TAMA 1980 Mastercraft Bell Brass Snare Drum with The Drum Doctor | The Story of "The Terminator"

Get the TAMA 50th Anniversary Mastercraft Bell Brass Snare from Guitar Center:
www.guitarcent...
Learn more about the history and revival of the legendary TAMA Mastercraft Bell Brass Snare:
www.guitarcent...
Peruse the TAMA snare drum collection from Guitar Center today:
www.guitarcent...
The fabled 1980 TAMA Bell Brass snare used by Dave Grohl on Nirvana’s Nevermind-as well as appearing on countless other massive-selling and/or extremely influential records-has been retired.
This particular 1980 Bell Brass was acquired in the early ’80s by The Drum Doctor-a.k.a. Ross Garfield, founder of Los Angeles’ premier drum rental and custom shop-when someone walked up to his door and sold him what was to become one of the most valuable snare drums in history.
“The more drums you look at, the more you realize a great one when you hear it and play it,” says Garfield. “And this is the best vintage TAMA Bell Brass snare. There are none more popular. It has characteristics most of the other Bell Brass snares try to achieve.”
Although the legendary snare is enjoying its well-deserved retirement (“It has such a track record that I’m afraid to leave it in the studios anymore”), The Drum Doctor brought it out to play for this video. Lucky us.
Learn more about the history and revival of the legendary TAMA Mastercraft Bell Brass Snare:
www.guitarcent...
Keep on grooving with The Drum Doctor:
/ drumdoctors_otr
Chapters
00:00 - Intro with Ross Garfield (aka The Drum Doctor)
00:24 - The History of Drum Doctor’s 1980 TAMA Mastercraft Bell Brass Snare Drum
02:10 - How the TAMA Bell Brass Snare Drum Received “The Terminator” Nickname
02:42 - The Terminator's Various Appearances on Influential Albums
05:33 - The Drummer’s Impact on the Sound of Their Kit
06:47 - Outro

[@guitarcenter]

What are your thoughts on the sound of the legendary drum they call The Terminator? Let us know in the comments! 🥁🤘😎

[@dino_not_dyno]

I used this exact drum from Ross on two Dredg records. He’s not lying 🔥

[@AustinBeede]

Do you remember what snare you used on Sanzen? Always loved that tune and snare sound.

[@dino_not_dyno]

hey thanks. i think sanzen was a 70s black beauty (70s badge), it worked just right on that song for some reason, where it didnt work on others like triangle. (recut triangle after the fact). sanzen was recorded at skywalker ranch, george lucas' place. 🤌@@AustinBeede

[@dino_not_dyno]

hi Austin, thanks for the kind words. that snare was a 70s black beauty 6.5x14. that track was recorded at skywalker ranch, george lucas' place @@AustinBeede

[@dalekay9ine]

Sounds so damn good too Dino! Hope to hear some new Dredg music this year or soon!

[@klauth_Yksyn]

Although I know this is the O.G.... THIS is the best video on this drum I've seen since the 50th anniversary was re-introduced. glad to see GC step up their presence on YT 👍

[@markbryant8321]

Phil Gould level 42 main snare drum. He used in level 42

[@benjaminhaley729]

Years ago I recorded at Studio 606 (Foo Fighters) and the engineer hired Drum Doctors…the songs with the Bell Brass were the best snare sounds I’ve ever recorded. Not sure if it was this exact drum, but man….Tama BB FTW

[@tuslokbaki9579]

It’s the Gretsch vintage hoops that made the difference.

[@Rad631]

what a great history! I love to see passionate people talk about drums. Cheers

[@ryanboyce3365]

The man the myth the legend. Two of those are this snare!

[@edjones2199]

When I finally developed a good technique, soft hands, balance sticks hit hard. The pocket opens up in the sound of the drums amazing truly, the drummer brings out the sound you’re totally on.

[@edjones2199]

That $1200 black beauty I just bought doesn’t hurt either!

[@thestrawman15]

THANK YOU for having the Drum Doctors on, no one like him! Everyone thinks Black Beauty is the GOAT (including myself) but this thing seems INSANNEE. Would love to hear it cranked up a bit!

[@Assimilator702]

Ross has this drum tuned super low. Frankly a slightly higher tension makes this snare shine!

[@the_minimalistic_adventure]

@@Assimilator702Truly. Plus the tape isn’t helping a thing. This snare sounds best cranked and unmuffled.

[@Assimilator702]

@the_minimalistic_adventure I own 2 cast bronze snares. They need no muffling at all. I use a Coated Controlled Sound on each and they're both very controlled sounding.

[@krusher74]

lol, the clue may be in the head name. @@Assimilator702

[@user-mz8yd7ny6u]

I bought a tama set from guitar center Hollywood 1989 sold it 1993 . I bought a 1983 V8 power Yamaha drum the year it was fabricated in England 6 piece and I'm loving it

[@OblivionAviator]

Personally? I think that's a GREAT sounding snare! I always tuned my snares a little lower. The action was never all that great, but I've never been a "technician" & the "fat" sound was what I needed at the time. Great story, awessssome snare!

