I thought this was a cool study on snare drums. I listened to the #1 snare and I thought.. Dang that does sound nice. Then I realized it costs $2500 !

It should sound good for that price!!

http://notsomoderndrummer.c...

The #2 snare retails at around $420. That's a deal!

Here is a more direct link to the top winners... Gretsch took 5th.

http://notsomoderndrummer.c...

Funny.

I don't personally like the way any of those drums were tuned.

Tell ya sumpthin' else: I know from personal experience that both the Gretsch and the Stone Custom stuff can be made to sound MUCH, MUCH better than those videos if tuned by someone who knows what they're doing with a drum key.

Just my own opinion, worth every penny you paid for it.

Nope — I'll take the vintage Slingerland Radio King kit with calf heads. Providing someone else is going to play it. You wouldn't want to let me anywhere near a drum kit.

Dave K, yer talkin' my language now, bud.

I had 7 complete sets of Radio Kings, 17 more snare drums, and at least 1 of each size of Radio King tom and bass drum, including a couple of one-offs.

They were my axes for years until I became a Slingerland endorser (back when Mr. Gretsch owned Slingerland, incidentally) and ironically enough, they didn't want me using any of my 'Kings publicly anymore because they weren't something that they were currently making. Can't say I blame 'em for that.

But yeah, love 'em to death. Back in the day, I sold 2 'King snare drums to Fran Christina with the Fabulous Thunderbirds and another to Nicko McBrain with Iron Maiden.

-oops, just realized I hijacked...sorry.-

No worries about hijacking. I like the drum discussion. What's your favorite snare type? wood or metal shell?

For me personally, my favorite shell material has turned out to be brass.

You get the high end of a metal drum with the ability to get a whole bunch of depth, moreso than with steel or even many wooden drums.

With a 6.5 x 14 brass drum, I've had very good luck getting what I needed in any situation, regardless of room acoustics.

Tell ya sumpthin' else. At the last Nashville RoundUp, there was a 6.5" Renown drum in the Barn that defied the laws of acoustics. It just shouldn't be possible for that drum to sound as amazing as it did in that environment.

I told Fred Gretsch that if it was the 1600's, he'd have been tried as a witch becuase it just ain't natural to be able to make a snare drum that sounded like it did in that room and with the head that was on it.

But what about bacon? Have you tried bacon?

mmmm...bacon....

yer fabulous, babe, I mean it, man...

I bet that would have some nice sizzle.

Y'know, bacon could give you a CRISP sound......get it?...CRISP?...hello?.............tough room.

Once. You'd get a crisp sound once.

Once is all I'm good for.

tubwompus: Here's my nephew on one of his Slingerland kits.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=H29...

I thought the second snare drums overtones unbearable, but I liked the Artisan.

Wow, Dave K. That feller's seen Buddy Rich wunst or twicet.

As smooth and relaxed and fluid as a human can get.

He was playin' some STUFF too.

My hat is off.

Did someone say "Radio King?" How's about a 1957?

Love the drum solo Dave_K

Someone here once suggested the aluminum Ludwig snares to me and that was great advice. I picked one up about a year ago and now I've lost all interest in anything else.

marz: Oh, my stars and garters!

...and THE sizes too. mmm hmmm.

Here's my nephew on one of his Slingerland kits. Dave_K

Excellent stick and foot technique and a good sound.. and not either distorted or unbalanced like the majority of recorded kits on the net.