Do you have the spacing washers on the bottom bar?

Yup! I even tried up to 3 washers on either side to see how it responded. Basically, the more washers I added the more I had to tighten the tension knob. It put me right back to where I started....I think it even sounded worse, haha. It has to be something with the geometry of the strainer and snare bed relationship.....something I don't want to think tooooo much about it, haha.

From my evaluation....the wider snare beds bend the drum head in such a way that the head deformation starts at a point closer to the center of the drum (looking at it from the bottom). This is decreasing the amount of contact that the head has with the 16 strand wires. It is also increasing the amount of travel required by the strainer which the mechanism doesn't have.

The narrower (stock) beds place the deformation closer to the outer region of the shell. I believe that this allows for more wire-to-head due to the geometry of the drum head from the snare bed to the center.

Thanks for the suggestion, though!

Here are a couple shots of a bed on an RK I bought awhile back... not sure if they will help you any.

I guess I'm not even sure these beds haven't been messed with.

Thank you Jim! This will be helpful. I'll have to do a comparison when I get back home this weekend. Just curious....do the wires turn all of the way off so that it can be played like a tom? If you tension it up well do the snare wires touch the beds?

Thanks again!

Well honestly I have not had that one together.. bought it as a shell and lugs. I now have all the hardware for it but I haven't gotten it cleaned and assembled.

I do have another clamshell Radio King on a kit that works very well.. it is my favorite snare.

I have a 6 lug student model Slingerland and when compared the snare beds are quite different between the drums.

Put that baby together! haha

Actually I had really hoped to have the Red RK, my Blue Rk and my White student model together for a little patriotic Red, White and Blue Slingerland snare photo shoot for the 4th of July.

Not going to make that one.... maybe next year. :)

Hey Jim, you've got a BIG WEEKEND coming up, right?

Clapping Happy2ExcitedJump For JoyCool1The BandMallet Player2

Gotta make a run to the local fireworks outlet.... Hmmm I bet my drum lessons won't go near as well if I end the 4th a couple fingers short.. :)

Party