[@RacciHart-td9fh]

I don’t know if this is the exact drum that I used once upon a time or not. In 2001 I had the honor of having The Drum Doctor bring in drums and allow me to pic a few snares when I was in the band Dope and we were recording our second album Life in a studio in Hollywood. One of them was a 1980 Tama bell brass snare, but I seem to recall it having different rims on it. Nevertheless, that thing was a powerful beast!!!! 🤘🥁🤘

[@guitarcenter]

Sounds like that might've been his 1981 model (his other legendary Bell Brass), which has the Bell Brass hoops!

[@Aretumis]

Damn, he doesn't run the extended snare wires. Guess it really is all personal preference

[@Assimilator702]

The original wires could have been spent and regular wires worked well so he didnt change what sounded good.

[@scottlowell493]

I'm kicking myself for not buying a tama BB back in the day. It's a holy grail drum.

[@TM_Stone]

That drum was $3k back in the day. Equivalent to $12k today.

[@masdrums2643]

I’ve read it may be a prototype with 4mm thickness instead of 3mm. I emailed Drum Doctors but didn’t hear back. I know they were oversized 14” and sand casted bronze, not brass.

[@gadymarcus2362]

Bello/magnifico.🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂💪

[@drummachine86]

Absolutely amazing video! Ross is the boss!

[@ahchv]

Awesome 👏

[@user-li6nc6jm8e]

I love your songs guys

[@robertnobody]

Great story...imagine being the guy who sold him the snare drum and hearing this story years later...Ouch....lol.

[@bibop969]

what snarebed is used here? larger than the regular one on my snare

[@Thurston86]

Nice! 🤘👽👽👽

[@ComedyCigarsMusic]

🤘🏽

[@YearleyDrummer93]

Why put moon gell on for a video

[@bobsondugnutt7526]

right? IMO you dont need a legendary snare to achieve a taped up sound

[@krusher74]

that isnt moongel, what are you talking about?

[@bobsondugnutt7526]

@@krusher74 he's talking about muffling in general

[@krusher74]

I recon you could squeeze $200k out of Depp for that. Or is it worth more?

[@TheDan0131]

I wish I could hear it, it's tuned so low and muffled so much.

[@the_minimalistic_adventure]

This exact snare is so iconic. From the Black album to the Nevermind album, etc. I can only imagine what this snare is worth. Just wish it wasn’t taped up. It lacks that “classic” bell brass tone in this video.

[@jerryhello]

That snare drum deserves to be in the Smithsonian someday.

[@SDMFdeeger]

I think the black album used a different 1980 Bell Brass, not this exact one.

[@matthewpaluch777]

😎👍♥️🇺🇸💪🥁💣🔊🎼ROSS ROCKS!!!

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

Have Depp contact the Smithsonian and ask if they would be willing to permanently display it… yes, that’s a serious suggestion! 😎👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻🍻

[@Assimilator702]

How is a drum that's displayed in a museum supposed to be played? This snare drum needs to PLAYED, not displayed!

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

@@Assimilator702 you did watch the video,right... and you did hear him say that he doesn’t rent it out anymore, right?

[@ROYALPRIX]

And now they want 4 grand for them, talk about rent.

[@krusher74]

its not Depps to give to the smithsonian

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

@@krusher74 Depp has more ‘social currency’ to make it happen…

[@Lemon_Drums_USA]

That’s sad that he redid the edges.

[@krusher74]

Why? he did that soon after getting the drum, so the sound he gave it with his respeced edges is the sound that's on all the records.

[@kellyb0279]

Yeah! Nevermind could have been huge if he just left them alone! 🙄

[@ghiblinerd6196]

Am I the only one who thinks it’s a little boring sounding?

[@stevehaupt62]

I think I'll keep my 1987 model. I'm not a fan of a drum that sounds like it has tape all over the heads. Open that thing up and let it sing. But what do I know? 🤷

[@ghiblinerd6196]

@@stevehaupt62 completely agree. Sounds like *fill in the blank snare* with one of those Big Fat Snare things on the batter

[@leonardrhyman9578]

It's just a lot of dumpening. Without it that snare sounds like a fucking mortar

[@ghiblinerd6196]

@@leonardrhyman9578I would love to hear it with no dampening. The lord I listen to it the less it impresses me because it sounds so dead

[@SydneyDrums]

It's interesting hey .. it's more about what becomes popular once it's been used on many famous recordings and everyone's conditioned to it .. the same happens with guitar tones & dark cymbal tones, especially over the past 10 years.

[@robbiecollier8684]

Nearly 4 grand for it . Not worth that money at all