I Bought The CHEAPEST and MOST EXPENSIVE Wooden Snare Drum on Amazon

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

Subscribe or I'll steal your snare drum: bit.ly/2AyH1Fb As a drum teacher, one of the biggest drum related questions I get asked is about the cost of certain drums. Are expensive drums BETTER? Will cheaper drums work just as well? What defines a "better" sounding drum? For this video, I bought the cheapest 5.5" snare drum and the most expensive 5.5" snare on Amazon. An epic snare drum shoot out. Leave a comment below and let me know which snare you like the best!

[@fishingloverfish7984]

Love the vids

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

@@fishingloverfish7984 Thanks!

[@richardstewart8716]

I always make time for education, thank you.

[@ab_ab_c]

Honestly, I liked the sound of the cheaper snare drum better. Maybe fitting it with better hardware would improve it's range for less $ (if a person wanted that). The more expensive drum sounded like a snare + a bit of cow bell sound mixed into it. Not that appealing, imo. Just my $0.02

[@StuPedassol]

That's crazy that even the ludwig snare doesn't come with better rattlers on it or skins... You think for 759 it would be top of the line.

[@rdavidr]

Bruh, if you send me the $20 snare and $400 Ill make you a snare that'll sound like its worth $30.

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

Overnighting rn

[@DrummerGrrrl]

Hahahahaha.

[@JailDoctor1]

Watched both of your videos. Love 💘 it. I play drums but I'd rather play with drums. JLDR

[@classixdrummer]

The beard is strong with this one.

[@clayevans2472]

When two channels you sub to cross paths

[@1lonnieabbott1]

One of the things I have told my students over the years is that great cymbals and heads will usually make a cheap drum set sound great, but cheap cymbals and heads will usually make a great drum set sound cheap.

[@magedzaki9637]

I totally agree

[@Wootsickles]

Not sure why I thought of this. I figure it's the same with power tools. You can buy the most high end table saw out there. If you use cheap blades and bad guides/accessories your cuts will still suffer.

[@Mariusss100.]

Also, a bat drummer will usually make a great drum set sound cheap :))

[@Solar.Geoengineering.Advocate]

or to put it another way expensive drumkits aint worth it

[@472zothansangachawngthu7]

Snare drum:Please i have a wife and three toms

[@musamnguni510]

😂

[@kg_drums]

I just bought a 70’s Acrolite and I had the SAME thought about the dampener! Being able to change the character of the drum on the fly without having to put sticky stuff on the batter head is one of my favorite things about it

[@musshwins412]

I just bought a Gretsch Brooklyn standard snare. It has a huge dampener and it dampens perfectly. It reminds me of the old Slingerland RadioKing. My 1968 Ludwig LM400 rings like a metal snare should, but im loving this wooden Gretsch.

[@K50ATTACK]

I’ve gotta 6x5 late 70’s pearl jupiter and internal damping thing is awesome for sure.

[@JohnGatesIII]

It's the hardest thing about chasing a "Drum Sound" on a recording. Great example of how tuning has as much or more impact on the sound than the drum itself. Keep up the Great work.

[@johnknight9150]

If you're stuck with a cheap drum kit, the right heads can make a huge difference. I started with a $50 drumkit my brother bought. We tried a whole bunch of things, and bought Remo (because everyone buys Remo. Then I tried Evans heads, the models that lean towards brightness. The difference was night and day, and my brothers walked in and said, "wow, what did you do?!". Other than that, buy the second cheapest of everything, kids. Cars, drums, hookers, wine, whatever - second cheapest is always the best bang for buck! ;-)

[@jonhayesofficial]

wow. at first I hated the cheap drum but with the head change, I actually consistently like the cheaper one in every test. The expensive one had too much resonance that I didn't like

[@peppevonmatterhorn9161]

Every cheap/expensive comparison video I've been watching basically confirms that, at least sound-wise, there's no need to spend crazy money on stuff. Of course you don't wanna go cheap, in a live situation the difference would be huge! once you reach a certain quality standard, over that point it's just collecting stuff or personal gratification imho.. which of course is good, if that's what you're looking for! 😊

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

Quality used gear or mid level priced. There is a reason you see me playing a starclassic kit and not their top shelf stuff. I feel it's more genuine to show everyone what I would be playing in real life on gigs and not what I could play just because I have an endorsement.

