How long does your snare cord last?

ron s

Senior Member
I wanted to ask this in the Acrolite thread, but I thought it deserved a new thread(no pun intended)
just curious, I had the snare cord on my new-to-me Acrolite break at a gig,the local drum shop fixed it and gave me some for future use. The guy told me that snare cord usually lasts 2-3 years. he thought it might have been a fluke that mine broke after 2 gigs, or maybe there is a burr on the snare itself.
This is my first snare that uses a cord as opposed to a plastic strap.

If it breaks again soon, I am willing to buy a new set of snares, but I am wondering what the members experience is as to how long your snare cords go until they break.
Average time with the drum being played regularly?

BTW, I keep the snares on in the bag so they don't get caught on anything while being put in or taken out. Snare tension is medium, little effort to flip them "on" with the strainer.

Thanks for any responses!
 
Mine lasts so long I don't even think about it. If you keep loose-ish wires, it sounds like your cord got damaged. I may have had one snare cord failure in all my times playing, and it was so long ago, I don't even remember when it was.

Shoelaces work in a pinch, but you have extra cord now. Maybe you should just use the strap.
 
The only one I've ever had break, was one I made from some ribbon...................looked great, but didn't work well

I've never had any snare cords or ribbons break that were designed for that purpose.
 
I asked couple people that have drummed ay longer than I. There seems to be the following consensus..

1: When they break, it's typically immediately after installing them, as if they are defective or installed incorrectly. This also applies to changing the head or doing anything that requires reinstallation.
2: Aside from that, they break almost exactly never.
 
I had a supra back in the early 80's, and I was going through cord like crazy. I took the drum to my local shop, and the drum tech there discovered a burr in the hoop cutout.
 
I haven't broken any on the 9 snares I changed over a couple years ago.
I use Ludwig's gold colored cord.
No signs of wear at all, and it stays where I've set it without stretching.
 
I've never had one fail. But then again I always keep a bit of cord around in case. In an emergency some of that fiber tape modified into a strap will hold for a while.

I have tried straps too, which were okay but cord works. I've even used nylon shot line.
 
I've got a couple of Ludwigs that have the same cord that they had 30 years ago. I don't leave the snares engaged when not in use but I store them in hard cases so I don't have to worry about the lever catching on something. You can buy the Ludwig cord in 10 yard packages that'll last you for years. I'm curious about Keep It Simple's ribbon though.
 
I tend to use the mylar strips when possible. When not possible, I use thin athletic shoestring.
 
I used to break them all the time when I was growing up and using the standard snare chord that was sold at the local music shop. I tried the plastic straps but I do not like them, they have a strange feel to them, it just does not work correctly for me. Maybe I just like the rope better. So now I figured out a better rope to use and all is fine now.
 
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Never, but I don't use string and I have changed my snare wires on all of my snares at least once. Now that you mention it, that plastic strip is really durable.
 
You can buy the plastic, mylar straps by themselves. You don't need to buy new snare wires.
 
I use Ludwig snare cord,and always have.I still have some left over from the early 70's an haven't broken any for .......forever.If you breaking them,it's usually a problem with overtensioning,or a sharp burr on the side side rim or the snares themselves.

Steve B
 
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Thanks for all the responses.
I have new cord on the Acro now and one gig with it so far.
If the cord breaks again, I'll look for a burr on the rim or the snares.

All my previous snares used the mylar strap and I have never had one of those break.
 
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