How Different Do Snare Wires Sound? - Snare Wire Comparison

[@gthelee3412]

Wow, thank you for all of the work that went into this! I have never really experimened with different wires. I was very surprised that I didn't care for the brass or the 42 strand. I thought they would be my favorites. I liked the snappy snares, and really like the stock Ludwig. I guess that is what my ears are used to.

[@metrodrumstv]

Thumbs Up for the Equalizer. Great articulation with those!

[@HotBadBoyMagnifico]

All personal preference, of course...and depends on what the song and act needs. But for me, the Gibraltar Snappy 42 strands stood out. Just pure "splatch" snare sound. A bit more "boink", the Gibraltar 20 strands to me were best. Thanks a million, bro. Good video and glad you put the final segment in.

[@DrummerRIP]

Yes! Yes! & Yes!!! Great work! Channels cover modern experiments all the time. Experiments like this solely focused of general results for anything vintage would be amazing! I’ve been trialing on Roger’s drums past year or so…. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! 🙏🏻🤓🥹

[@sanchezzz1]

I'm giving props to that ride...man!

[@brent3760]

I play with the canopus vintage wires. Love them!!

[@Drumsmurf]

Best wires there are IMO.👌🏼Never liked any puresound wires.

[@brent3760]

@@Drumsmurf I agree. Buzz is reduced, but sensitivity and articulation are unbeat! I like both versions. The chrome plated and the dry unplated. I've done both on my 71 supraphonic and various wood snares. I know canopus usually says use the chrome with metal snares and the dry with wood, I've done both and liked all of the results!!

[@Assimilator702]

@@brent3760 That’s a strange recommendation in the part of Canopus. It’s better to use chrome plated on a snare that doesn’t have an excess of high frequency overtones. Unplated will tame a ringy snare. I use Tama wires on most of my snares but Canopus are my next wires I’d like to try on my Yamaha RC Aluminum and my Ludwigs.

[@brent3760]

@@Assimilator702 It's not my recommendation. I've tried both and liked it. Canopus recommends the chrome plated with metal snares and unplated on wood. I dug every scenario and situation with the vintage wires. In my opinion, they are the best....For me. 😁🤙🥁

[@Assimilator702]

@@brent3760 I use unplated on every snare unless it came with plated and it sounds fine. If there are issues I usually swap with another snare. Tama installs both types on their metal snares. Although Star and Starphonic all get the RL14C which is an unplated carbon steel wire. My Black Beauty and Supraphonic both had chrome plated wires and those were removed immediately for unplated Tama wires. I also noticed the Ludwig wires are considerably longer than other wires.

[@krusher74]

Thanks for including the speed round, that was the only really way to compare.

[@matthewpaluch777]

😎👍Great job Jr. & staff!!! This is a episode I've been waiting forever for!

[@matthewpaluch777]

42's ala Alex Van Halen & John Bonham!

[@gastonjabaly]

Finnaly a back to back comparison i like the eq deeper and no slapback

[@gregc5684]

Excellent job on this video! Loved and appreciate all your work on it. If there's a part 2, would like to see some snare wires from Canopus and Pearl.

[@roadrocket7]

My thoughts too. The Canopus vintage is exactly like the original Slingerlands. Pearl makes great snare wires as well.

[@Assimilator702]

Also Tama makes great snare wires. They’re all I use on my Tama snares and a few of my others. Out of my Gretch, Yamaha and Ludwig snares the only wires I didn’t change out were the Yamahas since nothing about them bothered me.

[@donaldrankin7859]

Good job!... I thought it was interesting seeing the behavior of the snares in the videos from below.

[@jrfrondelli2023]

This video confirmed what I already know: I prefer the plain ol' Gibraltar 20-strand snares the best.

[@krusher74]

its really did the job well for cheap!

[@danecampbell639]

Thanks for making this video! I quite liked the sound of the Puresound 30 too.

[@HerrielGabnan]

Great video 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@billyrhythm]

Interesting what we hear, and how we describe sounds. I thought the brass wires were the DARKEST of the bunch, not the brightest. It almost seemed like the pitch of the drum went DOWN with those wires. I didn't care for the Ludwig wires. The 30 strand Puresounds were another one I didn't care for. For me, lots of wires "smear" the sound; it becomes less articulate and more fuzzy. So I really thought the 42s would be a mess. Yet they weren't! I felt the 30s had more of that peripheral buzz than the 42s. In most cases, though, there wasn't a huge difference. I could live with any of them, really.

[@jonashellborg8320]

Nice work! At least at this listen, I really liked the Gibraltar 20. I have a bunch of PureSound, so that surprised me.

[@donbelle7171]

Twisted sound great !!!

[@ethanm1261]

I've always wondered about these wires. I feel they have a very thick 'chunky' sound..

[@shadowsymphony1]

I agree

[@rod4real]

Gibraltar 42 strand 🤘

[@OPP3N616]

anybody notice how he got a haircut halfway into the video?

