Hey, Olimpass!

What a cool project! Now that's thinking outside the box! Because of the sheer size of this snare, a 42 strand set of wires might give it too "fat" a sound, but maybe you'd like the effect! It's your project. Try out different wires! Whatever YOU like is what counts. Please let us know how this monster is coming along.

Brian

I have good friend who makes rope tensioned drums of this size and larger and they sound great (Heritage Drum Company). If you decide to go with the 42 strand snares you will probably need to make a wider snare bed than normal. Your snare bed should work fine with most snares but the 30 and 42 strands may sound a little "boxey" for lack of a better term. We have also had good luck with using various gauges of guitar strings as snares for that old wire wound silk sound. Good luck and enjoy your new drum.

Thanks for responses but my question was if I were to use a 42 strand that is only 14”, would that work on this 16” diameter drum?

I do have a set of 16”, 20 strand I plan on using but was curious about if anyone has ever tried using a smaller size set of wires that doesn’t reach the full diameter of the drum.

I guess I could try it out and report what I think.

Sorry to not read your post clearly. Yes, I have used shorter length snare units to see how a drum sounds until I can get a correct length snare unit. I usually use ribbon instead or string fasteners. I have never tried it with a 42 strand but I would imagine that it would make any problem with the snare bed being too narrow less of a factor. Of course I have been wrong on a lot of things (and recently). I used to keep all sorts of spare snare wires for students to use in case they twisted some strands but have never tried this with a 42. My latest experience with 42 strands was to install some no-name (but decent quality) 42 strand wires on a shallow 4" by 14" Bison snare drum on a be bop kit. I also changed the hoops from triple flanged to die cast. I didn't expect it to work well since it didn't seem to have an especially wide snare bed, but I was pleasantly surprised. I guess the old Gretsch shallow snare drum makers knew what they were doing. It is very responsive and blends well with the toms. Good luck!

Sorry to have not answered your question in a direct manner. I recently tried a Puresound Equalizer snare wire set to a vintage 15 inch WFL marcher and was very pleased with the effect. I have never attempted what you are trying. Best of luck from me as well!

Brian

I have used snare wire sets that are shorter (13") on a 14" drum and it didn't sound a lot different to my ear. And I also used the braided strings to attach the snare wires and not the plastic strips things.

I think you'll be in for an interesting sound, though!

Cool idea here!

Thanks very much and appreciated everyones input.

Playing the waiting game for the 16” snare side head.

I had ground out rim for snare straps or cord to go through on snare side of this floor tom.

Also wanted to mention, the floor tom shell in first picture, when I first removed the wrap, had some moisture at the bottom and I had let that dry out about a week before I wrapped it.

Great job on the snare side slots. I have done this before on chrome. Not easy.