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The Snare drum Holy Grail
- Thread starter rayboomboom
- Start date
CC Cirillo
DFO Veteran
It is my opinion that there is no snare drum holy grail.
But by all means search.
But by all means search.
I was at Steve Maxwell's NYC store in January of 2010. He had a "museum room" with kits, snares, and cymbals that had belonged to various famous drummers. On a shelf was Buddy's Fibes snare. I asked if it was
THE snare, he said that it was. I must have had quite the look on my face. My girlfriend Jackie (now my wife) asked, "What do you mean by "THE" snare drum?" I told her the story of the Fibes snare that he used. (And how Slingerland reacted.) Steve smiled and nodded. Jackie suddenly had the same look on her face that I did, which made Mr. Maxwell and myself laugh.
To me that snare IS the holy grail of snare drums.
I've always wanted to own a Fibes fiberglass snare drum.
jptrickster
DFO Star
rayboomboom
Well-Known Member
It's been really interesting to see what people think what is the HG of snare drums. Some kind of generic answers, some really interesting, like Carl Palmers Paiste snare, and of course Buddy's Fibes.
I guess this is ended up being "if you could have any snare drum in the world to either play or just own, what would it be?"
I haven't found, nor do I know, what MY HG Snare would be. I'll let you know if I find it though.
Keep the comments coming.
I guess this is ended up being "if you could have any snare drum in the world to either play or just own, what would it be?"
I haven't found, nor do I know, what MY HG Snare would be. I'll let you know if I find it though.
Keep the comments coming.
afwdrums
Well-Known Member
if we're talking about what would be my personal holy grail drum, for which I am completely unworthy of owning, it would be this particular 4x14 20's Black Beauty
story goes, William F Ludwig gave this drum to Gene Krupa, who then gave it to Big Sid Catlett, who then gave it to Papa Jo Jones, who then gave it to Billy Cobham...somehow it then ended up being sold by Marcia Cobham, Billy's wife at the time, to John Riley...Billy can only 100% confirm that he got it from Papa Jo, but that is the story that he was told about it's prior provenance...amazing drum with an amazing history
here's Papa Jo playing it
and Maxwell's story on it, he brokered the sale when John Riley sold it
story goes, William F Ludwig gave this drum to Gene Krupa, who then gave it to Big Sid Catlett, who then gave it to Papa Jo Jones, who then gave it to Billy Cobham...somehow it then ended up being sold by Marcia Cobham, Billy's wife at the time, to John Riley...Billy can only 100% confirm that he got it from Papa Jo, but that is the story that he was told about it's prior provenance...amazing drum with an amazing history
here's Papa Jo playing it
and Maxwell's story on it, he brokered the sale when John Riley sold it
Shawn Martin
Well-Known Member
Come on. Everyone knows Jesus was a Leedy endorser.
Cableaddict
Member
Probably any 1920's - early 1930's brass snare is going to kill. AFAIK, they used a different alloy back then.
I have a crazy-rare 5.5" Slingy Artist, (Probably '30 - '32) which is the non-engraved version of the Black Beauty. It has a heavy, one piece shell. COB, not nickel, and it's just ridiculously nice.
FWIW, I have retrofitted the correct throw off since this picture was taken. (That throw cost me more than the drum did, lol....)
- Yes, I know the hoops are still not correct. They are period-correct, but probably from the cheaper line. Been searching for the correct double-flanged ones for YEARS .......
----------------------------
As far as "grails" go, using the OP's definition & short of something owned by a famous player, the Slingy BB has to it it. What are there, maybe a dozen known to still exist?
(For the record, I've only ever heard of ONE other chrome 5.5" Artist, but they are not as famous as the BB, so there are probably lots of them around, just not on the internet.)
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rayboomboom
Well-Known Member
Probably any 1920's - early 1930's brass snare is going to kill. AFAIK, they used a different alloy back then.
I have a crazy-rare 5.5" Slingy Artist, (Probably '30 - '32) which is the non-engraved version of the Black Beauty. It's chrome, not nickel, and it's just ridiculously nice.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cxdje6wcq8dk1i6/ My Slingy Artist - Logo Side .jpg?dl=0
FWIW, I have retrofitted the correct throw off since this picture was taken.
- Yes, I know the hoops are still not correct. They are period-correct, but probably from the cheaper line. Been searching for the correct double-flanged ones for YEARS .......
----------------------------
As far as "grails" go, short of something owned by a famous player, the Slingy BB has to it it. What are there, maybe a dozen known to still exist?
(For the record, I've only ever heard of ONE other chrome 5.5" Artist, but they are not as famous so there are probably lots of them around, just not on the internet.)
That's just a neat as hell looking drum. Congrats on that!
It was a private gig, he could play what he wanted
RobbiefromAtlanta
Very well Known Member
The Phantom is a great snare and there are so many ways to get rid of that ringy sound. I have a 14x6.5 and it’s been my favorite since I got it. You won’t be disappointed
steambent
preferably with a father and son video accompaniment
preferably with a father and son video accompaniment
heretic.
burn at the stake. would you like the stake to be one ply, 2 piece brass or ply?
standard Ming. acrolite, or mij.
DrummerJustLikeDad
That's Me, The Silent Son
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Those can be nice, but ply inventors whose great-grandsons buy the family business back from piano companies aren't so bad either, you know.
MidiFinger
Well-Known Member
I've always used a 1982 Slingerland 14x12 Maple Snare on my kit, but I recently acquired a 1991 Ludwig 15x12 Maple... looking forward to giving that a try...
A few to consider......
was using steambent "as a word"... wasn't "calling you" (didn't even think of it! Hello tho!!
and..had just watched the father and son video in post #1 ->
www.drumforum.org
and..had just watched the father and son video in post #1 ->
Interesting Film About Noble & Cooley
A nice short film by Business Insider looking behind the scenes at Noble & Cooley. Youtube
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was using steambent "as a word"... wasn't "calling you" (didn't even think of it! Hello tho!!
and..had just watched the father and son video in post #1 ->
Interesting Film About Noble & Cooley
A nice short film by Business Insider looking behind the scenes at Noble & Cooley. Youtube
Got ya.
