I've got a 13x7 Pork Pie Brass Patina that a true Bad A$$ & I've heard that their 14x6.5 Big Black Brass snare sounds very similar to a Ludy Black Beauty. You can get into either one of these for around $250 if you shop around. I was lucky enough to get a U.S. version of the Patina because both of these are made in Taiwan now (I think), but the Patina finish on the 13x7 is still done (again, I think) state side. You can actually just buy the parts & do-it-yourself, but unless you've got a bunch of hardware laying around, it's going to cost as much or more than the pre-assembled Taiwan Brass snares that are on the market. The PP Big Black is pretty much the same drum as the Ludy Black Magic, WorldMax Black Dawg, and a slew of others that use the same shell with similar hardware. I brought up the PP Brass Patina because I have one...great drum, had it for 3 years now & it's still my main snare...and I've got some good stuff! just my :2Cents:

Dan

My first place vote goes for plain, simple, wood shell snare drums with six or eight lugs from Slingerland or SlingerLeedy from the mid 1950's through the late 1960's. My scond place vote is for a 1960's Rogers Luxor six lug wood shell snare drums or wood shell Powertone snare drum that is much more expensive to find. The only metal snare drums that have any appeal for me are a metal shell Powertone or a black Galaxy Acrolite which sounds more like a wood shell drum.

you know ive been playing all my snares and i too like the sound of my jazz fest snares the 5.5 x14 sound a little sweeter than the 5x 14 both 64 but i have to say my 61 super classic cob is really cool the sound is so unearthly now my 63 downbeat is its own beast real crisp and my 69 ludaloy supra is my daily player

cant wait to finish restoring my orange peal acro and play it

oh to many drums now with my radio king resto project i just dont know anymore by the way nice kits that gretch snare has always been 1 of my alltime fav's i had one in the 80's

Are we talking vintage bang for the buck, brass bang for the buck, metal/alloy bang for the buck, wood bang for the buck or biggest bang for the buck?

Vintage bang for the buck - My Slingerland GK Sound King, you can pick one up really cheap on the Bay now!...it's a buyers market & you can pick up a 70's model for around $100 if you look long enough.

Brass bang for the buck - See Vintage BFTB

Metal/Alloy bang for the buck - Ludy Acrolite, like the Sound King, you can pick one up really cheap on the Bay right now.

Wood bang for the buck - I build drums so am going to disqualify myself from this category. If I did have a vote, I would say my Gretsch 14x6.5 Renown Maple in Silver Slate Sparkle. Came with a kit I bought new a few years ago. I just got lucky on this one, sometimes you just get a great drum. The salesman that sold it to me has tried to buy it from me for 3 years!

Biggest bang for the buck - Still my PP Brass Patina! I paid $235 shipped & as stated before...Bad A$$ Snare.

Unfortunately someday my buddy is gonna clean out his drum room and want that Gretsch kit back. I was lucky he was living in the area last winter and needed a place to store it. So my Pacific kit got shelved. And I got to experience the difference between good drums and bad drums. Then I came across this RK kit and the bug bit me.

I'm mostly dreaming of a snare for under 200 bucks that sounds as good as that Gretsch. The Slingerland Soundkings look like my best bet. I had a steel 70's Slingerland snare in Jr high, unfortunately it got beat a bit too much, there is a few dents in it and one on the bearing edge, I think it's a total loss, so I stripped it of all the parts and left the shell in the barn back home. I'd like to do something with the hardware someday.

Notice in the pic theres a 15x7 ludwig concert snare that I can't get to sound very good either. I need to buy new hoops that aren't warped and maybe re do the bearing edges.

i have a 70 something supra its clean i took it apart and restored it cheap wires was what was on it and used heads id let it go for 200 with shipping as long as its not east or west coast there's a surcharge from chi town the throw is a little out of sorts but it works good its a nice drum minimal scratch and pitting that if you find some parts down the road can be a great drum as it is its a player if interested pm me

I have a 6.5" x 14" big black pork pie that is a great drum studio and live. Great thing is you use it for almost any situation and can actually tension it up or down in between songs to get a totally different song. Question? Am thinking of buying a supra 6.5 metal. Would it be a different enough sound? Haven't played one other than the 5.5 so was wondering? The PP was a good value for what I paid also. Thanks.

How many lugs are your hoops from the Slingy Student you pulled the hardware from? I've got both an old Steel Shell from that drum & an old SK Shell I can let go pretty cheap! (both are 8 lug)...or, there's a guy on sleezBay that sells NOS Slingy Shells, some are already drilled for SK Lugs.

If you're interested in the SK Shell, I also have a Zoomatic Strainer. It's definitely a player!...got dings & scratches, but in overall good shape. The Steel Shell is in very good shape & all your existing hardware should strap right up to her.

Dan

Nice loner-kit. The cherry laquer is sweet and I love the snare (I really, really need one).

Best of luck on your quest and look forward to pics of your refurb.

B