Thanks for watching our Heavy Metal Shootout, and for 25,000 Subscribers! At 12:43, pretend we said, "thickest" instead of "heaviest". It was like 100 degrees in the studio that day.
Great video guys. The TAMA & Gretsch Bell Brass Snares & the A&F’er, in terms of sound are my favorites. But, it’s hard to choose because they all sound incredible.
I couldn't agree more.. Such a masterpiece. I wish it could be duplicated, but then again the other part of me would like it to go down in history undefeated.
I so wanted to debate this but then...THEN I heard the original Tama Bell Brass. Holllllleeey Sh*t! Blew them all out of the water! Some came very close (A&F, Gretsch) but not close enough!
Dan Calabrese actually I named 3 Dan but the reason I liked those was that I found they all had nice sensitivity , I’m used to playing my Ludwig Supra from 1979 , I have a recent black beauty , and a wood Yamaha live oak , and they all have a nice sensitivity which I think is important but that have a great crack on the rim shots not too dry ,I prefer a little more resonance over dry :-)
@@michaelmalodrums9674 I missed the Canopus in your comments. It too sounded like it could be a very versatile drum. I agree with you on resonance. You can always take a drum with resonance and make it dryer in sound. The reverse is usually not the case. I also listen for sensitivity which is why besides the old stand by Ludwig Supra I also love my Rogers Dynasonic brass shell from the very early 70's.
I love them all ! The Tempesta Sig sounded closest to the Tama. Not 100% but I think that is the snare drum that was used on Nevermind. Thanks Shane. 👍
I'm inclined to go with the Tempesta - very fat and rich. Of course I would drill of those rivets out and dump the badge.. It would MY drum, not someone else"s !
Totally agree with Shane, the sound of the Gretsch Solid Steel is addictive! I’ve listened to it over and over again and it is the best sounding drum of this video … the mix of that clarity with a warm body is just beautiful … I’ve ordered it today and can’t wait to play it myself. Thank you so much for making this great video 🔥🥁🔥
Looking at the video i was like, that fuc... Tama Bell brass, totally overated, the two Gretsch were superb , like the tone of the Canopus, JT also for it's all around used, then the Tama Bell brass comes........ no way .. that thing is the real deal. Damn.
The Tama Bell Brass. The snare that influenced my youth, being used on the „Black Album“ from Metallica and of course on „Nevermind“ from Nirvana. Thanks for this video, guys! 🙏
I 100% agree with Shane. The oversized shell is a part of the sound of the Tama Bell Brass for sure, along with the hardware and everything that is in "touch" with the drum. Everytime I've got to change the head on my bell brasses is a fight (but a good one...). The other drums are great (especially the Phosphor Bronze to my hears) but I agree even with that spontaneous "there's no contest!" at the end of the video that comes from the feeling of playing a snare that literally hits you in the "belly" with every stroke. People at home can't feel it of course but it's really predominant. Thank you for this great one and for doing what you do with your touch and distinctive passion. Dave
Your Drum Sound You don’t feel the pourous nature of the metal in the older Tama shells from sand casting has more to do with the uniqueness of the sound? I have several welded metal snares and they all hit me in the face and chest with every hit. Anyone in the room without hearing protection or in ears will have a splitting headache in a very short amount of time. Rotocasting should bring the focus of the shell up which will make it sound less rich due to the homogenous consistency of the metal grain. Like a good Zildjian K with all the random hammering that gives a unique warm, organic character vs a machine hammered A with its small robotic style hammering and more clinical character. A good test for my theory would be to make an oversized rotocast Bronze Shell and compare it to a Vintage shell. This theory isn’t my own but from someone who collects snares and has many cast Bronze snares new and old.
Joe I have other cast snare and I’ve experienced what you’re saying. They’re loud and aggressive. But there’s something different on the character of the old Tama. I was wandering the same thing about the new vs. old oversized shell, should be a nice comparison! Dave
Your Drum Sound It would great if we could get someone with experience making cast shells to use the same exact metal and make one sand cast with the second rotocast. Make them both oversized. Do any drum makers use both methods or have the capabilities?
