zzzzzz... seriously sleeper snares... zzzzzz

[thejohnlec]

I have a 5.5 x 14 Pearl Limited Edition that is just a killer. It prefers a higher tuning but it sounds like a rifle shot. Paid $60 for it.

 

[mydadisjr]

Mapex Meridian maple 20 lug snare... great for "stand up concert snare".

I practice my paradiddles, double stroke rolls and reading on this one. Mapex does good edges IMHO.

 

[Marquisjohnson22]

Pearl Masters Maple
Remo Bravo II
Yamaha Musashi Oak
Pearl Steel Shell
Tama Steel (King Beat, Mastercraft, etc)
Pearl Marvin "Smitty" Smith

 

[DrumPhil]

Hate to just jump on the bandwagon, but my late 1990s bronze Sensitone is the one snare I would grab on the way out if my house were on fire. (Maybe I shouldn't keep it in the basement!) I fell in love with someone's bronze drum I played at an audition, so the Pearl was the first snare I ever bought separate from a kit.

 

[rsmittee]

Mapex Brass Cat

I wanted a Black Beauty but didn't want to pay for it, and then I found a demo Brass Cat at my favorite LDS. No, it's not a BB, but it's an outstanding snare at 1/2 the price, and I rarely hear anyone talking them up. The build quality is great. It has a wide tuning range, and the strainer is the smoothest I own (except maybe my new Starphonic.)

 

[audiochurch]

Yamaha steel snare from early stage customs. If i didnt already own 3 great snares, I would use this in a heartbeat.

Yamaha 14x6.5" Steel Snare Drum | eBay

There are a few blemishes and scratches to the finish of this drum but it plays well and sounds great.

www.ebay.com

 

[exliontamer]

Rogers SuperTen. Great backbeat sound, records beautifully, cuts without being harsh, affordable, solid strainer, nice response, etc.

I'll also reiterate that Pearl Sensitones are the best value/sound out there for new snares. They're ready to go out of the box.

 

[lossforgain]

I’ll add another vote for Pearl Sensitone snares. I have a bronze drum that has become a staple for me.

Also, I have a Slingerland Festival (steel) 5x14 from the late 70s-early 80s that is just a fantastic drum. I paid very little for it, never sold it because it’s not worth a lot, and has an ancient Attack head on it that has lost about 50% of its coating. But it sounds perfect and lives on my second set that the students play on.

 

[AustinFitz]

70s Pearl COB snares with the simple Non-Jupiter Gladstone strainer (non-parallel type). Both the 5x14 and the 6.5x14 models feature super heavy weight brass shells with seams and they just have something very special about the sound they produce. They are much heavier than their counterparts from other companies. Less honk than a Ludwig COB, more crack with LOTS of body. I like them with Remo CS Coated Reverse Dot batter heads and Remo Hazy Ambassador Snare side heads and Canopus Vintage wires (both chrome plated and non-chrome plated wires are great...the non-chrome plated wires are a little drier sounding). They are particularly great if you swap out the batter stock hoop with a die cast hoop too or swap both hoops for brass hoops.
Anyway, I know that some drummers are aware that the 5x14 model was the infamous Stewart Copeland snare used on all of the albums from Zenyatta Mondatta onward. It's a noticeable change in tone and crack from the first two albums. His drum has a Gretsch Die Cast hoop swapped out for the batter side. It's a special drum.
Anyway, they used to be very cheap until recently, but you can still find a nice one that will play beautifully for $250-$300, which is pretty cheap these days considering the prices on everything else. I had 5 of them at one time, but I sold off a couple recently, one to Ted Nugent's drummer who is local to me. He loved the one with the plating stripped down to the raw brass. It sounded amazing, even with these raggedy old Remo Heads and 42 strand generic snare wires. It sounded stupid great.

View attachment 577435

The vintage Pearl COB gets my vote as well. I actually really like the parallel strainer "Jupiter" models myself though. Replacement wires can be a bit hard to find, but I LOVE the adjustability/versatility.

My late 70's 14×6.5" Jupiter has been my favorite snare for years!

 

[fibes3]

Anyone remember when these were being auctioned on Ebay a few years back?
Not a bad sounding drum.
They benefitted from different heads.

Any ever play a full set of Ming/Mair?

 

[lossforgain]

Anyone remember when these were being auctioned on Ebay a few years back?
Not a bad sounding drum.
They benefitted from different heads.

Any ever play a full set of Ming/Mair?

I think @FloydZKing has or had a set.

I keep hoping to stumble upon another Ming snare on Facebook for cheap, since they have zero name recognition. I had one and sold it, and regretted it because that’s when the sales on eBay dried up.

 

[Edward]

Every vintage six lug student snare

Why? I’ve never played one.

 

[Phantomlimb777]

Why? I’ve never played one.

Light weight, open sound. It’s a very specific, satisfying sound.

 

[drummerjohn333]

Give me a little wiggle room here.........

----- 5x14 Gene Krupa COB Slingerland -----

These used to be found for $100-125 commonly, but today not so much.

As good as they sound in person, they sound even better recorded.

 

[drummerjohn333]

I have a pearl-wrap jellybean kit....still need to complete the snare. I am going to wrap a pitted up old metal vintage MIJ. I will let you all know if people compliment it - not knowing what it is. Might prove some drum theories true.

 

[Demonslayer]

These used to be found for $100-125 commonly, but today not so much.

Many of these sleepers have gained a lot of recognition over the years. Just look at those Acros...

 

[MrDrums2112]

Every vintage six lug student snare

The old Slingerland 6-luggers from their Stage Band kits were absolutely fantastic!

 

[patrickwitherow]

Every vintage six lug student snare

Six luggers get my vote. WFL 6-lug 'Supreme Concert' snares are one of my favorites - especially the 6.5x14's. Just playing around the other day, I took off the batter head (coated Amb) on one of them and replaced it with a coated Emperor X - holy moly.

 

[vintagedrummersweden]

8" Eames snare.
Bought some years ago for $170.
Sleeper snare here in Sweden, obviously...

 

[JonnyFranchi$e]

Ludwig Standard Aluminum....and plus one on the aluminum Slingerlands...I feel like those shells don't flavor the sound...its all head and snare wire...

My aluminum Standard - 1970 IIRC - you have to pull that thing out of my cold dead hands. My favorite all purpose always sounds awesome snare. Good choice.