Top 5 Snare Drums 2022

Brass has been at the top of the list of preferred materials for making snare drum shells for decades. The reason for this is that no other material can produce this special mixture of power, warmth and precise response. With the 14″ x 6.5″ SB (Satin Black) over Brass Snare, the manufacturer DW has an attractive model in its range, whose 1.0 mm thick brass shell has been provided with a matt black coating. The buttery-soft MAG snare lift is particularly noteworthy, but the True Pitch tuning screws, the True Hoop and the True Tone snare wire fully meet the expectations of a high-quality snare drum. The skins come from the well-known manufacturer Remo.

Many of the world’s best known drummers learned their first steps on a snare drum before a full set of drums came along. After all, this is the most played drum in the drum set, on which all percussion techniques can be perfectly implemented. With the SD-17 snare drum starter kit, Millenium offers a combination of a 13″ x 3.5″ piccolo metal snare drum and a suitable tripod that allows playing heights of 60 to 80 cm. The package is complete with a rubber-surfaced practice pad, a transport backpack, a pair of drumsticks and a tuning key. Everything you need to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of drumming is included, and at a temptingly low price.

The exceptional German drummer Benny Greb has been sponsored by the company Sonor for many years and consequently received not just one, but two tailor-made signature snare drums. In addition to a 13″ x 5.75″ snare with beech shell, it is the brass snare in the same size that has become a real hit. Like its sister, it has a variable, double cushioning system. This consists of two different dampers – one made of felt and one made of (artificial) lambskin – that can be adjusted by means of a rail – inside the 1.2 mm thick brass shell. This combination results in a variety of tonal options that make the snare drum incredibly flexible.

The exclusive and affordable Pearl 14″ x 6.5″ Special Reserve Limited Edition snare drum has many features that are actually only found in higher price ranges. The core is a four-ply, five millimeter thick shell made of North American maple, probably the most popular wood when it comes to making snare drum shells. Maple offers an extremely harmonious combination of a powerful attack and a warm base tone, paired with a sensitive response. A real eye-catcher is the high-gloss “Brooklyn Burst” gradient finish, which allows a glimpse of the beautiful wood grain. The Pearl Special Reserve Snare can also boast in terms of hardware. The most striking feature here is the 20 rounded STL 100 lugs, which not only look great and unique, but also impress with their lightweight construction. The Fat Tone hoops also stand out from the competition, while the SR-017 carpet lifter is a tried and trusted model.

For many years, the Tama company has been bringing interesting and high-quality snare drums onto the market as part of their “Sound Lab” collection, mostly at very reasonable prices. While some models were only available for a short time, others became real classics. This also includes the LST148 Sound Lab Snare, a black beast with a 14″ x 8″ steel shell whose dimensions give you a hint in which direction its sound is going. Fat, voluminous and powerful sounds are in the foreground here, which provide the necessary drive in rock genres. But if you think that the snare only works in the lower registers, you are wrong, because even in high tunings it can shine with loud sounds that simply have more “umpf” than 14″ x 6.5″ snares, due to its depth of 8 inches.