Sonor 27-ply, 13" x 5" Artist Snare Drum

[@M123OCT]

With apologies, I have just discovered a whole load of comments held for review - I didn't know they were there. I will try to answer any questions over the next few days. Thank you for watching (and commenting!)

[@davidcook4623]

Odd, that this sounds sounds so nice. Precision Drum Company made a 4"x13" piccolo snare for me, a couple years ago. Even with the heads tuned tightly, it's the deepest sounding snare drum I've ever owned. I was sorely disappointed! On the other hand, they also made me a single-headed 4"x10" concert tom, with six lugs. It absolutely sings, when you play it.

[@voxpathfinder15r]

Long time Sonor user myself, have 3 Phonic kits dating back to the 70s. Everything they make is beautiful

[@af7119]

Thank you so much for making this video! What a surprising drum. Very musical. Love the way you have it tuned as well.

[@4444540]

That has to be one of the very best snare tones i have heard... the overtones are nice, the center strokes of the snare are full and crisp... and what a shell configuration! Great video, man!

[@M123OCT]

Cheers!

[@tommyhighton8434]

I have this same snare. It is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Everything that he said is true. I tune this drum low and I still can’t get over beautiful it sounds. This drum is expensive, but if you can afford it, buy it now. I promise that you will keep it forever.

[@mysteryloaf]

What an incredible snare drum! Overtones are very melodic, the center strike is powerful and toneful, and all those ghost notes breathe through with clarity and articulation. I got a chance to record the 14-inch Birch version of this drum, and play on it for a few minutes as well. The rimshot on that one was so textbook-perfect it sounded like a General MIDI sample lol. Thanks for sharing and have fun with that one!

[@indigocitystudio1015]

I like the way you play. Nice touch.

[@famitory]

it's amazing how in-tune the harmonic series of this drum is. it really has such a defined note to it that you'd almost have to tune it up or down a semitone from song to song to make sure it's in key

[@TornaitSuperBird]

The resonance on that thing is insane! So much color!

[@ari-pekkalaukkanen6848]

Amazing how this snare still sounds that open and dynamic with that load of mass! Nice in deed!

[@CharlieBrown-uv6uw]

I knew nothing about drums but I do now, nicely presented video.

[@chewgumer]

Such a beautiful thing both to play & to look at.

[@DystoniaFive]

Man, that thing just sings! It actually seems to have a quite versatile sound, as well. Thanks for posting

[@chromebull884]

I bet that is incredibly loud in person. Thanks for sharing!

[@nelldogcf]

Incredible sounding drum. Hitting it dead in the centre really does turn it into a cannon. Not massively keen on the sounds towards the edges but the centre more than makes up for it. Beautiful drum.

[@davedavies6767]

agreed. for many years i played an Eames snare like that one. it covered every gig. rock to wedding brush jazz. it works like magic. insane volume, intimate sensitivity

[@Bluums]

I have the same snare drum and I'm surprised at how good it sounds every single time I play it, just incredible! Before I got it, I never thought it will become my all time favourite

[@mikegoggins9758]

That is a amazing drum! 👍👍👍👍👍Sounds fantastic!

[@e-maestro]

I did not expect that sound but wow. I'll say a good addition indeed 👍👏

[@sammue6349]

That drum sounds GREAT!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!

[@janceulema]

Excellent review of what is a very sensitive and expressive well-sounding snaredrum. Sonor really managed to make this 27-ply beech drum work well. Nicely tuned too!

[@cooper9287]

Awesome sound. And your a A class drummer!

[@stephenbrain3620]

What a great beat you create in the last minute or so.

[@johnnhello4913]

I've been wanting that snare for more than 10 years. It's my dream snare. Congratulations on your purchase. I have a 12 ply g bubinga SLP snare

[@mgmejm]

I used to think the same thing about mass vs sound in a drum, it had me turned around for a long time until I became a woodworker and started building my own drums. I'm not sure a drum can ever be 'dead', so long as it doesn't collapse due to being too thin. The more mass a shell has, like your snare, the more high end frequency it will have. The thinner the shell, the more tone you hear from the shell body itself, like on the Radio Kings. I built a stave snare from a palm tree that was cut in my neighborhood in northern California a few years ago. Before I turned it, it had a lot of ring tone, like as I tapped the side of the shell, it rung out a note. After I turned it, the shell itself was dead flat in tone when suspended from my finger and knocked on the side. When I fully assembled it, it sounded amazing, very fat, very deep tone with pronounced articulation despite my preference of tuning tight. In the end a lot of a snares sound comes down to bearing edge, heads, and tuning. You can get a piccolo to sound huge, you can get a 7" to sound ringy. Yours is pretty nice. Hope you're getting a lot of practice in these isolating times!

