Next build choices: Aluminum 5 or 6.5?

[Old Dog]

So I own NO aluminum snares. That's what I would like to build next. I just looked at Precision Drum Co.'s shells and they have really decent prices on their 2 aluminum shells.

I often choose deeper snares, 6, 6.5, 7. I play mostly rock, funk, heavy rock, etc. Not much of a jazz guy.

I'm curious what others would choose. If you have a 5" and a 6.5" aluminum I would LOVE to hear you weigh in on your choice between the two.

I know there will be someone that suggest "Just get an Acro or a Supra and be done with it". . . .But, I'm going to build one. That's what I truly enjoy these days.

I've already got it in my head to use INDe/Josh's snare throw/butt combo. I only seem to be seeing one on his site. And I'm also leaning heavily towards more lugs from Champagne Drums (I used his Cito lugs on my last build--Awesome look and amazingly light weight).

I was considering die cast hoops this time around. But I'm clueless as far as how and aluminum shell sounds with die cast hoops.

Thanks for any insight and info.

 

[JazzDrumGuy]

Just get an Acro or Supra and be done with it!

Ok, so aluminum is dry. With die casts, even drier. I had a 6.5x14 Tico Torres free floater (3mm cast alum shell) and with die casts, it was unbearable to play, plus very loud. For the music you play, I'd go 6.5". Not sure about the lugs/throw/butt you want, but whatever floats your boat. If the shell is $120 (add holes is about $50 more), lugs are $50-75, throw/butt are $75, heads, DC hoops are $100, you are looking at $400+ for a You-branded drum. I'd seriously consider a 6.5 Acro reissue for that price ($429 new all over, so look for a nice used one), but again, build it if you want.
I would not do DC's, btw......

Here is an Acro for $350 (not mine):

Ludwig LM405LTD Limited Edition Acrolite 6.5x14" Snare Reissue with Matte Silver Hardware | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

 

[Old Dog]

Just get an Acro or Supra and be done with it!

Ok, so aluminum is dry. With die casts, even drier. I had a 6.5x14 Tico Torres free floater (3mm cast alum shell) and with die casts, it was unbearable to play, plus very loud. For the music you play, I'd go 6.5". Not sure about the lugs/throw/butt you want, but whatever floats your boat. If the shell is $120 (add holes is about $50 more), lugs are $50-75, throw/butt are $75, heads, DC hoops are $100, you are looking at $400+ for a You-branded drum. I'd seriously consider a 6.5 Acro reissue for that price ($429 new all over, so look for a nice used one), but again, build it if you want.
I would not do DC's, btw......

Here is an Acro for $350 (not mine):

Ludwig LM405LTD Limited Edition Acrolite 6.5x14" Snare Reissue with Matte Silver Hardware | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

Thanks for the heads up on the die cast hoops. I honestly have no experience with an aluminum at all. Yeah, I know the costs. I've built 2 snares in the last year or so.

Here's my 2nd build https://www.drumforum.org/threads/finally-finished-the-2nd-build.172077/#post-1918188

I'll be honest, and I've not mentioned it on this site, I'm just not a huge Ludwig fan. I do have a Breakbeats kit--it was used and I got it for $270?? I do actually have a black Acro in my save list on Reverb that I'm slightly considering simply due to price.

I can't thoroughly explain my disdain for Ludwig. Except that when I was just starting out in the early 80s, locally Ludwig was about the only new kit available and they were seriously costly. I was 13-15 with NO knowledge of Ludwig's history, etc (no knowledge of any company's history to be sure). But, it was a turnoff and it stayed with me for some reason.

BTW. . .my 2nd snare build, my favorite drum in my collection. Best sounding as far as I'm concerned, best looking. I like building.

 

[michaelg]

If it was me I'd be going 6.5 depth and I'd be ordering an Inde.

 

[deegeebee]

What I like about aluminum snares is the open sound of the thin, light shell resonating. Some call it the acrolite honk. I am sure it is not for everyone. That is why I prefer the acro and the standard over the supra and also why I found die cast hoops too much on a supra. Aluminum die cast hoops on the other hand were a nice middle ground, but still preferred the thin COB vintage hoops.

I think the Champagne cito lugs look amazing and will surely be nice and light. Doesn't that fellow make aluminum shells as well? If it were me I would do a 6.5" 8-lugger with thin flanged hoops or maybe aluminum die cast hoops before going with anything heavier.

 

[Browny]

I’d base it more or less on a LM402/LM405. Keep it classic.

6.5” deep, thin shell, ideally seamless/spun, wide beds, start with triple flange hoops (1.6 or 2.3) and it’s your call on 8 or 10 lugs.

Seeing as you’re building it yourself, it’ll be a tiny bit cheaper to do 8 lugs so you can consider that if you’re undecided on the lug count.

 

[kallen49]

l sold my 1974 5” Supra (that I was the original owner of) because I like my 6.5” Blacolite better.
They were similar in sound but I think the 6.5” has a wider tuning range, and I like the sound of the 40 strand snares on it. I have a 10” Yamaha snare if I need a higher pitched snare.
As mentioned recently in another snare discussion thread the black coating changes the sound a bit, a bit less “honk” perhaps?

Serious snare question - The actual sonic difference between 5 and 6.5

That's what I meant by getting used to a new instrument. The sound at the player's seat is not why I choose a certain size by now, it's the context, the end result that matters. I started out on a 6.5 Pearl Export snare, but most other snares around were 5x14, so this seemed like the normal...

www.drumforum.org

I have three batter hoops, the original steel, a cast aluminum and a wood. Each changes the overtones slightly. Playing music with a lot of cross sticking I tune it lower and use the wood hoop.

