Best snare - toss up between 3.

'66 Red Sparkle Wood Powertone. Perfection in sound. Everything you could want in a wood snare drum. Regretfully sold it.

Ludwig trans badge Blue Sparkle 5.5 x 14. Started life with a P-83 strainer, someone replaced it with a Classic strainer, and painted the interior white. Has a "Bill's Drums Unlimited Inc." sticker on it from Bill Crowden's drum shop in Chicago. I cannot get this drum to sound bad no matter what. I've owned dozens of similar era Ludwig wood drums and none can touch this one.

'68 Ludwig Acrolite. I've owned tons of Acrolites, but this one was special. Sold it to a drummer friend that fell in love with it.

Worst snare - toss up between three.

'66 Midnight Blue Pearl Gretsch Name Band. Sounds like it is full of socks despite trying a million head / snare / tuning combos and desperately wanting it to sound good because it matches my set.

'66 Ludwig Downbeat 4x14. Again, sounds bad no matter what. Has maybe one almost sweet spot, but it is very tough to dial in. Still have it because it matches my Jazzette set.

'59 Gretsch 4x14 Progressive Jazz WMP. Similar to the Downbeat, very tough to dial in, sounded thin. Microsensitive did not fully disengage wires, even though it worked just fine. Sold it on ebay no reserve for $1500.

mlvibes,

I must whole-heartedly agree about the '66 Downbeat. TERRIBLE drum! You described it very aptly. I got mine for $50.00 back in the 80's because I thought it looked cool. I'm certainly glad I kept it, though...for the same reason as you stated -to complete a kit.

I would add that the Downbeat kinda feels like hitting a drawer full of forks!Mister T

I'll have to agree with most of these posts.

The best would either be my '65 Supraphonic, or my '51 Leedy & Ludwig 5 1/2 x 14 Broadway Parallel.

Another choice would be my '60's COB Dynasonic . (I haven't even attached the snare rail and this drum sings!).

Worst? With out a doubt my Gretsch Round badge 8 lug. I can't believe these drums are so sought after! They Stink! Also what further baffles me is the fact that many of the greats used them! I really don't get it.

I had 3 snare drums out this afternoon, tuning them up and deciding which one I want to use tomorrow night.

1. Rogers COB Powertone (sounded really good, crisp)

2. Rogers Tower (also sounded very good, warmer naturally)

3. Ludwig Ludalloy Supra (sounded the best)

NOW.....question is, I always read about the Supra being the best sounding, easiest to tune, almost impossible to tune incorrectly. This has me thinking..... am I tuning the others improperly, are the sweet spots and/or tuning ranges much more limited, or is the Supra that much better sounding starting out.

Something for me to ponder, and the real pro's out there to advise me.

oh yea, the worst snare I ever had was a Pearl Sensitone that I could never get tuned without it sounding like it was ringing off the stand.

The best has to be the 1940's Slingerland Radio King 6.5" x 14" Gold Sparkle with the solid maple shell and NOB rims. A close second is the 1966 Supraphonic that was my FIRST snare drum, that I bought from a neighbor in the early 70's. I still can't believe I sold that drum! Teenagers can be such dumba**es sometimes! I also have a 1958 5.5" x 14" Slingerland Gold Sparkle Radio King with the clamshell strainer and NOB Stick Saver hoops that sounds great also, although the snares don't fully disengage when the throwoff is off, which is only a problem if I'm using a stripped down 2 piece kit and need to do a rumba! I had a 60's WMP Gretsch 8 Lug 5.5" x 14" snare drum back in the 90's that I used for a few years, and I thought it sounded great, and even used it on a few recordings where I think it stands the test of time.

I wish I still had that drum! I'm not sure what you mean about the gretsch snares, but to each his own. I set it up with a coated ambassador on top and a clear ambassador on the resonant side. I must admit that I've never owned or played a Rogers Dynasonic, so I can't comment on that. I had a black Rogers R-380 kit in the middle 80's that was only good for firewood, but I know that wasn't the Rogers Era of quality. I think I sold the Supra along with that kit back when I bought a late 70's stopsign Badge Rosewood Gretsch Kit that I wish I still had too. Regrets are useless however, so I'll just enjoy the drums I still have.band2

I'll throw my 2 cents in here... been watching this thread since it started. I'm no expert and I'm not as experienced with the vintage stuff as many here are but...

Worst - A Gretsch Stop Sign badge (8 or 10 lug) snare. Not mine, I sat in on a gig. I think I could have made it sound better givien some time with the drum, but it was a weird combination of dead/choked sounding and yet harsh (too much snare and not enough shell). It sounded worse than my 10 lug no-name chrome over steel snare (likely a Pearl).

Best - My own 60's Kent 6 Lug maple snare (4 7/8" X 14"), a 60's Camco Oaklawn badge (sooooo sweet), and my buddies Rogers chrome Powertone.

I also have some fond memories of a Tama Fibrestar 5" X 14" I bought in the late 70's. Still in the family but I haven't heard/played it in years. I gather that they are pretty rare and sought after. Think I paid $99.00 for it new.

I also like my Ludwig Acrolite, but honestly have to say I prefer the Kent over it. I think I'm a wood snare kinda guy.

Yeah, I had a 66' Acrolite with my first drumset (clubdate) when I was a kid, sounded just as good as many Supra's.

My Rogers Dyna( brass or wood) are the best.Worst was beginner Luan & 70's Zickos lucite(what a pos).

The general opinion seems to be that the rarer "narrow" snares (progess.jazz,downbeat,new era,etc.) sound the worst. I've had them all and they all sounded horrible. I think some people forget that the main reason for most of the vintage drums/colors that are rare, is that nobody liked the sound/look in the first place... Also it seems that most Gretsch snares don't sound good. That comes as no suprise....... The best sounding seem to be Ludwig metal snares and wood Slingerland & Rodgers...

The best for me was a Pearl Brass 14"x 6.5" free floater.

I would play my other snares for a while and think they were great, then go back to the Pearl and bang. It was all over.

Crank it or tune it deep. Always sounds great.

Blonkins.