[@M123OCT]

That's a great skill, to build your own drums. When it comes to practical things, I'm bloody useless.

[@krusher74]

To be dead the shell would have to dampen the heads. unless it had very wide soft bearing edges its never going to happen.

[@TessaAnderson]

This snare sounds so good!!!! I want it

[@davidwillis9270]

What a snare... I love it! Thanks for sharing, Michael!

[@DrummerGrrrl]

Wow! You're right! This snare drum sounds so good! Powerful but also softly subtle!

[@drumdude123]

It reminds me of the pearl reference series which also had a crazy amount of plies. Those sonor offset lugs and throw off look way better though

[@SilencedMi5]

Surprising, but you're right - it sounds great! Sonor always amazes me with their build quality. Who would you say could outdo them in quality with price as no object?

[@M123OCT]

I can't imagine any better quality would be needed, to be honest.

[@SilencedMi5]

@@M123OCT - Fair point!

[@UnkieFro]

Amazing sound, and amazing control of those sticks. Soo smooth 👌

[@longfade]

Wow, it has an orchestral level of sensitivity and dynamic range.

[@SlinkiestTortoise23]

Nice chops on that snare! Really nice!

[@howies5265]

I’m fascinated with the build and think it’s sounds killer nice and bright with good ring 🥁

[@ArchieBC]

That IS a beautiful snare. I would love to hear it with just a tiny bit of muffling so it didn’t constantly ring. Thanks for showing it to us!

[@robbyboy03]

I expected it to be quite a dead sound but certainly the best sound I have ever heard.

[@budokaiboy]

Beautiful snare. Really nice playing too!!!

[@gabrielvasconez66]

That snare sounds great! Thanks for bringing this to us

[@TedCornish]

Sounds incredible mate. Really bright, crisp and a lovely tone

[@vetlerradio]

Beautiful snare.

[@jimhardiman3836]

Really sounds great. Good job.

[@natevanslyke7274]

Amazing snare . Fantastic playing as well ... 👍

[@MrKulturembargo]

Nice demo drumming, sir :)

[@sethyboo2361]

Great sounding snare!👍

[@billbox1916]

What a conception! Sounds fantastic!! Thank you

[@Freogeteknet]

wow the overtones are really beautiful in a way! cool snare! Good review!

[@M123OCT]

Thanks a lot! Nice one.

[@uniproducing1175]

Thank you for this video! It gives a good impression of the drum.

[@themookie2112]

Awesome playing

[@paulanderson3772]

Sounds like a hammer hitting an anvil. Overtones galore. Awesome.

[@RonaldRol]

I like the sound of your bass drum too

[@shark1tall]

Those high overtones sound very clean.

[@jmpsthrufyre]

Nice depth and bassy punch for a 10" Wow

[@drummer4hire12]

Great production 👍

[@j.c.s.3473]

Just great...hail from Colombia

[@jonmaher8699]

Sounds great. I'm curious how it would sound tuned lower.

[@hinkemiki]

Amazing how much It sings

[@LTDLimiTeD1995]

Sounds fantastic!

[@GoodLifeMedicine]

Nice groove!

[@Ryan98391]

Holy overtones Batman!

[@MrRichiekaye]

Sounds wonderful

[@thecrippledrummer]

Beautiful sounding drum.

[@samuelthorn408]

What a snare! Just gives the backbeat that lil' extra crack!

[@mjm5081]

Beautiful and sounds great!...I've got a Ludwig Epic "Brick" snare...20 plys...14" by 7"...Just over $200...It also looks and sounds great...And a steal at that price!...Happy Drumming...ps. Liked/Subscribed 😃

[@ivanbajovic3476]

Gosh, sounds crazy good.

[@1061shrink1061]

Love it, almost sounds like steel!