Eight lugs will work but with less lugs will you need locktite or some other way to prevent de-tuning?

 

[Old Dog]

What I like about aluminum snares is the open sound of the thin, light shell resonating. Some call it the acrolite honk. I am sure it is not for everyone. That is why I prefer the acro and the standard over the supra and also why I found die cast hoops too much on a supra. Aluminum die cast hoops on the other hand were a nice middle ground, but still preferred the thin COB vintage hoops.

I think the Champagne cito lugs look amazing and will surely be nice and light. Doesn't that fellow make aluminum shells as well? If it were me I would do a 6.5" 8-lugger with thin flanged hoops or maybe aluminum die cast hoops before going with anything heavier.

As far as I've seen on his site, all of his shells are birch. Then he can do specialty veneers which is what I did, Bubinga.

He only emails, but is a quick responder. Usually the same day. You could always email and ask him. He's a nice, straight forward guy. No not true. Since I used the Cito lugs on my last build, I'm considering some of the smaller round lugs. Thanks for your post. I'm definitely going to stay away from straight up die cast hoops. I like dry, but I don't want it to sound choked either.

l sold my 1974 5” Supra (that I was the original owner of) because I like my 6.5” Blacolite better.
They were similar in sound but I think the 6.5” has a wider tuning range, and I like the sound of the 40 strand snares on it. I have a 10” Yamaha snare if I need a higher pitched snare.
As mentioned recently in another snare discussion thread the black coating changes the sound a bit, a bit less “honk” perhaps?

Serious snare question - The actual sonic difference between 5 and 6.5

That's what I meant by getting used to a new instrument. The sound at the player's seat is not why I choose a certain size by now, it's the context, the end result that matters. I started out on a 6.5 Pearl Export snare, but most other snares around were 5x14, so this seemed like the normal...

www.drumforum.org

I have three batter hoops, the original steel, a cast aluminum and a wood. Each changes the overtones slightly. Playing music with a lot of cross sticking I tune it lower and use the wood hoop.

Eight lugs will work but with less lugs will you need locktite or some other way to prevent de-tuning?

I was definitely planning on an 8 lug setup this time. Mainly because my first 2 builds were both 10 lug. The de-tuning is a turn off though. I bought locktite last year just for this reason. Haven't needed it yet.

Thanks for the advice. 40 strands??!! Haven't gone there yet. But I did put a 30 strand FatCat on my 2nd build. I will certainly think about that.

 

[deegeebee]

As far as I've seen on his site, all of his shells are birch. Then he can do specialty veneers which is what I did, Bubinga.

He only emails, but is a quick responder. Usually the same day. You could always email and ask him. He's a nice, straight forward guy. No not true. Since I used the Cito lugs on my last build, I'm considering some of the smaller round lugs. Thanks for your post. I'm definitely going to stay away from straight up die cast hoops. I like dry, but I don't want it to sound choked either.




I was definitely planning on an 8 lug setup this time. Mainly because my first 2 builds were both 10 lug. The de-tuning is a turn off though. I bought locktite last year just for this reason. Haven't needed it yet.

Thanks for the advice. 40 strands??!! Haven't gone there yet. But I did put a 30 strand FatCat on my 2nd build. I will certainly think about that.

Have been told by one of his customers that he does some aluminum shells, specifically one with aluminum and birch layered. Don't know any more than that. Assuming it would be rivited. Worth asking.

I have never experienced any specific issues with detuning of 8-luggers, if anything the opposite. I rimshot a lot and every snare that has had detuning issues has been a 10. A lot of other variable in there though, so hard to say for sure. It makes sense to me that at equal tension each lug on an 8 lug drum would need to betighrer than on a 10 lug drum, which could help minimize detuning.

 

[Old Dog]

Have been told by one of his customers that he does some aluminum shells, specifically one with aluminum and birch layered. Don't know any more than that. Assuming it would be rivited. Worth asking.

I have never experienced any specific issues with detuning of 8-luggers, if anything the opposite. I rimshot a lot and every snare that has had detuning issues has been a 10. A lot of other variable in there though, so hard to say for sure. It makes sense to me that at equal tension each lug on an 8 lug drum would need to betighrer than on a 10 lug drum, which could help minimize detuning.

That's interesting. I will email him on the aluminum. He's all about customizing and special orders.

I'm still learning a lot about snares. I was away from drumming for nearly 20 years, and before that--I didn't pay ANY attention to shell construction, lugs, history, etc. I just sat down and beat the crap out of them. Once back, I was ALL about the drums and how they're constructed, etc.
I appreciate the info on the lug setup.

 

[Old Dog]

deegeebee, I emailed Greg, and he said he doesn't make the kind of shell I'm after. He didn't specifically say he doesn't build a layered "ply" shell like you described. So.. . . . .not sure about that.

Anyway, I showed him this, and he said it's "beyond his capabilities". . .

 

[deegeebee]

deegeebee, I emailed Greg, and he said he doesn't make the kind of shell I'm after. He didn't specifically say he doesn't build a layered "ply" shell like you described. So.. . . . .not sure about that.

Anyway, I showed him this, and he said it's "beyond his capabilities". . .

View attachment 462829

Thanks for sharing. Something special about a seamless metal shell.