If you can only have one Snare drum….

If it could only be one, it would be my 6.5x14 Dunnett Titanium. Fat on the low end, crisp on the high end, and never chokes. Truly a spectacular drum.
I'll have to circle back in a couple months once my Savage gets here, though...
Super jealous. When I went on a lengthy new snare search a few months ago, titanium was one of my favorite sounds. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any in my price range. Eventually I do plan to get one.
 
My Fibes 14x5.5" Chrome over Fiberglass (SFT 690). The famous "Buddy Rich" snare.

I found this on Reverb in near mint condition, no pitting or anything, which is very rare for this model. The guy I bought it from said it was owned by a wealthy jazz drummer (lol how ironic is that?) who tried out a bunch of snares, and put the ones he didn't play in a box in the attic. It remained in the attic for almost 40 years.

This is a holy grail snare for me. It's basically a unicorn. No other snare sounds like it. The fiberglass is bright, yet there is no tension in the construction of the shell, so it has a lower fundamental pitch. Throaty low end combined with a very satisfying high-end crackle. Having both in the same snare is almost unheard of.

Sound: crisp, dry, super articulate, immediate and satisfyingly sharp attack. No overtones, it doesn't need muffling. And the rimshots are unreal.

The sensitivity is insane, it puts all other snares to shame. A baby dung beetle could trigger the snare wires.

Here's Buddy playing it cranked up pretty high. (6:45 time stamp)


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Wow exactly how you describe. The sound is almost exaggerated
 
I’m gonna go with my 1970’s Prem 2000 because for the first decade of playing it was my only snare and I used it to back cabaret artists, a female pop singer, metal bands, a punk band, and numerous hard rock bands… 😀 (y)

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That thing looks Brand New! You get a great big atta boy for taking such good care of it!
 
I love this thread.

Please continue.
Me too, and thanks! Feel free to interject again :) and again:ROFLMAO:.

Threads dyed and woven together with the participants weave the fabric of life.
 
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Just one? A modern Gretsch 4157. But I only have a vintage one now (had to replace the Microsensitive throwoff).
Why did you get rid of the one you really liked?
 
That is a hard question - I know which wood and which metal shell snare I would settle on if I could have only two . Since the OP is asking for just one snare then it would be my Noble and Cooley 14 x 7” Walnut SS snare . This was the 4th snare made from their initial run of 22 snares. They had not made steambent walnut snares before then . They had a particularly nice tree with some highly figured grain .Nick Jones let me pick my shell and I chose the one pictured . It is an amazing snare drum , very rich and full sounding with incredible sensitivity
So the Noble and Cooley reigns! That is a great story about the tree/wood used in your snare, can you upload a photo perchance? I bet the rest of the peanut gallery would like to also have a peek...
 
There’s some great variety here!
 
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