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bottom edge / 45 / snare bed

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So I have this MIJ snare with their standard rounded edges, luan, no re-rings. I cut some snare beds in it....not any deeper than other snares. But, indeed they were very shallow to start - I thought it needed deeper beds.

Anyway, now that I have it put together, it tunes up but not as well as I would like. In order to make it sound as crisp as I would like, I have to crank the bottom head.

A bit of history, I have another shell that I had the edges cut on (45s on top and bottom) and it made it sound GREAT. I am now tempted to do that with this other snare as well.....but perhaps only to the bottom edge, so as to not lose the round over top edge and the sound it gives.

Question - which is most likely the culprit? Are my snare beds too deep, or is the round over bottom edge not cutting it? (you like that pun there?!)

Which is more crucial? As far as I can tell, the bottom edge is true, other than the beds too deep of course.

Your thoughts?

I had a great day! Instead of sleeping in and wasting the day, I got up at 8 and I had all my slacking done by noon!

2Timothy1:7
Posted on 10 years ago
#1
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Sometimes, with some beds, the head "bunches" up when you engage the snare wires, putting another raised area that you have to tighten the snares up to overcome. So sometimes it works to take a heat gun at a low setting and with the heads on mildly tight, go over it and shrink the head to conform to the bed. Make sure you are in good light while you do it and look at it angularly so you can see the mylar as it forms.

Just a chance that this could be it. I know some people don't advise doing this, but it has worked for me on some snares.

Posted on 10 years ago
#2
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I am trying a couple different things. I am running white plastic washers on this snare - I removed those on the bottom as some were crushing. I did not want that crushing to absorb tension and thus result in uneven tuning. While I was doing that and tuning it back up - yes, I noticed some 'slack' (for lack of a better term) at the bed - so instead of getting the hair dryer out (don't have a heat gun) I just tightened it up some more there and it got that slack out.

Next, I am running some Puresound Blasters on it - and the Blasters do not have the string flange out and I am forced to use string (and not straps) due to the strainer)....so, I am changing out the wires to a set (good German made ones) that have the flange out for the string so that the end of the wires can lay flat on the head instead of the end of the wires up in the air due to the lifting from the string.

I will update again once I am done - gotta go out to the car for a screw driver!

I would still like someone to answer my question though - which makes more difference - bed or edge - and what cutting a sharp 45 degree edge would do to the sound vs the round over.

Thanks Rik for the input thus far.

I had a great day! Instead of sleeping in and wasting the day, I got up at 8 and I had all my slacking done by noon!

2Timothy1:7
Posted on 10 years ago
#3
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Well after changing the wires and washers and cranking the bottom head - it looks as if I have the snare tuned up well.

Here it is....please let me know what you think. (also about anything else....love to talk gear of course!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myL8_DsUe9Y&feature=youtu.be

I had a great day! Instead of sleeping in and wasting the day, I got up at 8 and I had all my slacking done by noon!

2Timothy1:7
Posted on 10 years ago
#4
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In general, a double 45 for the snare-side edge will yield more sensitivity and better response, while minimally affecting the character of the drum. Beds are a trickier business, and those of us who've tried various designs certainly have our favorites.

Posted on 10 years ago
#5
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So to get more crisp crack out of it, a 45 cut would be better than the stock round over stencil factory cut?

I had a great day! Instead of sleeping in and wasting the day, I got up at 8 and I had all my slacking done by noon!

2Timothy1:7
Posted on 10 years ago
#6
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