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.

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.

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

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.

So to get more crisp crack out of it, a 45 cut would be better than the stock round over stencil factory cut?