[@Solar.Geoengineering.Advocate]

no actually id say in live settings it'd be noticed even less. unless ur playing like quiet jazz or whatever in a tiny venue

[@joshjamesuk]

Hey Stephen, sorry if you have already done this and I have missed it but if not, please could you do a video on how you mix snares like the light mix in this video. That would be super useful!

[@vsr600]

Grosgrain ribbon for snare straps. Works amazingly well and doesn’t slip and it’s about two dollars a roll at Walmart. For years I had problems with slipping plastic straps or breaking strings. I use grosgrain on all my snares now, highly recommend.

[@mr.145]

Me too,gently melt the cuts with a cigarette lighter ,to stop them fraying.

[@BladesMusic]

One thing this video shows for sure: The sound of the micing, the mix, and the player outweigh the sounds of the snare itself. I went back and forth from the front end of the video to the back and I think the preference was to the cheaper snare here in general. I use all electronic drums at this point for a lot of reasons, but getting a great snare drum sound is so important - even hearing these two against one another leads to the same end - it matters most in the playing and in the mix. Aside from that, no one in the listening world cares if it was a Ludwig or a "My Pillow" if it sounds good in the mix! Thanks for the video.

[@ronagoodwell2709]

Late 60s Rogers Dynasonic, chrome makes these drums sound like the cardboard boxes they were shipped in. Nice cracking attack, great tone, just a wee bit of ring and terrific snare throw. Plus built like a tank.

[@mikeyem1562]

So I never thought to much about swapping out my original resonate head on my snare, mostly just never had a reason, so I did after watching this along with new snare wire (one had broke anyway so had an excuse) and just wow, wish I had done sooner.

[@TheMichaelJadeDrumChannel]

Hey Stephen, I know you're an Aquarian guy, but save that Ludwig snare side head! The collars are mechanically locked, rather than glued, and they hold their tuning really well! Also, they're super thin, and will last a long long time. I use them on all my snares, even if they're not a Ludwig snare. I think the only other company around with mechanically locked drumhead collars is Attack, but I could be wrong. You should do a segment about the difference of the two! Cheers!

[@samjimenez4573]

Interesting

[@metalmonkee2896]

I've been playing a vintage generic snare for years and honestly have been in love with it. It has an internal damper and I use it constantly it's probably the main adjustment that gets used most. I love that I can adjust it on the fly depending on the room size and mic setup.

[@Chudhole]

I preferred the cheap snare especially in the mix.

[@7echnoid]

Yep was just about to comment the same. Liked that sound a lot more!

[@misterknightowlandco]

Me too

[@תהלוויספר]

The 800$ one has a lot more 'presence', but the cheap one sound suprisinly good.

[@warmfuzzydeath]

i have a sonor 503 (china cheap) set I use for practice cause its easy to set up and is small.. the snare that came with it is awesome and works better in a lot of circumstances than my Tama Swingstar and Sonor Phonic snare. Paid $200 for the whole set and it came with cymbals on craigslist... turned around and sold the cymbals for $200...

[@itistotallykyle]

I really appreciate how you demo the snare with and without processing, and in a mix. It’s very insightful.

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

You would be surprised at just HOW much talking, debating, and discussion went in to the layout of this video lol. Love the guys I get to work with in the edit on these vids

[@BrandonGrieve]

Not gonna lie, I actually prefer the tone of the cheap snare overall. It's meatier. I don't like the ring that comes out of the expensive snare. I think I'd be a little pissed if I had paid $800 for that snare.

[@jonset7]

I agree. Overall , the cheap one sounds thicker, at least to my ears. The cheap snare’s sound/tone fits in better with the vibe of the song being played in the video. When used in the context of another song with a different vibe, the Ludwig may sound better in the mix.

[@PJBonoVox]

Yeah, same. Honestly I didn't like either snare all told, but the cheaper share had something closer to what I like.

[@bebop425]

That ring was a little annoying after a bit, agree. I might use it in one song, but not general use

[@austinshoupe3003]

Poplar is a great recording wood. Very punchy and thick sounding. Just not that loud. There's also the quirks of ludwig's hardware and the rather niche design of the Ludwig shell. There was no way the same heads and tuning were going to work for equally well for both.

[@FreeScience]

I'm not a drummer, but the Ludwig would sit better in a jazz song to my ears.

[@philipkarovski281]

I didn't expect the cheap snare to sound remotely as good as it sounds, maybe because Stephen is such a good drummer

[@larrytate1657]

Except tuned low the cheap snare sounded unusable it was so bad.

[@JGC1]

I'm sorry, but there's no mistery in playing the snare in the way it's played on this video. The cheap snare may not sound superb, but the premium snare that costs 25 times more, doesn't sound 25 times better.