I found a guy on Reverb that was selling a Tama Starphonic Bell Brass and had a huge write up on why the OG shells are special. The originals were made by a Japanese Craftsman in very low volumes. These shells were sand cast which differ from the newer roto cast shells. Rotocasting gives a consistent density to the metal and sand casting leaves the metal porous which is believed to be the reason the original Tama Bell Brass shells have that certain something no other modern versions posses. Apparently the early runs off the Starphonic cast shell were sand cast but at a certain point the manufacturing was changed to rotocast.
What about some of the older Imperialstars?? They have the exact same diecast hoops and extended snare bed, as well as 10 lugs. I actually just returned an 80's Tama Swingstar (only 8 lugs, no diecast hoops or extended snare bed) with the exact same logo because it was a little too big and my heads wouldn't fit on it without "dimpling"... Now I'm thinking of buying it back... lol!
@@boobo3763 Imperialstars from the 80's are top notch drums. I plan on getting one if the right one crosses my path. The Swingstars were begginer/intermediate drums.
Hands down the Gretch Solid Steel is it. I’m getting one of these soon. I wish I could have one made with the smaller lugs that are on the Bell Brass. But would it change the sound? The Tama Bell Brass has more low end body while the Gretch has less low end with a bit more top end. This makes the Tama sound more rich. Listening on my good in ears the John Tempesta is close to the old Tama. But that Gretch Solid Steel.....more top end than the Tama Bell Brass with maybe the same amount of bottom but it isn’t the focus of the sound like the Tama. Of course playing these beasts in person is the only way to fully appreciate them. I don’t see anyone using hearing protection. Are you guys ok? Will you be needing hearing aids soon? Seriously I don’t play any of my metal snares for more than 1 minute without protection. I get a serious headache that lasts for hours if I don’t wear anything.
Especially those thick shelled snares. My thin steel snare with a 1.2mm shell is already loud without hearing protection. Then I also have a 3mm thick cast steel snare (with 5mm reinforcement rings, just like the Gretsch Solid Steel) and that thing is loud, louder, loudest (besides just sounding absolutely phenomenal). Without hearing protection I would have already gone deaf... :D
@@marratj I hear you. I ended up getting the Gretch Bell Brass and that snare is explosive in volume when I lay into it. I’m thinking of having Deluth make me a cast bronze shell with a 3mm thickness and 5mm edges. Possibly use Tama hardware. Once you have one of these cast shell snares, most other snares are ordinary in comparison.
As a guitarist who just stumbled here, the Tama BB is unquestionably the best. it has that unmistakable gunshot sound that instantly had me thinking, "oh yeah, so that's what the drummer from ___ used on ___ to get that sound."
I’m a guitarist and I find videos like this very interesting. A lot of great drum sounds to he heard throughout the video.. and then you hit that Tama... holy SHIT. My eyes popped out of my head as it caught me so off-guard. Glad I was listening in headphones for this one.. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in front of one of those things. Thanks for this literal eye opener.
Go ahead and call me crazy, but that last snare was not as impressive as others I have heard. If I blind folded you and played all similar sounding snares to that Tama, I promise, I will fool you. Lol
I love them all..they sownd great. Good review and the sound is awesome. Thanks for posting this nice video.Greettings from NEW LONDON CONNECTICUT USA. 😎🇵🇷
I have the TAMA Bell Brass and I love it. I did however switched it out for the MAPEX Wraith. The Wraith will soon be gone because Matt Halpern is no longer with MAPEX. (So I've been informed)
Man, these videos are really good to get to know drums. I spend HOURS watching this stuff. The only snare I really loved was the A&F. Kudos to Tama´s bell brass though - what a beast - just not what I´m into these days...
I am a repeat happy, very happy customer of yours. Thank you for the great drum stuff you sell, thank you for the great prices, thank you for the tool box stickers you send in every order, and thank you for these videos. Cheers from Colorado USA
Ugh ...Thank you guys once again for making the best drum videos and shootouts... Now I know there's "no contest" haha too bad they are rare and expensive. The Gretch Bell brass was an ok substitute. A and F was actually a WOW and I have felt they were ... "too different" for me sonic wise.. I'm surprised more companies aren't making versions of the bell brass, Cheers! - Bahrum / Blue House Sound Studio, OC California.
Great video! The Gretsch Bell Brass and Tama JT Snare Are by far the closest and best sounding, to me anyway. But that bell brass.... DAMN!!! Would like to see how the 40th Anniversary edition compares to it though?
