Four 5"x14" Brass (COB) Snare Drums

[@xgreco]

Gretsch and Slingerland are my favourites. All are excellent, though. Great playing, as always. Thanks Rick

[@roybeckerman9253]

SLINGERLAND…has just the right amount of ringing.. A great crisp sound. The Black Beauty, a close second..

[@HuckFinn212]

I own both, a 14x5 Sound King and a 14x5 BB, both great sounding drums. The Slingerland plays beauifully, very soft like butter and the strainer is great.

[@mrwillbaker]

Honestly Rick, you could make a pillow sing and sound great!! Thanks for another great video

[@ianmatthews9763]

That Gretsch to me is the most interesting sounding snare of your absolutely incredible collection. Thank you for taking the time to make this great video.

[@rickdior]

Thanks for watching.

[@daviewavie112]

What do you like about it?

[@TK-xo2mf]

The 4160 sounds like a wood snare! Beautiful!

[@rickdior]

Is this the Tom Killian from the Eastman summer program in 1980-81. If it is, I would sure like to speak with you.

[@TK-xo2mf]

Yes!

[@SalMichael]

Excellent video Rick. Rogers 60s COB power tone is my go to for everything. . Has great tone and a bullet proof easy to use 'clockface' throw off that doesn't drop down.

[@JMcNultyDrums]

I have the modern version of that same Gretsch COB and I absolutely love it. It is extremely versatile and is wonderfully responsive. Great content, as always.

[@U2WB]

Awesome and informative video ! Thank you, Rick. I own both the Krupa and DynaSonic snares, and I agree with you that the Dynasonic has a shorter decay. I wouldn't exactly call it "choked", but it certainly does demand more accuracy from the player due to that short decay. There's no "blurring" of strokes to hide behind - which is why I only choose it if I'm having an especially good day ! Of all the sounds demonstrated here, I liked the Gretsch and the Black Beauty the best. Both were smooth and refined, with great rim shots - probably largely due to the die-cast rims. All superb drums, IMO.

[@iloveNgany]

The dyna sure made you smile though!

[@stevevorass]

Great playing!

[@Monsterdrumma]

I am a die hard Gretsch guy but my favorite snares are Slingerlands and again that is my favorite sounding snare in this video.

[@willshaughnessy8515]

Big R I had a few 7 lines .and a 5 Incredible snares when dialed in

[@iloveNgany]

Love the slingy.

[@michaelcamacho4856]

I actually like the Rogers the best

[@roybeckerman7843]

SLINGERLAND 👍🏿

[@craigwilliams501]

…and for someone just getting started, they are the value option - you can get one for under $200! Fantastic sound for the money.

[@vincentfederico1585]

Slingerland for the win on this one.

[@jeffreywegener8841]

Just great playing Rick ( as per usual) . I love the unck of a cob . I just got a mint early Big with a script low serial no . I know I will to tune carefully & wonder about using Kentville heads . Maybe the thinner ones not the emperor ones . To get more sustain et ring . All sound great . Probably the BB . They are exxy in Australia.

[@rickdior]

Thanks Jeffrey. I like thin heads on that drum. Remo Diplomat coated.

[@alexalja]

Thanks for your videos!

[@jermss_]

Beautiful video thanks

[@richbuck100]

GREAT comparo. Totally agreed on your assessments

[@charliecontrino1626]

The Black Beauty is the all time greatest snare in my humble opinion.

[@rickdior]

I would have trouble disagreeing with you.

[@luiszuluaga6575]

The Slingerland and Ludwig both sounded pretty strong next to each other.

[@ramonkey2939]

I have a 1957-58 Leedy 5x14 Chrome over Brass snare drum and it’s pretty heavy

[@elithepitbulldog2209]

Surprisingly, I liked the Rogers best. Not because I own one either. But as far as brass drums in my collection, my fave is a toss between my joyful noise (but it is heavy), and a modern Yamaha recording custom, which is not an expensive drum. The throw off is fantastic. Simple, quiet, and very easy to operate But it really depends on the room as to which I might choose. I’ve found that moving the entire kit around to different parts of the room matters

[@jamesconnors5653]

Agree, the ambient mic best.

[@drummerboyharm3078]

What about the Pearl jupiter 14x5 COB?

[@jackrudolph6374]

I had a Big R Dino and it choked out too.

[@8upwithit]

I enjoy your videos, especially about reading big band charts. In this one, I noticed that your Dynasonic snare mechanism seems to be very tight, which may be the reason that the drum sounds choked. I have a dyna also, and I have the snare frame set just tight enough to keep the wires from rattling against the bottom head. The wire tension within the frame is just enough that they produce a bit of a tone when strummed like a guitar. With these settings, my drum sounds crisp and dry, and never choked.

[@rickdior]

Hi Kenneth Thanks for watching. The drum is not choked. That is the way it sounds compared to the others. I have 4 Dynos, wood and brass and they sound good but are never my first choices.

[@8upwithit]

@@rickdior Hi, Rick. Thanks for taking the time! A little off-topic, I have a SuperTen that I put a set of Dyna snares on just to try it out. It actually works pretty well, given that it has more pronounced snare beds than the dyna. It sounds close to the dyna, but a little less dry. I guess it’s now a SuperSonic.😁

[@deejaaywalker2314]

@@8upwithit cool play on words!

