[daveontrak]

I'm new to this site, so please forgive me if this topic has already been beaten to death. I'm a seasoned rock drummer that's on the hunt for a new snare drum. I've used an old Ludwig Supraphonic for many years and it's always given me the exact sound and feel that I've wanted for rock drumming. The playing situation that I'm in now requires something different and I seem to have hit a brick wall. I need a snare drum that is relatively quieter but will still give me the bottom end that I get out of my Supraphonic. I tune my batter head tightly enough to get fast response and and I've moved to 5" depth instead of the 6 & 1/2" that I'm used to. To my horror, I've discovered that (A: it's definitely not quieter and (B: I've lost a good amount of the "humph" that I get out of my Supraphonic. I'm currently using a 5 x14 Tama birch Starclassic snare. It's reasobaly close to what I'm looking for but I'm a perfectionist and this is driving me nuts. I need a snare that I can tighten for good stick response but I've gotta have that bottom end. Volume is also quite an issue. The Tama is considerably louder than the Supraphonic. Any advice, suggestions? Also, the bich snare sounds much less "woody" than the metal Supraphonic. It's almost impossible to be able to really try out different drums in a music store because of phones and other customers. Frustrating! There's a demo on the MapleWorks site (13" performance) that I really like but I can't get the Mapleworks drum to sound even close to the demo track when I try it out in my local music shop. I think the demo track was compressed in the studio but I need this sound in a live situation. Help!!

[Der Trommler]

From the Ludwig Supraphonic you get a loud crisp crack that cuts through (btw that is one of the best sounding metal snares ever made imho), and you are looking for a softer less cutting crack with a warmer tone. Is that about right?

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[slingerland59]

Originally Posted by daveontrak

...I've used an old Ludwig Supraphonic for many years and it's always given me the exact sound and feel that I've wanted for rock drumming. The playing situation that I'm in now requires something different and I seem to have hit a brick wall. I need a snare drum that is relatively quieter but will still give me the bottom end that I get out of my Supraphonic. ...Help!!

If all you need is a quieter snare because you're playing a new gig that requires quieter playing, then the answer is to dampen or muffle the Supraphonic. Another option to explore is changing to lighter sticks when you have to. They'll feel like toothpicks without any of the balance you're used to, but I'll bet you'll still get the sound you want from your tried and true Ludwig and make your bandmates/recording engineer happy. I've never done it, but I'll bet you could also explore new batter head types for the snare. I'm guessing there are quieter ones that will still give you good response.

Don't give up on your baby Supraphonic that easily! It's one of the most versatile snares around. I have a Tama Imperialstar which I put in the same category. It'll do any job you want as long as you are a bit creative. I loved your comment that the metal snare has a better "wood" sound than the wood snare. I know what you mean!

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[Johnny Nobody]

If you have one of these it's a done deal. If you want a particular sound, its in there . The videos may not show the sound you want but if you spend a minute you can put it in and there it stays with the other pile of snares you create. The live sound is incredible. With volume control.

[don11817]

Changing from metal to wood will accomplish most of what you're looking for--Acrylic will also warm-up the sound, but is louder than wood.

I would go with a 6.5 or 7.5 inch deep x 14 wood snare to get the bottom end you want, without the harshness of the metal shell. Again if you want volume, you can try acrylic...

Try a bunch of different snares at the local drum shop-- bring your snare with you to compare the difference. Ask if they have a kit that you can play and swap the snare drums out to see how they sound in concert with other drums you will eventually find what you are looking for...

[daveontrak]

Originally Posted by Der Trommler

From the Ludwig Supraphonic you get a loud crisp crack that cuts through (btw that is one of the best sounding metal snares ever made imho), and you are looking for a softer less cutting crack with a warmer tone. Is that about right?

Thanks guys. Der Trommler, you nailed it.

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