As others have said, the tama is special due to the sand casting, but also a large part of it's sound is from it's razor sharp bearing edges. I used to own a 1980 one, and regret selling it. :(
I recently acquired a Canopus solid brass as the one in this video. I must say your demo is extremely accurate to the actual sound of the snare. Thank you for taking the time and effort to make such accurate demos. As far as the snare all I can say is wow. Exceeds all my expectations and I now understand all the hype around these snares.
Wish I could have sent you guys my 6mm Drumcraft Cast Bronze for this video. Would love to see that recorded Shane! Now maybe a Rosewood comparison? I've got a Tama reissue Rosewood and a custom steambent Pork Pie Rosewood on the way! Excellent video as always!
I used to own a 1980 tama BB and still own the drumcraft one. also own an oriollo 3mm cast bronze and have a 4.7mm cast bronze with cast hoops on the way (same as savage custom drums) the drumcraft is a bit fatter sounding, I think due to the thickness, and the tama has a lot more crack, I think due to the extremely sharp bearing edges.
With all due respect, no contest in this category can be serious without Sonor's HLD-590 Signature 14x8" Cast Bronze Snare Drum. That drum is the king in this category.
Gretsch drums never ever crossed my mind, but I'm pleasantly surprised by the model at 4:47 (USA BB). The tama at the end in fact put all the others to shame but it's still possible to get great recordings with all other models, it's all about mixing them correctly.
Gretsch solid steel wins...by far the best sounding drum on this video..listen very closely with head phones its better than the bell brass easily...wow!!
"the links to buy these drums are in the description" *description has no link to buy the tama bb* Me: so where the hell can I buy one 1980s tama bell brass??!!
Wong Jian Ming you need to look around, ask around, look around some more, find people with one and then hope. Theres a reason why they’re hard to find, they never come up.
Shane my man! I'm so glad you included the Tama JT Stealth! I love that drum and agree100% what you said about it! They're all sincerely great drums, but the Stealth is special (to me)! These demos are absolutely "BANGING"!
they all sound great but this comparison should have included kepliger..thinking that snare has a lot to do with the resurection of overweight snares..that tama bb really does sound great!
The Gretsch USA Bell Brass Snare Drum 14x6.5 sounded amazing live when Mr. Danny Seraphine spanked it in clinic. I really should add it to my instruments.
Its true, metal drums just have this full body sound you cant deny and its addictive. Tama just makes the best drums. Other companies have good products, sure. But Tama remains king, of sound, design and quality. I have a Bubinga snare but im not gonna lie, the SLP Vintage hand hammered steel always finds it way onto the kit more.
The Tama sounds the best because of the alloy. Everyone thinks they want a b20 snare. They don't. If you find a sand cast (casting method adds to the sounds too) bronze drum with the Tama alloy, you'll be blown away
The better bronze snares are probably closer to a B8. Does everyone forget it's the COPPER that's dark and mysterious? And the porous grain the sand casting gives the metal.
I always thought B20 was the Tama formula? Ala 80/20?? Isn’t there a guy making snares using batches of Duluth shells with this combo and he’s claiming he has the actual Tama alloy recipe? On the other hand I heard Duluth doesn’t like using it because they get failures and have to sometimes do several tries at it.
First of all congratulations for this amazing vid. That's the kind of vid I wanna see as a drummer, as the one you did about the "all purpose rides" (my fav' is the Paiste 900 and the Zildjian Sweet Ride ;p ). I've been already amazed by the huge work you've done about the Gretsch and Ludwig kits. So clever and well produced. Here, the Gretsch Phosphorus Bronze snare is a pure beast ! OMG ! I love it ! A real discovery for me. So sad that it costs so much ! Anyway, just a little precision about the fabulous Gretsch Solid Steel model, Taylor Hawkins also played this snare c. 2011/2012 (even with golden hardware on tour !), before the Gretsch Bell Brass ;) The Solid Steel inspired the much more accessible Gretsch Taylor Hawkins Signature Snare I got, maybe the Solid Steel one day...
Thanks for the info, Duke! We're really glad you enjoyed the video. It was a lot of work, but also fun to make! We've got more interesting vids on the way, stay tuned!
I have a DW collectors Solid Steel snare drum, and if I'm not mistaken i believe its 3mm, but i love the thing to death. Was sorta sad it didn't make the list. great video though!!!
