Depends on the snare and situation. Sometimes you want a fat woody sound that comes from the baseball bat edges of a 3-ply Ludwig or Slingerland snare, and sometimes you want something more snappy, articulate, and pingy like a modern wood snare with sharp edges.

I'm guess I'm talking more about general use while gigging. I rarely take more than one snare to a gig, so I usually rely on my Slingerland six lugger. It seems to work in every situation. I've owned a few dw snares and while at a gig, I could never find the sound I wanted. One thing I really don't like doing between songs is tuning a snare to try to get the sound I want. I never have to do that with my vintage snares, but every modern one I used, I was constantly having to tune them up or down.

Since I have owned my late seventy's Supra, I use no other for gigging or messing around in an amateurish way at recording. Today however, I made a trip to a nearby city to pick up an order for some gaskets . While there, I tried out a few modern snares. To be honest, many of them sounded damned good, especially a new Ludwig! I'll never part with my snare ( or my old Star monster kit) but, if I were a kid just starting , I might be tempted to go modern. Just an opinion.

Brian

Rogers Tower snare all the way... I gig either my Tower kit... or a little Tama Stagestar (outdoors) w/Rogers snare... recorded with my Tower snare and kit as well.

I don't like any pinging, ringing, or a hollow snare sound. If we end up some place using a house kit then I typically end up with my wallet flapped open on it to dampen it down.

I know a DW snare when I hear it and I don't like it. Bonky!

I totally agree and I thought I was the only one who didn't care for dw snares. A friend of mine and I use that term loosely, tried to belittle me when I told him I didn't like any of the dw snares I'd owned. Like it was sacrilegious to not like the mighty dw.

Hi

Interesting topic, but slightly confusing. I would think with the dozens of different heads on the market, tape, gel, etc. etc.. could you not tweak the sound of pretty much any snare regardless of age ?

Some snares likely sound better tuned low vs high, but what someone considers high or low might be very different from someone else.

What would be interesting is a blind snare test ! Old and New.

If you already have a wood snare you like, check out an Acrolite or a Supra. They are versatile, affordable, and always sound awesome.

My newer one Is from 1979 if I remember right. Would that be modern or vintage?

I’ll say this much, and of course I’m biased, but my 61 cob luddy I’ll put up against any snare out there ! But then again, I’m partial to that drum , .....just saying, it sounds like all drums in one that’s all ..!!!...