[@petermcnallt12pm]

sounded better than the ludwig IMO on the 'out of box' test anyway. surprising.

[@ess8057]

This video has made me realise that my snare sounds like shit

[@Joshstix95]

Just tune the bottom head really tight (like really tight) tune the top head to your preference ... problem solved

[@K50ATTACK]

Get a tension watch measure thing. Match the batter head with the snare head numbers wise, a little gel. And you’re set. But seriously, get a drum meter of some sort. I got the tama like 6 years ago. Can’t be beaten.

[@mickschnabel]

@@Joshstix95 I've actually had the bottom head blow out before due to doing that, however it did sound good prior to that happening

[@Joshstix95]

@@mickschnabel yeah I do that all the time . I noticed remo hazyz last longer then any other brand tuning wise ... I busted my evans lastweek hahaha

[@bojanglesobrien6883]

@@mickschnabel it was all good til it wasn't 😆

[@GamingDrummer89]

This is why I buy used...got a 14x6.5 Pearl Maple Free Floater for under $200 on eBay, for instance. Personally, that $800 snare doesn't sound anywhere near that price point, and the cheap-o snare works with mixing, but I'd be afraid of breaking it by accident (and I'm not THAT hard of a hitter).

[@pam381]

Basically, it means that tuning your drums properly (what I don't have do to anymore now that I live in a flat with an e-kit) and mixing it afterwards can do the job pretty good. This why I have so much respect for people who gained so much experience that they can make any drum kit sound amazing. And that does not include the drummer, who can do so many things with good dynamic range ! I really enjoyed the video btw. thanks a lot !

[@fadeddave]

That picture you used at the start of all the gear is from Sunderland Music, my local drum shop ran by the legendary Willy Wright, it’s since moved premises but the new place is just as packed! Every pit of drum gear I own is from that shop. I couldn’t believe my eyes when it popped on the screen

[@fatchanceb1823]

Cheapie works just fine - at home practicing. Currently playing on a $20 (used rogue found online), with Evans mesh head. I may put the $25 DW 3 position snare butt on it to be able to get the snares quieter for after bedtime practice. But for it's intended purpose, you don't need to waste money on something that only matters to gammas with no value to your future. Play what works, if its a trashcan lid that builds your million dollar chops, then a trashcan lid is magnificently better than a million dollar drum that you are scared to whack with a stick.

[@seanwalsh999]

Great test, very thorough and well exacuted. I think you should do cymbals next, but it would cost you a fortune. I like how you showed how the drums sit in the mix.

[@Chiroman527]

Stephen, thx for doing this time consuming video. You apparently Love Drums and Drumming. At 70 YO, and a only a Recreational player in retirement, I returned to playing drums after 50 Years (1969). I learned to "play" really By Ear (had maybe 8 lessons in 1966), played with HS Buddies in a Garage Band, that never got out of the garage. Had to keep my cheapo kit (forgot the brand which I purchased form the Music Store in Flushing Queens NY in 1967 or so) in one of the bandmates' basement where we practiced. Back then, I knew Nothing of Tuning drums, different drum heads, etc. I have learned a great deal from you and some others On Line. I truly thank KZbin for that. I see that you installed Aquarian Batter and Reso Heads on these two drums? Would other Heads have had a different bearing on the sounds? I have used Evans HD Dry batter heads on the 4 snares I now own: DW Design Series Nickel over Brass 14 X 6.5 purchased Used form Reverb for $250; PDP Concept Maple 14 X 5.5 (which is part of my current kit that I purchased USED [6 drum kit from Guitar Center for $450 last year]; a Mapex 13 X 3.5 Piccolo Snare; a Cheapo Griffin 13 X 3.5 "piccolo" snare; and a DW 10 X 6 Popcorn Snare. The DW snare has a HD dry batter head which previous owner installed , same for the PDP snare which I installed (improved the sound a great deal); same for the Griffin snare ; kept the Mapex Remo batter head ; and kept the DW standard Batter head on the Popcorn snare. To further bore everyone, I attach the Popcorn snare to the High Hat cymbal stand (with a Cowbell.....You Gotta Have a Cowbell), and the Mapex Snare is on a separate stand to my left. I switch off the PDP and the DW snares as the mood strikes me... They sound a little different and tune them comparably (medium to high). In the near future, I will experiment with different snare batter heads for the Hell of It. One of the benefits of being Retired , lots of time on my hands especially with COVID constraints. Be well all. Happy Drumming.