[@ElClásicodelos30s]

now that you say i cant dont notice it

[@MysteryZenSide2]

Hi Steve- I love the demo-- really impressive ..I wouldn't mind seeing the same snare wires on a vintage Ludwig 3 ply...I'm trying to diminish the harshness of my '68 Standard 100 3 ply- not sure which snare wire would be most suitable I loved the Puresound Equalizer 16 on my '72 Ludwig Standard 102 Aluminum shell- perfect match- ...I may try to upgrade my hoop to brass on the '68 Standard 100 3 ply to absorb some of the initial 'jolt' this snare has- it just sounds like a lightening bolt most of the time-

[@sunflowerguy5314]

If i have a 3 ply gretsch 5.5×14 (like Elvin), what would you recommend to use to attempt to sound anything like him? (impossible i know).

[@acidbath3226]

the twisted and snappy ones sound like they would be good for heavy metal, but man those brass ones sound excellent for jazz

[@kevinafflack]

Great shootout. I'd like to hear a 57 on the bottom head as well with phased reversed. A blend of the two 57s is a common studio approach and would highlight the snares more.

[@badtriad9684]

nice vid, steve! one of my early "experiments" was installing Gretsch 40 strand -'cause i really wanted that SNARE SOUND! (more's gotta be better, right??) let's just say was disappointed & eventually reverted to issue 20 strand... ALSO, throughout yr's have found there are no hard & fast rules, & perfect example would be my KILLER 1920's Leedy snare purchased from Tony at Chicago Drum Show -equipped w/measly 12 (count 'em, TWELVE) strand wires!!!

[@regispresser6149]

SUPER 30!!👏

[@TYRONE_SHOELACES]

Dam ...I'm new to drumming even though my kit has been downstairs for 10 years ... never learned how to play , I just beat them for fun. I decided to upgrade a bit...just bought a New Yamaha Stage Custom Steel 6.5 x 14but when I was buying it, the salesman said to take it home and have fun with it and if I don't like the sound, just to come in and he will put an "upgraded" set of snares on it. I don't have a genre of music that I play, I'm a beginner...I just play along to AC/DC for fun, so I wouldn't know what snares to even ask for. I listened to this whole video and I just ended up liking the Ludwig's, the first set that you tested ...I assumed I would want the 20 strand because I'm thinking more is better. I did just watch a video that explained if I have a deep, steel snare, then less strands is better...so now, I don' t have a clue what to use ..or should I just use what came with the new snare because to me .. it does sound tight and no resonce after I hit it, very little..no sustain I guess you call it?

[@1thess523]

My go to are Puresound Blaster 20 strand which he didn't demo I play punk music and I like a nice crack to my snares which are steel, aluminum, birch, oak, and Mahogany and they work really well. They actually add volume to my snares as well.

[@ochocabra1542]

of the 16s I think honestly the Gibraltars sounded the best. the Super 30s sounded a bit too loose, a touch rattle-y, loses articulation. the Gibraltar 42s were the best here. I have those on one of my cheaper snare drums and they really help it punch above its weight. it's not technically as good as some of my better drums, but it sounds like it is. the 42s did that

[@shawnwilliams562]

Thank you,Mr.Maxwell,I love Gtretsch drums,all my heroes, Tony Williams, Terry Bozzio, Lenny White, and Gorgo Borlai,they all used Gretsch, the mounted Toms,have an amazing sound!🤘😎🔥

[@elithepitbulldog2209]

I liked the brass. But with the room mics not a lot of difference. Surprisingly, the less expensive Gibraltar was fine. My favorite of all time are the Yamaha snares that come on their drums, with the high carbon version being my favorite. Not even sure if they are still in production or not

[@Assimilator702]

Tama makes a high carbon steel snare wire. Of all the Yamahas wires I’ve seen they look to be all chrome plated which will have more of an affect on sound than the type of metal the wire is made from.

[@BCSchmerker]

+stevemaxwelldrums *Thanks for the comparo of snappies for rock, pop, jazz, metal, and funk.* Being of a Classical bias, I eschew snappies for guts or cofilament nylons, judge the Pearl® GS-142 compatible with the Ludwig®/ConnSelmer® LC-S401-XX shown.

[@tiszakalmanistvan]

my favorites the two opposites: snappy 42 and equalizer 16

[@matthewmore6893]

Wheres the Canopus vintage wires?

[@brianchisnell1548]

I believe ludwig new what they were doing way back then.

[@davidreidy5750]

Looks like I'm upgrading to 30 strand🗽♥️

[@ilikemusic76]

Brass❤

[@The_Other_Ghost]

I'm honestly jumping from dw to Gibraltar's. The only thing I'd improve about the video is saying if the wires are step or curve.

[@clownypants2718]

I think he started the video in the "paint me like one of your french girls" pose for a good reason

[@phaedrabandatlanta]

I like the Evans 20 custom

[@mohddalibinzali1165]

Which one is good to play ghostnote everytime? Btw i'm ghostnote addiction😂

[@jamesangel6986]

The equalizer had the driest sound with out after buzz. That might help with small Tom cross talk.

[@krusher74]

thats what they are designed for, no central wirse = less sympathic buzz

[@ThemFuzzyMonsters]

I would have preferred to snare BOTTOM to be mic-ed since that is where the snare wire lives. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@DeekTheStreak]

Ok let's get this out and done. Narrow for loud and more sound. Wide for picky jazz perfectionists. NEXT!!

[@thomasnappo6309]

THERES REALLY NO BIG DIFFRENCE...😂😂COMES DOWN TO THE TENSION OF WIRES..😂😂

[@WayneChurchill-zd3pm]

Eq and swirly

[@WayneChurchill-zd3pm]

42 sounds great