, if I am buying a drum set I plan to keep for a very long time.
 
I got a new kit a month or so ago, but I just bought off the GC floor so I didn't have a choice (intermediate level... Tama Superstar).

If I had a choice (including a decent price-break) I wouldn't have taken the stock snare, since I had bought a Starclassic B/B snare a month prior (which I love). I have yet to use the superstar snare.
 
I like having the stock snares so I can have kits set up without having to take my main snare everywhere. I've got one snare where the band with a residence room rehearses (Premier XPK), one snare on my kit at home (Sonor S-Class), and one snare I take to gigs or anywhere where there will not be a snare (Premier Signia), so it lives in its case most of the time ready to just pick up and go. Sometimes I like to use the Sonor snare for gigs though, depends..

Not having the stock snare would not be a deal breaker though. In fact any future extra kits where I have the choice I probably wouldn't bother if it wasn't going to stay set up anywhere.

So basically it depends :)
 
When I've purchased new kits there wasn't necssarily a 'stock' snare. My Yamaha MCAN's could have had a matching snare but I ordered the set as I wanted it without.

The stock snares on high end kits (if they have a 'stock' snare) are usually nice. However if you're blowing that much dough, why not get the specific snare you want? That may be the stock snare but IMO not usually.

On the lower to intermediate kits, the snares are usually the weakest part of the deal. You may luck out and get a snare that really works for you but often there seem to be better choices.

I have (2) kits, Yamaha and an older Gretsch. I just sold off a Yamaha snare (Paul Leim) so that leaves me with no snares of even the same brand. I can't think of any within either brand that are even on the radar for the next couple of snare purchases.

I agree that snares are personal choices and one of your main 'voices'. I'd probably only be using a stock snare if I had no other choice in a new drum set purchase. But that snare might quickly be sold off to help purchase another.

Jim
 
Here is a good example for all to chew on. My best friend just received his 6 piece special order, Tama Babinga Elite, in Quilted Mocha Burst. He did not order the snare with it. One, because it was going to be 1000 dollars extra, and two, he has 5 snares at home that he will probably want to use instead. He has heard the stock one in person, and was not blown away by it. originally I thought it was strange that he did not order the stock snare, but now am wondering.
 
There are very few stock snares I would dish out the $$ for if buying a kit.

1. I am a fan of the non-matching snare. I personally like a finish contrast between my snare and shell pack.

2. You rarely get a deal on stock snares; look at that Bubinga Elite example. I bet you could order one of those through a shop or find one on eBay for less than a 1K.

3. There are very few stick snares I can think of which for the price would compare to, or exceed what I could find on my own.
 
I'm not a fan of stock snares. They usually sound like crap. They're the last thing I consider when looking to purchase a kit, since it's "acceptable" to swap out the snare on a kit, so I concentrate on the bass drum and toms. I never buy new kits, though, so I'm just speaking from the perspective of someone playing kits on a drum showroom, without spending any time tweaking their tuning. The only one I've heard lately that I like is the Ludwig Centennial. Oh, and a DW. And the snare that comes with Sonor Safaris and Ludwig Keystones. Wait...maybe I DO like stock snares! They're the best. If I were to buy a new kit, I would like to order the stock snare, if only to have a matching finish.
 
It's usually the cheaper kits that come with stock snares. High-end shell packs rarely include a snare, because drum manufacturers are drummers, also...and they're aware that drummers think of the snare as the most individualistic "voice", in the kit. Drummers usually prefer to choose a snare drum, separately.

I haven't had a stock snare that I had any real interest in, yet.
 
Most high end kits come ala cart, so while there may be an option of a matching snare, it's not really a "stock" snare in my opinion.

When I ordered my Premier Signia, I did not get the matching snare. I bought a DW that was a similar color.

When I got my DW kit, there was no matching snare to buy with it.

The only stock snare I ever owned was the one that came with my first drum kit.
 
Re: Who gets the matching snare with new kit and why!

By stock, I mean matching. Just so there is no confusion. :)
 
In my experience as a drum salesman, on high end kits, I'd say less than 1/2 people bough a matching snare.

In the late 80's when Yamaha Recording Customs were flying off the shelves, I don't recall anyone every buying the matching wood snare. They might get a brass Yamaha model, but not the RC. If it was a Ludwig sale, they might buy a black beauty.

The surge of popularity of DW in the mid-late 90's is what seemed to make the buying a matching snare more popular again.
 
I actually bought two matching snares with my monster kit just in case I ever wanted to sell it as two kits. I used them both on the kit for a while because I love when everything matches, but then I fell in love with bronze snares and in the cabinet they sit.
 
I don't like a matching snare, and I don't know why. Actually, yes I do, I don't like the look. Give me a mismatched snare any day. To me snares are a different purchase than a drum set.
 
sticks4drums said:
1000 dollars extra
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For a standard multiple ply shelled snare, irrespective of what's hanging off it, that's a lot of money. I could buy a hand crafted single ply steam bent, stave, or segmented snare of supreme quality for substantially less.

On the original subject, my prototype kit has a matching "stock" snare, & it's gorgeous! (& cost a lot less than $1,000 lol!)
 
keep it simple said:
For a standard multiple ply shelled snare, irrespective of what's hanging off it, that's a lot of money. I could buy a hand crafted single ply steam bent, stave, or segmented snare of supreme quality for substantially less.

On the original subject, my prototype kit has a matching "stock" snare, & it's gorgeous! (& cost a lot less than $1,000 lol!)
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Just because something is stave, segmented or steam, does not make it of supreme quality. Sorry, that doesn't fly with me. These Babingas are beautiful drums, that are beautifully made, and sound amazing. Must be why so many people use them. Ply is just another construction method. Does not mean it is inferior.
 
sticks4drums said:
Just wondering what most of you do when you order a new kit. Do you order the stock snare with it. If you see a new kit already at a store, is it a deterrent if the kit does not come with the stock snare, or do you say so what I am going to use one of my favorite snares anyways, and the stock snare will just sit in a corner and look pretty.
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Depending on the kit for sale, you might not get the choice of not getting the stock snare if you didn't want it. So I simply pay the price and either use it (in the case of the Sonor Safari and my Pearl Exports) or use my main snare and sell the stock one. I can understand the shops not wanting to keep the stock snare. They probably already have enough inventory that's not moving out of the store.

But every pro kit I've purchased over the years the pieces have always been a la carte, meaning I get to pick and choose everything, including not buying the snare. But, the Tama Starclassic Bubinga snares are really good - I kinda' wish I had a matching one for my kit! But I'll settle for the Stewart Copeland snare I have any day.
 
caddywumpus said:
I'm not a fan of stock snares. They usually sound like crap.
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I don't get this claim at all. If you are buying quality drums, made of quality wood, then shouldn't the same drum manufacturer be able to make a great wood snare to go with the kit you are buying ? Call it a test of their ability to make great drums. I mean, in most cases, this is the only chance you'll have to get a snare that matches your kit. I have an all-birch snare that goes with my kit, which is amazing, and I've heard all-maple snares from maple kits that are amazing. Granted, I wouldn't shell out $1000 for it, but it's usually more like $300 to $500 extra. I don't think there is anything particularly appealing about a non-matching wood snare. However, I think it's really cool when the wood snare matches your set, and sounds awesome. Now that's a drum set !
 
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I have never kept a snare that came with a new kit (Mapex M, Pearl Export, Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz). However, I bought a used Pacific SX snare that most probably came with someone else's kit. I really like it. So I guess it depends on the snare. Peace and goodwill.
 
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