[@Chiroman527]

Correction, 5 Snares that I own...

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

Yes, each company has a slightly different sound. I always suggest to try a different drum head each time you need to replace them and figure out which is your favorite.

[@robertcozart6081]

I really appreciate your positive attitude and your willingness to share your experiences and wisdom. To me, the player is 9/10ths of any equation. I believe the issue of bearing edge and snare bed is a very important aspect to achieving a good sound.

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

The player really is the most important part for sure

[@Chiroman527]

Happy New Year Stephen !! I have a "weird" snare situation which i hope you can help me with. I own a DW Design Series Nickel over Brass 14 X 6.5 Snare drum purchased Used in 2021. When I received it via Reverb, the previous owner installed a HD Dry Batter head. Both heads were Cranked up. It played great out of the box. A number of weeks ago, the batter head wore out and I replaced the head with a new HD dry. In addition, I own a PDP Concept Maple 6 Drum kit which included a 14 X 5.5 snare which was purchased Used. Installed a new HD Dry batter head on that drum as well. After installing the new head on the DW , I have been constantly tweaking and playing with the Tuning (I re-installed the snare head [stock clear head and the snare wires], but I cannot get to that "sweet Spot" I play the PDP snare and and other cheapo Griffin Piccolo snare at Home (I/m 71, retired and play about 1 hour a day for enjoyment). A week ago or so, frustrated with the sound of the DW, I placed on top of my 16 inch Floor Tom in my kit, and played a session with the PDP snare. During the playing, I did a fill and hit the DW snare while atop of the Tom, and BINGO..... Better than the sweet spot I had out of the box!! It had that nice, Bonham Ludwig Supraphonic Sound ! As soon as I lifted the DW and played it in the snare stand, it changed and no longer as good. Put it back on the Tom and it was back again? Even the PDP snare sounds much better doing this. I've posted this at Drummer forums and elsewhere. 1 Poster said that I was probably achieving the resonance of the 2 Drums. Another Kiddingly said I may have discovered the New Snare Stand? I respect your expertise and hopefully you can explain what this is? Hate to sound a little Over The Top ( I do have a little OCD about things...) but this inadvertent experiment did yield a very desirable sound that I could not achieve with tuning tweaks. I even listened to my wife (God Knows that I love her still ater 48 years of marriage - it was she that gifted me a Cheapo Gammon Kit for Xmas 2018 which allowed me to get back to Drumming after 50 YEARS), suggested putting a piece of cardboard or other material into the snare basket and then play the snare on top of that. That helped very little. I even tried a 16 inch clear Remo batter head placed in the stand and put the snare atop of that. Same thing. A little better but NOT the same. Told you it was "weird". Thx for your time and attention. THX to any advice out there.

[@tothrec]

Thanks for taking the time to do this! As others have said, that cheap snare actually sounded pretty good in its sweat spot, even before you replaced the heads and snares.

[@SocialistDistancing]

What a great comparison. I really appreciate the no bullshit assesment. I needed a rehearsal kit for a rehearsal spot. I traded someone for a pearl export kit that this guy got for his kids. Of course because there wasn't instant gratification and hey got bored with it. I didn't expect much from the kit and wasn't really concerned about it after all, its just for rehearsals. Well blow my mind. I couldn't believe how great they sounded (once I tuned them). I didn't even bother changing the heads. The snare sounded great with the Pearl heads. I'll change the heads when they wear out. Another drummer uses the kit on occasion at the spot. Everytime I came back to it , he has it all gaff taped up. It annoys the hell out of me. It kills the great tones. He actually quit using the kit because he didn't like the sound of it. LoL. Everyone else seems to appreciate the sound. So many times i have seen drummers gaff tape the hell out of drums. I've even seen paper towels folded up and taped to the heads. I call it kotex pads for drums. LoL. I don't like the mufflers inside the shell. I run my drums wide open. I only use a bit of gaff when there may be an ugly tone in a live setting. Thar was a little trick that I picked up from a touring drummer.

[@scottchantos2388]

I picked up a jazz fest on clearance at GC for $420. Threw some 20 strand puresound wires on it, and absolutely love it. Don’t know if I wold love it at full price though.

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

You wouldn't. I agree...it's a mid price range drum in my book.

[@jordanblue5630]

wow, that don't sound like an $800 Ludwig snare to me. I'm betting a $100 Acrolite can blow that snare away on any day.

