HELP wanted

sadisticnoob · Tadpole Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 27

i want to buy a dw snare drum at the end of tis year any ideas which is a good 1?

Dukekamaya · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 11:27 pm Post subject:

The one you play yourself and sounds like what your after.
What is the point of someone else's opinion?? They don't know what your ears like! Go and play some in a shop.
_________________
'Because it is sometimes so unbelievable the truth escapes becoming known.' - Heracleitus (ca. 500 B.C.)

sadisticnoob · Tadpole Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 27

i wanted to but apparently the only shop that sells in my counry (yes the only one) doesnt allow me to test .. apparently they jus gif u a catalog and u choose what u want ..made to order.. even puttin ur band label colour ...so i dunno ? its about 800-900usa dollars if not can reco me a good snare drum .. i want to replace my electronic snare ..i cant do rim shots..snare drum only i can get are yamaha tama and dw or pdp

phantompong · Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 6:20 am Post subject:

You mentioned you can also get Yamaha or Tama snares. Can you try them out? DW makes good stuff, but so do Yamaha and Tama - and whether or not you consider DW a more premier brand than Yamaha and Tama, I'd rather have a more modestly branded drum that I like very much than a big name drum that I can't really appreciate because I didn't buy the sound but the drum. In any case we can't give you advice based on nothing because all DW snares are good (but not all might be to your liking!) Go out, try some of the Yamaha and Tama snares, and if you like it, get that. If you can't find a sound you like, you'd do better to tell us what you found lacking in those snares than "which DW snare is good"?

If you can't play the Yamaha or Tama snares either, try telling us what kind of snare sound you're after - if there's any drummer's snare sounds you particularly like, for one. Also - what's your current snare drum, and why are you looking for a new one? What are you going to do with your current snare - sell it, or use it as an aux snare? These, and a lot more besides, are going to affect which drum you buy and our opinions on which drum you should get.
_________________
If you don't like it, you can just *Golly Gee* off! - Keith Moon's last words

Drummers are subject to physical laws of nature. One of them states that if you drop a wing nut, it will roll under the bass drum. - Roy Burns

Dukekamaya · Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 1:54 pm Post subject:

It is a difficult situation outside the US/UK I guess where you don't have a massive range to test and choose from. WE have the same problem here to a certain degree although the range in Sydney isn't too bad.
By the same token, I wouldn't be paying that sort of money for something I can't hear first.
_________________
'Because it is sometimes so unbelievable the truth escapes becoming known.' - Heracleitus (ca. 500 B.C.)

sadisticnoob · Tadpole Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 27

i havent tried the tama 1 but yamhaha is not bad quite good bounce there...im lookin for a snare that is suitable for like pratice and maybe band play like rock or pop ....im now using a electronic snare and i cant do rimshots which sucks so i decided to get a wooedn or metal 1

Dukekamaya · Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 1:18 am Post subject:

'Bounce' is technique and tuning - it has nothing to do with the brand.
If I was going to suggest a good 'allround' snare at a reasonable price I would probably suggest a brass Pearl Sensitone 14"x5" .
_________________
'Because it is sometimes so unbelievable the truth escapes becoming known.' - Heracleitus (ca. 500 B.C.)

sadisticnoob · Tadpole Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 27

oh great i tks...if onli i could find pearl in my country ..its hard to find ... then wats the diiff between metallic snares(aluminium etc.. ) and wood ones (maple..)??

phantompong · Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2006 7:27 am Post subject:

Oh RIGHT I kind of guessed, and almost wanted to ask which country you were from... right. So you're also in Singapore - doing O Levels - good luck (they're almost over, anyway, are they?)

Armed with this little extra bit of information I can give you a lot more help.

If you haven't figured out already, there are three main music dealers that, between them, deal in most of the major brands.

Off the top of my head, as far as drums go:

Swee Lee:
Pearl, Tama, Ludwig, Premier

Excel/Ranking:
DW/PDP, Gretsch
(also Lazer, Carlos and Planet Music but if you know what's good for you you won't touch those).

Music Plaza/Yamaha:
Yamaha

I'm going to name one more retailer, a much smaller retailer, but they deal in many major brands and in many cases are the sole retailer:
DRMP (Drums Resources Music Place), Excelsior Shopping Centre #B1-13
http://www.drumsresources.com/
Mapex, Pearl, Yamaha, Tama

If you want to know more about where to find what, I can give you a list in greater depth (including cymbals, sticks, percussion, etc.)

I'm not sure how long you've been drumming and I don't want to sound pretentiously intelligent about the drumming and music scene here, but one thing you absolutely must do is to check out the music belt around Excelsior Shopping Centre and Peninsula Shopping Centre. That's where all the small shops and a number of jamming studios are, and serves as a musicians' commune.