[@LuiWallentinGttler]

Wow ... just wow. It's very alive judging from this. Very sensitive and very crisp. But should also be very very good judging from the price I can find it at ;-). So I can only be a little bit envious and congratulating you for having that very nice piece of drum hardware.

[@typhoon-7]

Really nice tone. I often use a 13" piccolo snare (3 1/4" deep) because I love this sort of tone. And I play metal music! Just shows there is no such thing as the right answer in music. Nice review.

[@kindnick58]

I believe Jojo Mayer uses very thick shells

[@scottlowell493]

I have an affinity for Sonor. Fine craftsmanship and sound. This is for those that think a 12mm shell is for sissies.

[@jimkowalczyk7466]

Jojo mayer plays a snare with some crazy thickness, I wonder if it is based off of this.

[@kimweemhoff8066]

The Artist Earth . Basically the same snare drum but with gold lugs and another strainer. I have that one. My favorite snare in 40 years of pro playing.

[@rustydr1560]

I have a Pearl Premier 20 ply (Maple and Birch) 14x6 and it is a beast. I love that snare.

[@DeadKoby]

There's a number of other makers who have done a very thick wall snare like this. It's interesting to say the least.

[@brandonproctor3639]

Sounds great and snappy

[@mattd4616]

Stunning instrument!

[@DanMarcelino]

Nice video. Pearl has something similar to this.. they’re nice drums. Rigid shells make beautiful tones

[@DanMarcelino]

In my experience, the “livelyness” or “openness” comes from thinner drum heads. The thicker the head, the tone becomes darker and you get more midrange overtones. Thinner heads give you brighter clear tones with a lot less midrange (seeming to give more treble and bass)

[@steevidrums]

Tama did a super thick shell kit in the 80s, very similar thickness to this. I cannot remember the name of it though.

[@ivanpedrero1455]

Nice review!! Thank you very much. Best regards from Chile!!

[@stephenzaborski8656]

Sounds fantastic.

[@samhersir]

Love the sound this snare makes

[@cHaNdorss]

the snare ok ok nice, the sound of bass drum is magnificent !!

[@M123OCT]

Glad you like it!

[@plasticuproject]

That does sound pretty dang good. What an odd shell.

[@Jean-bl6ml]

Thanks for the review, real nice drum.

[@jalen2467]

I never knew I needed 27 ply toilet paper until now

[@toddvandell85]

A 27-ply snare drum. Wow. Amazing sound. Dear God, Sonor might actually have finally built the very first completely Lars Ulrich-proof snare drum. Unbelievable. Didn't think that was possible but, this could be the one. (Or would Tama have to build their own version of it, before Lars would even look at it, since he endorses them?)

[@jonasnitz7678]

Sounds really good.

[@stuartrae4612]

Gorgeous mix

[@alexisnunez515]

Beautiful ring

[@Dakhaos-ou812]

It is a pretty snare..but the " ping sound" is the first thing i would try to get rid of.Maybe a personal thing..but i like my snare as " dry" as possible.

[@M123OCT]

I used to do that, I know what you mean. But then I discovered how much I liked it, and it disappears with a band. I just found using gel on my snares made them all sound pretty much the same - I feel guilty when I do it.

[@Dakhaos-ou812]

@@M123OCT That is the odd things about snares and cymbals.. a little imperfection gives them just that bit of character .

[@rongriffin5980]

Beautiful drum!

[@fernandodanielarmeno2296]

SONOR best drums ever!

[@miguelalfoya2031]

Lovely snare.... I need it! 😃 😝

[@twintwin1005]

cool sound

[@KurtStoffer]

Snare Sounds Great

[@acidbath3226]

it would be cool if they made a deeper version

[@timchurchill6975]

its a shame you didn't take the top head of would of loved to see the construction of it amazing sound .

[@notaness]

Your bass drum sounds even better...

[@martinleicht5911]

Luv it!!! 💥

[@markvandivier]

Wow, that snare does sound good.

[@atomicslam1589]

Wow....27ply snare with triple-flanged rims????? Sonor breaks all the rules, yet leaves all the other companies in the dust, in every way. Just beautiful. Btw....who's the artist this snare was made for???

[@M123OCT]

It's the same drum as Jojo Mayer (his has a kind of 'jungle' finish as opposed to the wood).

[@TheElFuppo]

I think it sounds very nice!