...well.....what snare are you speaking of? That would make a HUGE difference.

It's part tuning and part playing technique...

Sorry I kinda thought about that after. I am using a 60's 6 lug Slingerland snare.

I also wondered this. I have some generic rims for this now. There is quite a bit of splay in the tension rods because they aren't Sling rims. Will this hurt anything playing it with the splay the way it is?

Thanks

crispy is the word when its tite its right

A tight "crack" isn't what an old six-lug Slingy is cut out for. The fewer lugs a drum has, the larger share of head tension each lug has to take. Those old Slingerland lugs are only so strong. You can find lots of them out there with stress cracks from bearing too much tension. Also, the more distance between tension rods, the more the rim will bend between them. Not only does that reduce the tension being applied to the head, which is counterproductive for the tuning you're looking for, but it creates uneven tension on the head that can make balancing the head difficult.

If you want a snare with great open tone at low to medium tension, that's where an old six-lug Slingerland shines. They're supposedly great for brush work, too. If you want a tight "crack" sound, a sturdy eight-lugger might fit the bill. A ten-lug snare is probably right up your alley.

Don't think you're going to get the sound you want from a 6-lug drum. Ya gotta tune up high.

i have a 70s *** cortley 6 lug 14x6 snare,like LUAN?? lol,anyway i struggled to get a decent sound out of it heres what i did evans g2 genera white coated top,evans clear genera snareside replaced stock wires w 42 strand then got the wires as tight in the throwoff as possible maybe not a crack but it actually sounds really nice now,tight on the bottom then just tighten the top to your liking,youll know when its getting to tight it will have a dead sound to it.you can get a really good piccolo used under a hundred bucks if you really looking for a crack!!Burger Kin

I would set that snare up for jazz work and then shop around for a late 70s or early 80s Slingerland 5 ply TDR or Slapshot snare. The right tool for the job. Those snares will give you the crack you seek.

Thanks everyone. I should probably use this six lug for a pop and my acrolite or supra for a crack. Got it! Thanks again!