[@nevenvarljen6694]

One of the worst expensive snares that i've heard was this one

[@beatleszilla]

@@nevenvarljen6694 seemed to work for The Beatles

[@ErickC]

Absolutely! The Acrolite is an amazing all-around value because they're relatively cheap and the only way to make them sound bad is if you try *really hard.*

[@garysmith3173]

Wow I’d love to find $100 Acrolite. In the uk a new 14x6 would cost £500-£600! Vintage ones are the same price range!

[@maciekomis]

@@garysmith3173 14x6 were uncommon and always expensive. i don't think there even are vintage 6s. my 2 acrolites were quite cheap. less than $200 with shipping from US to europe. but that was about 10 years ago.

[@jezzalexander]

I'm, going to be dreaming about that music/backing track now... Good to watch someone who knows what they're talking about/has resources monkey around with the things that tickle the back of drummers brains. Much enjoyed.

[@Metalhead0985]

How do you get the snare to have that nice crack on the high tuning snare how many turns from finger tight to get that crack and ring I love that. I have a 13x5 mapex birch snare and I have and aquarian texture coated power dot snare head and the stock snare head. Please help!! Maybe some tips on the snare wires too. Thank you sir! Love it vids been subscribed for several years now :)

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

Don't know how many turns...but tune it up higher than you think is necessary. As well, crank the bottom head WAY up. That is where the crack comes from. And get the snares tight without choking the drum. I prefer to lightly tap the snare for snare tightness. If my taps are getting mostly head sound, loosen the snares. I loosen until my ghost notes start to get some snare in them

[@BDM7]

Stephen, I'm with you brother. I put the darn resonant hoop on wrong all the time! I'll even tell myself while taking it off (remember to put it on correctly) and still do it.

[@Customwinder1]

I bought an old Adam Atomic Sound snare drum for $20 . Took her apart and refurbished everything , new heads and it sounds great . Also has the internal muffler.

[@jj0dyw0ah..21]

Idk about everyone else but i love the slight overtones when hitting rimshots, i would prefer the Ludwig snare

[@ripleyhrgiger4669]

I preferred the sound of the cheaper snare in all three instances, no mix, low mix, and with music. It's going to sound crazy, but it sounded "happier" to me... which fit the music much better and made me feel good inside.

[@hawkshawhawkins9273]

My first drumset, in 1967, was made in Japan from Filipino mahogany. In those days, "made in Japan" denoted cheap junk and was quickly ridiculed. I learned then that cheap drums can be tuned to sound great. I was 11 years old but I got my set sounding very good. A rock and roll career was started that Christmas.

[@branmcg9844]

I appreciate that you read your followers even if drumming is not there anymore. still love that catchy tune. Put on loop for 3. I might learn to walk and play drums again. Workout song for sure!

[@TheZappawizard]

I love the P88 strainers, I put them on all my Ludwig snares I use for touring. Very reliable and functional.

[@frankmichael1967]

Dear Stephen, great video, super production, very clear thoughts! I agree completely: each drum has it's sweet spot, there is (almost) no really bad drum. As you mentioned, often the hardware is the limitation for a (semi-) professional use. I once had a cheap snaredrum (Newsound, more than 25 years ago) and here after some rimshots the rims became uneven... (and I wasn't a hard-hitter back then!). Up to a certain level you can replace the critical parts, but then you have to ask yourself if it's worth it or if you should invest a little more on a more decent instrument. I also own a lot of Ludwig-Drums and I made the same observation like you did: They are sometimes a little bit "strange" with some details... Quality is also sometimes a (minor) problem. In 2009 I bought a Liverpool 4-Kit (100 anniversary) and after unboxing it I noticed, that some of the screws of the lugs were screwed in at an angle... I could fix it, but that's not what one expects from a limited edition drum that should heritage the company... :-) but in the end the drum sounds cool AT IT'S SWEET SPOT. As a german drummer I recommend also to check out some of the Sonor models (Phonic reissue or Jost Nickel-model). These are great instruments with a great tuning range, build for a lifetime. So thank you very much for this interesting vid here! Stay healty and keep on drumming!

[@footnotedrummer]

You pointed out my biggest complaint with Ludwig snares. They rest so heavily on the laurels of their name, that they don't feel the "need" to upgrade their throw-offs. In my opinion... they should just charge a little more for them and put a good throw-off on. However... there's no justification for charging almost $800 for a snare with a shitty throw-off. The P88 is (as far as I know) their top shelf throw-off. It's $50 and it only costs that because it says Ludwig on it. It's a $20 throw-off in reality. More power to them if people wanna buy them.