All that said, back to your snare problem. Excel is quite nonsensical about things. If you want anything that isn't available at their outlet store, you have to give them the catalog number and they'll order it. I found this out after I paid them a visit at their ulu warehouse in Tannery Lane and asked if I could try any Meinls.

Considering this, I'd strongly advise you against buying anything you can't try at their outlet store in Ranking. There is another Excel outlet store at Excelsior, called Music Theme. They don't have many snares in stock, and I can only recall ever seeing two DW snares there - Josh Freese's and Chad Wackerman's snares.

Something else I'll warn you about is that Excel's customer service is non-existent. They'll tell you anything to get you to buy their stuff, and they aren't much for taking care of their customers. Swee Lee is competent but not very friendly. Yamaha, I've never really tried, but I haven't quite forgiven them for recommending Zildjians when I asked them to help me pick my first pair of sticks. My impression of their customer service, secondhand, is quite good, though. The best customer service I've encountered, by far, comes from the smaller shops around Excelsior, DRMP in particular.

If you want to try Pearl or Tama snares, hop down to Swee Lee - if your intention to buy is very clear they will be likely to entertain you, and the selection there is comparatively large. If I recall, they also have Meinl and Remo snares. (Then cross over to the other side of the building and try out the very few DW snares available at Ranking.)

Currently, DRMP does not stock snares. They have a few second-hand snares you might want to look at - IIRC, one or two Yamahas/Tamas, a PDP and a Phattie. I believe he's bringing in Black Panthers next year.

So what are your best options? I'd say try Swee Lee first, but be armed with the money you plan to buy your snare with. Tell them that you are prepared to buy today if you find the right drum, and ask them to let you try out the drums. If you have any in mind from forum suggestions or whatever, ask them if they stock that snare or would be willing to order it (Dukemaya, for example, suggested a Pearl Sensitone 5"x14"). If the snares are not tuned, ask if you can tune it or ask them to tune it for you (the latter probably a better option because you've been playing on an electronic snare, and haven't been doing much tuning lately Razz

).

If none of the drums jump out at you right away, I'd go to Yamaha next. Go to their Plaza Singapura store because that's their flagship, and the only one I know of to have a snare rack. Do the same and ask them to let you try the snares.

If, still, nothing catches your ear, you can try Ranking or Music Theme. If you declare your intention to buy right off the bat, in my experience, they will be very eager to let you try it - anything to make you buy. Try not to be swayed, however, and listen with an objective ear. Also try the PDPs, Lazers and Carlos - I am very apprehensive about the latter two brands, but they're cheap and you might be able to get something out of them anyway.

As far as I know, I have not seen Premier, Ludwig or Gretsch snares anywhere. Pearl, Tama and Yamaha are probably your best bet when considering the range available to you and the cost vs the quality.

A few things, though.
How long have you been playing?
What type of housing do you live in?
What is your current set and how do you have it set up?
Do you have a good relationship with your neighbours?
How regularly do you gig and how many of those gigs have a house kit?
How much time is your new snare going to spend muted or muffled?

Depending on your answer to these questions, my advice is going to change significantly. I hope you haven't gone out and bought your snare yet. In any case, you might want to hold out for the annual 50% Swee Lee sale, or the Yamaha Christmas sale (20%).

A couple more irrelevant questions.
Which school are you in now?
Where do you plan to go after Os? Just curious.
I'm a year ahead of you, VJC (unless you're N(A), in which case we're the same age Razz

)
_________________
If you don't like it, you can just *Golly Gee* off! - Keith Moon's last words

Drummers are subject to physical laws of nature. One of them states that if you drop a wing nut, it will roll under the bass drum. - Roy Burns

sadisticnoob · Tadpole Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 27

yamaha got snare rack which is okay customer service is better than all the others(ranking and swee lee) and dont go to swee lee 80% sale which is december they jack up the price up 200% and then they lower down to 80 % which is like eg 1000+2000/80% which is like 2400 or sth like that
the onli good 1 is like u say the 50% sale at around june? around there
and im yamaha school member(i learnin there) i got some stuff which has slightly more disc at 5% more i tink

phantompong · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:54 am Post subject:

sadisticnoob · Tadpole Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 27

*What the Heck* i jus now went to yamaha plazza sing .. i went to check the snare damm ex (1200-700) might as well pay a little more and get a dw.....the guy told me like 'u want to test ask for assistance cuz the snare not tuned yet' and i was like *What the Heck* ...i mean if its not tuned why wld they put on display???

phantompong · Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:38 am Post subject:

sadisticnoob · Tadpole Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 27

is the dw shop at near the luther 1? or the erm tannery road 1.....btw wat u said is true maybi i shld go around singapore goin all the shops testing drums Very Happy

phantompong · Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2006 3:12 pm Post subject: