I would say 2 seconds is probably normal, do you want it just to go away right after striking it? Try 2ply heads or tune the bottom head tighter. Using coated Emporers and cranking the bottom head up worked for Bonham on his Ludwig kit.

The internal tone controls (mufflers) were eliminated from American manufacturers' drum making for one reason. The reason was for increased profit by removing at least two labor functions and the cost of necessary parts while not increasing the price of their drums. The internal tone controls allow for the drummer to instantly increase or decrease the amount of muffling and ring-cancellation with no effort. Ringo's tea towels were temporary mufflers. Cloth strips under the batter heads are going to stay in place until you remove the hoop and the head first. Rogers drums was the first manufacturer (I think) to address the shortcomings of having no internal tone controls by supplying external versions that clipped on to the hoops of snare drums and tom toms. Once the industry leapt off the cliff like lemmings, there was no turning back except for reissue attempts of vintage spec drums.

But to go back to the snare problem, it has a godawful metal overtone, like beating a lawnmower blade with a hammer. The snare is a 6.5x14, maple wood. .

Good point, and worth trying on the floor tom. Thanks!But to go back to the snare problem, it has a godawful metal overtone, like beating a lawnmower blade with a hammer. The snare is a 6.5x14, maple wood. Evans G1 coated on top, Evans 200 snare on bottom. My normal tuning is to tune the batter maybe a third higher than the reso, with "medium tight" spring tension. This tuning works for me on my other snares (wood and brass) but for some reason, this DW snare hates me. I've tried all combinations of tuning and spring tension, and the only thing that fixes it is running a strip of cotton under the batter head.

I've had several dw Collectors snare drums, didn't like any of them. They all had that metal sound you described and they were all maple drums. I would imagine the Performance Series would be even worse. Sell it and use a snare that works.

The only Ludwig drum that I have ever really liked is the black galaxy B/W badge Acrolite that I bought for $50.

The only Ludwig drum that I have ever really liked is the black galaxy B/W badge Acrolite that I bought for $50. It has a very focused woody sound. Maybe the factory paint job eliminates ringiness? Do any of you Ludwig mavens know if this is true only for the blackro or does it hold true for all Acrolites?