Your favorite Snare Drum... Ever !

[Groovissimo]

This is a topic that should reveal some secrets ! What was your favorite Snare Drum since you started playing drums?

I've tried and played on several snare drums, in the studio and "live" in clubs and larger venues. In 1963, I bought my second kit, a silver sparkle Ludwig. With this kit, I added a Ludwig 1963 - 14 X 5 Super Sensitive aluminum snare drum. I still have this drum and to this day, even though I've has at least ten others, it is the best I've had.

I purchased this snare the year before Ludwig started mass-producing their kits with cheaper materials because of Ringo Starr's popularity with, of course, The Beatles ! It still has that "dream" sound drummers search for today.

I am curious to read about your favorite snare drum.

Groovissimo, Montreal, Canada

[Randy walker]

My fav is a 6 1/2x14 engraved Bronze Ludwig from 1960, it belonged to my friend Carlos Vega.

[Derek DeFields]

5x14 Chrome over brass Ludwig Supraphonic with Die Cast hoops.

[Dazzler]

Love my Black Beauty

[WecklsMechanic]

My girlfriend bought me the Weckl Aluminum dual strainer snare from Yamaha last year for my B-Day. I love it as my all around 14" snare. Just recently picked up the 13" Omar Hakim Pearl Maple snare....... ugghhh...... it's like my buddy said!! "You better watch out!!??.... you're never going to want to play your 14 inch snares anymore!!". And ya know what?? He's right!! I love that snare!!! Specially for that Garibaldi "Tower of Power" sound.

But my all time fav isn't really a snare, complete anyway. There was a company called Blaemire for a while that made shells, and I've got one of their 14x6.5 shells with old Nickel Ludwig hardware. A really interesting drum....

Cranked up, it's a Copeland sounding snare. A little looser, its a good all around sound. A little looser, and it's a great "Jazz" snare. Never seen another like it, or for that matter, anymore Blaemire shells. I'm in the process of rebuilding it with Die Cast hoops, have Pork Pie do the edges, and use some really nice strainer system. The lugs I'm keeping!!! Those nickel lugs are impossible to find now.

JS

[Mathias Sarsgaard]

probobly my Gretsch 14x5,5. Awesome drum.

Picture

[Gary Linieres]

I bought a second hand brass DW 14" piccolo that I love, but I just ordered a 13" DW from WDC in London and I can't wait for that baby to arrive. It sounded out of this world in the studio.

[Pocketime]

My 1970 5x14 chrome ludwig suprasonic with diecast hoops and my 1972 maple wood 3x13 ludwig piccolo.

[Randy walker]

I thought the Omar drum was Mahogony?

[Groovissimo]

Talking about snare drums, apart from looking at our favorites, I had the chance to see one of the most beautiful snares in years. Take a look at:
http://www.dwdrums.com/snares/index.htm

to see the DW 30th Anniversary Neil Peart gold-plated snare !
Have any one of you guys seen and played on this beautiful instrument ?