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

I don't get it. If it's a known deal in the market that the throw offs suck (and it is), why not make them better? The throwoff alone is a deal breaker. I thought the drum sounded fine...but not a boutique drum IMHO with that throwoff

[@footnotedrummer]

@@StephenTaylorDrums ... Agreed, my friend. Great video BTW.

[@benjaminprietop]

I loved both, actually. But the high tuning on the expensive snare made it sound a little bit too "St.Anger-y" for my taste.

[@123unhooked]

Fantastic video!! Critically throughout and honest. And really well structured testing. Liked the notes you displayed on the bottom right. Hundreds of these videos online and one just watches them (like me chilling after sunday lunch), but this time I paused & got my headphones (from the other room - imagine: i actually left the couch!!). Thank you and keep it up.

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

Thanks Paul! Glad you dug the pacing and layout...A LOT of thought and discussion went in to that part lol

[@Kentavious444]

I think a lot depends on what kind of sound you are looking for especially in regards to the genre of music you be playing. Sometimes that honky or ringy sound works for certain types of music as much as a rock sounding snare won't work for a jazz gig. I think it was good that you applied different mixes in your demonstration because that's another thing to take into consideration if you are recording. Some of the recording plug-ins these days can shape the sound dramatically.

[@VGmaniac104]

For the Ludwig, I'd probably use compression with a fast attack, ratio 3:1, and a moderate threshold. It's a very snappy sounding snare, so it needs some smoothing.

[@davewalker3873]

Straight away I like both. One nice resonate sound, other very dry. Both sound great.

[@dougwolfedrums]

When changing the tunings from low-mid-high, are you just tuning the top head or bottom as well?

[@mrcoatsworth429]

Can you do something similar with the Ludwig Supralite and a vintage Ludwig snare? I keep reading that the Supralite is incredible for the money and gets you super close to 'that' sound. I think people would appreciate such a thorough, well-produced video about those snares. Keep up the good work!

[@ryswyk5894]

The supralite is the only snare bonham ever used, which tells you everything you need to know lol

[@mrcoatsworth429]

@@ryswyk5894 Don't you mean the Supraphonic? The Supralite is like 200 bucks. That's why I'd like a comparsion video in this style :)

[@larryduffrin3525]

I have a Supralite and a classic maple Ludwig snare like Ringo played . The supralite is my go 2 snare it just sounds like what a rich musical instrument should . The classic Ludwig sounds just like the Ludwig in this video not really standing out in any area ! My 2 cents

[@larrytate1657]

The new Yamaha recording custom birch snare does all tuning ranges surprisingly well. Great snare.

[@michaeljrussell]

What's that great, hook-y music track that's being used after the "light mix?" TIA.

[@AugustBurnsRed181]

I think the most get what you pay for in a typical average set are the cymbals crash ride highhat especially you really see and hear the difference between cheap and expensive quality

[@miksinful]

Fantastic video! I really loved your side notes!! I like the diversity in your videos. You are really creative, keep up the good work! 👌

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

Thanks Mik!

[@thenecroticfiend1692]

I literally just found your channel AND im early for a video. Honestly my timing is perfect xD

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

I see what you did there ;^)

[@secordmichaeljw6717]

The mid-range tuning on the cheap drum is my favorite of all on either drum.

[@RalphWLundvall]

Snare beds. Were they covered? When I re-edged a snare drum for a friend I found no snare beds. I added them. Made a big difference.

[@MrVoraxTranstellaris]

I tend to want to remove internal dampening mechanisms from drums. Since not all drums have them, are there particular pros and cons to them?

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

They dampen in a different way than top muffling. Experiment with putting the under dampening on, then dampening from the top. I was surprised at the differences in overtones

[@ReggiePayne77]

Good video, dude. Love the notes during the playing examples. Spot on in my opinion.

[@arsonne]

I would be pretty disappointed with that 800$ snare even when you made it sound good for what it can do.

[@Chudhole]

I have a steel Tama that came with my swingstar and it’s basically the one I use. I have a wood shell pdp that I think was $300. They are night and day. I have way more control over the Tama.

[@FinsAndPhotos]

I have aluminum and brass snares from Ludwig that are easier for me to tune both high and low over wood snares. Is this generally the case where metal snares have more range than wood snares? (To be fair, my wood snares are far cheaper than my metal snares, so there may be more in play than the shell material.)

[@kork777]

What’s the sound track your playing to, love the vibe??