[@HamptonGuitars]

Ironic that the dynasonic sounded choked, considering that clumsy snare bridge was designed to eliminate it. They always intimidated me, I stuck with the COB Rogers Powertone

[@rademasi]

Thanks Rick for another great post. I agree with your comparative assessments. I have a few comments/questions: 1) I noticed curious how lug count vs brass shell vs rims contribute to sound? Do you also have a COB Rogers (8 lug) powertone and if so wondering how that stacks up against these? Which other Dynas do you have, curious how the earlier oval badge compares to big R, I have both, I also got the bug R as a kid and always had difficulty tuning it. My oval badge that I got later seems to be a bit easier to work with, they are roughly same weight (9.1 lbs for Bug R and 9.7 for oval badge). The head differences may also explain sound differences. I also have 60’s Lualloy Supra, instead of buying a COB Supra , do you know if my hardware on the aluminum drum will match the 60’s brass shell? Thx again !

[@rickdior]

Hi Ralph That's alot of questions I do not have a powertone right now but I did and I sold it. Nice drum but it was not as good as these in my opinion. I have a 6.5 inch dyna and a 5 line 5" that are on loan. The hardware on the Ludwigs should match the holes but I am not 100% on that.

[@tomspadano5006]

Hey Rick appreciate your videos - what is the difference between a No.132 & No.130 Slingerland Sound King ? I too agree that the SoundKing sounded best !

[@tomspadano5006]

Ok… Rick I just watched your slingerland video and got my answer… thank you !

[@Anton_Nikolaus_Mangweth]

Dear Rick … what I hear the Slingerland sounds deeper and dryer and oldscooly for me? Am I right? I also tend to buy a acrolite 60s! Could you please recommend me which snare you think is for a Jazztrio the better one? I normally love wood snares but to have one metal snare sounds good to me…thanks for answering … toni

[@davidsuprenant893]

Just got a new 4160 USA gretsch COB with diecast hoops.like it alot for a metal snare.whats your tunning method for the bottom head.do you leave the tunning alone on the bottom head when you change from lower to higher tunning on batter head.???

[@rickdior]

I tune the bottom head a minor 3rd lower than the top. So if the top is a G the bottom would be an E.

[@papalegba6796]

Gretsch COB incredibly versatile imo.

[@mercertj]

@@papalegba6796 I find they sound better med to low tuning. Way too thin for me cranked up, unless you're doing tunes that need it

[@Uzziel_lay_drums]

Hello Mr. Rick ! I am looking for a 1970's 6.5x14 black beauty and a 1980 boue and olive badge bronze 6.5x14; you sold the 20's black beauty 6.5x14 with the extra holes?

[@rickdior]

Hi Not sure what you are asking. I have never had a 14x 6.5 black beauty with extra holes.

[@Uzziel_lay_drums]

@rickdior oh sorry I saw one maybe a year or so ago I thought was you , do apologize! Did you have by any chance a 70-80's blue and olive badge black beauty 6.5x14 for sale ?

[@alanduncan1980]

I thought the Slingy sounded the nicest, followed by Gretsch, then Ludwig and then the Dynasonic. They're all excellent drums though. I'd be happy playing either one. I have owned all, but the Ludwig, at one time or another. The Gretsch is the only one I still have. That's a keeper.

[@markward3730]

That wuhan is sounding nice.

[@rickdior]

Thanks That cymbal needs its own video.

[@oscarsacchetti5215]

Please forgive me if my comment is about the drum set when the video is about snare drums! I do not know if this has more to do with the Peavey or with the heads and tuning, but after watching this video I may consider putting Pinstripes on my drums almost 30 years after I did for the last time! Concerning tuning: bottom heads a little tighter than batter heads? Thanks Rick for another great video!

[@rickdior]

Hi Oscar I personally love Pinstripes. It's all in the tuning. I tune both heads to the same pitch. Clear Ambassadors on the bottom. The Peavey drums sound great but this head combo sounds great on all my other kits as well.

[@jamesconnors5653]

King size rim shot off of Slingerland.

[@52ndst97]

How do the Sound King and Gretsch 4160 compare in person? Is one louder, drier, more pleasant sounding, etc?

[@rickdior]

The Sound King is more versatile, and head choice makes it even more so. The Gretsch drum has a particular sound that you either love or hate.

[@Drummin4jesus1]

I realize this video is about these snare drums however, when I heard your toms I had to ask what heads you are using? They look like Remo Pinstripes. They sound great! Are you using a mix to get that sound or do they sound like that open? Thanks!

[@rickdior]

Yes, Pinstripes. Two overheads and a bass drum mic so what you are hearing is mostly room sound.

[@Drummin4jesus1]

T U Rick for your reply! @@rickdior

[@renatopestana9526]

Hey Rick! I noticed this 4160 snare drum has 42 strand wires and I have seen other videos of other 4160s you have that have 20 strand (or 24?) wires. What is the main difference for you? How do you go about choosing one or another?

[@rickdior]

Hi Renato I like the 20 strand better for that drum. The 42 strand wires are just too much snare sound in my opinion. They also resonate off the other drums much more and that buzz gets very annoying.

[@jackrudolph6374]

It looks like you know a lot about snare drums

[@markward3730]

When it comes to wood drums try the Premiere Signa, 5-1/2 by 14 maple snare . It’s the best wood drum.

[@markward3730]

You say the dynasonic is your least favorite of the bunch, but You have 3 Rogers Dynasonics. In your collection. Stop it. Your playing with the Black beauty was the best sample of all the other comparisons. Stay with those contemporaries rhythms and you be a millionaire in no time. Hip funk is where it’s at.

[@rickdior]

LOL, Thanks Mark Are you saying I am discriminating among snare drums? It's not that I dislike the Rogers drum, that was my first snare so it holds a special place in my younger life. I am just saying that there are better choices for me at this point. Of course everyone will have their own opinion which is what makes this all so much fun.

[@longfade]

Another expert. Awesome.