[@paulc5358]

From 1 drummer to another Great video thanks for doing this !!! I learned so much...

[@Riddim4]

This is well conceived and presented. That said, have you discussed what a drum needs to sound great, e.g. a shell that’s in round, rims that aren’t warped, decent, well tuned heads, rods that hold tension, a snare strainer that is adjustable and stays in place, and consistent, true, bearing edges? Cost isn’t necessarily an indicator of great build quality, although better built instruments tend to require better materials and more skilled labor. If not, this is something to consider. Investing in an instrument is all well and good, but it’s usually better to invest aware of what makes a quality instrument, rather than just throw more money at a vendor and hope you get something great.

[@jonnycap7974]

What a great comparison video! I appreciate that you kept some control variables like the dimensions and heads to really get to the differences.

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

Thanks!

[@GeoPatter]

What about playing feel between the two...and..what wires do you use?

[@maxadrums]

In the mix, surprisingly I probably preferred the cheap snare with the stock head, haha! Was not expecting that. But it's all about what fits.

[@StephenTaylorDrums]

ALL about what fits and works

[@trapkat8213]

Very well produced video. I actually liked the cheap snare at mid tuning the most.

[@mountainmikeoutdoors]

I like both of them. Expensive snare would be my primary, and I would have the cheap snare as an off-the-side auxiliary. I've got hardware just sitting around, so I'd whip out the Milwaukee and just slap some of the extra lugs onto the cheap snare, then install a new throw-off onto the both cheap snare and the spensive one.

[@hombreenojado]

Hey, those Jazz Fests are SWEET! Especially the mahogany. But of course, Ludwig so the strainer and throw off aren't great.

[@Rockin_Ross]

Great comparison! Thanks for all your hard work making these (very time consuming). I’ve had Sound Percussion snares up against Gretsch’s and sometimes the cheaper ones surprise me.

[@mikejones1141979]

I went to watch a friend’s cover band play their FIRST show and guess who didn’t show? Their drummer. I was asked to sit-in and play (note: I never played with these guys before.). They had their sets on burned CD’s, I took a quick listen, and we played a few sets. Most of the songs were your typical radio rock songs. The killer was that there was only a POS house set that was made of leftover pieces from previous bands. The set broke once, the throne collapsed under me during a song, and the base drum slid so far away that the guitarist had to scoot it back just so I could reach it until the song ended and I could fix the legs. It went well though.

[@Jet-Tim]

Awesomeness for sure , what a perfect compression. .first rate video You Sir Rock!

[@danyodice1048]

Do you have any videos on how you tune drums? I never saw the stick trick with the strainer before. I love ludwig but I have to say the cheaper snare sounded good. Great video idea...🤘🤘

[@billr55]

The $29 snare out of the box sounded best to me [mixed with the song you were playing on]. Hands down. The bark was perfect.

[@Falasi4]

Super interesting but I play digital (yamaha) and select from my tweaked snares. Actually gave me some ideas for further tuning on mine.

[@carlsampson7858]

Great comparison Stephen 👏 👍 👌 Where could find a download of the track you're playing with? 😉

[@zacharyashdown7286]

Seriously!! I absolutely love that song he's playing along with. I'd love to practice to it myself. I think it's the same one he used in his "I paid three drum legends to play record the same song."

[@rhythmantic]

Drum #2 sounds the best - which I determined by the first few seconds of the intro before any modifications.

[@jmw0368]

To be honest the cheapo isn’t actually awful, but I didn’t think it sounded much better after you did the changes.

[@nickpisarczyk]

me too i didn’t really like the sound of either drum to be honesy

[@erikwiseman1702]

Like your videos - always interesting and I often learn something! Note that the new Ludwig P88 is designed to not "detune" while you're playing, similar to a few other recent strainers by others, hence the requirement to flip the lever before the knob will turn. A feature for some, a bug for others.

[@dallasstiles118]

I really liked how my first snares had internal muffling, it could also be played on for a nice effect.

[@danielawe1037]

I really enjoyed this video!! I am a person who played with $60 snares for quite a few years.. then roughly 9 years ago I upgraded to a $200 Ludwig, and I don’t know why I settled for so long. That $800 Ludwig sounds great (especially in the mid range), and personally I thought the cheap snare sounded better with the stock heads. Not like it sounded fantastic either way, but the slight upgrade didn’t do much for it. But, it being a cheap drum, like you explained played a part in not being able to have much freedom with tuning it.

[@wrathcall]

I'm no musician and dont have any knowledge of drums but I did like the cheap one better (after your help). And sure, its all about sound which is personal and we are talking about parts under 1000 dollars but the difference is still 26X. Thats a 10000 dollar car VS a 260,000 one? EUh, an 100000 dollar flat VS a 2,600,000 villa?

[@batwithglasses]

Expensive certainly doesn't always sound "better"...as with everything , it's in the hands of the artist. I've had very expensive snares sound horrible regardless the amount of tweaking, and I have had CB-700 snares that I could make sound amazing..Expensive usually comes with quality but not always sonic dominance I have found..just my 2 snares worth😉

[@NikkiNexo777]

The $800 drum, medium tuning was my favorite of the bunch. Seemed to fit in with the music the best.

[@brucevilla7490]

Keep in mind, one is made in America by American workers who earn a living wage thus ($800 snare) and one is made by people rounded up and put into worker camps thus ($29 snare). And most of that $29 comes from the shipping costs into this country. At medium and high tunings you can really hear the difference between the snares and the Ludwig is amazing. I am sure in the room itself the Ludwig would stand out even more.

[@markwlewisonutube]

Yeah, kinda racist, huh?

[@brucevilla7490]

@@markwlewisonutube Those are just economic facts.

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

Good comparison. Been thinking of going back to a wood snare 😂 still haven't yet, though. Love Ludwigs. My 14x7 or 8 seems to tune a bit _higher_ than the highest of my Pearl Black Beauty 13x3.5 piccolo.

[@Dylan.Gmusic]

5:50 That's surprisingly good for $29

[@joeljoelerson9264]

I like high pitched pop like snares. Don’t like there to be too much excess noise from them either one and done

[@chrisggoodwin777]

I also, whether it's a less expensive PDP or high end DW, change the heads as soon as I get a new snare. The PDP will usually get new snare wires, but the DW keeps the stock wires (yes, I'm a DW fanboy lol). I tend to use the same heads on all my snares (Evans HD Dry and Snare Side 300), but do look for that tuning sweet spot for each drum.

[@joethelowbudgetdrummer7743]

Just bought a used PDP kit to get back into playing, and after a little tuning on the Evan's and Remo heads that were on it I was impressed. They sound really good.

[@chrisggoodwin777]

@@joethelowbudgetdrummer7743 I truly believe PDP is some of the best value for money spent. I know there are other good kits for less, but for what they cost, I feel the player gets quite a lot of bang for the buck (pun intended 😉)

[@joethelowbudgetdrummer7743]

@@chrisggoodwin777 I only paid $120 for it and it came with a hi hat stand, kick pedal, snare stand, zildjian K custom crash, and a ZBT crash. I ordered everything else I needed and have $500 in a complete setup that I wouldn't be ashamed to gig with.

[@chrisggoodwin777]

@@joethelowbudgetdrummer7743 that's a killer deal! I gigged with PDP kits for years. When I got my DW (just because I wanted to, not because I needed to), I donated my PDP to my church, so it still gets played weekly and sounds great

[@kakaashihatake8178]

Hi sir ,I am a great fan of u ,lots of love from India ,sir i am a beginner drummer last year I had my first stage performance in which I really faced many critisism and after that It really drowned me to where I could quit I don't know sir it's really hunting me down ,but I don't wanna quit ,I really like drumming sir❤️

[@WhyWouldYouDrawThat]

Really interesting video. Thanks. Years ago (pre youtube) I had a cheap acoustic set. Sounded, not so good. Wish i knew you then. I’m sure I could have had it sounding 1000 x better. I have Roland V Drums now. Loving it. But I expect I’ll also get another acoustic set eventually, when I have a good place to play it. One observation. Your video seemed to finish abruptly. I would have liked a final thought 🙂

[@brichard11]

Before I started learning to play drums I never could have guessed just how dynamic drums can be as far a tuning goes. I didn't even know you could tune drums before, lol.

[@jimmydudley652]

Before I get a minute into the video snare number 2 is the 800 dollar one. 0:36 seconds in.

[@ArielTamasi]

Great video! Can't ignore important aspects such as hardware limitations when tuning, so I'm not saying I would buy the $29 snare drum, but I must say in the final A/B comparison I liked the sound of the cheapest one a lot more than the Ludwig. Great playing helps, of course... I would probably make the Ludwig sound like $100 and the other one sound like a popcorn bucket

[@NoName-qt6wb]

I had a $1000 bubinga snare that wasn't all that. But will the cheap snare stay in tune or drop lugs on the floor at a gig ?