5 Best Snare Wires for the Right Buzz

Posted in Gear | Last Updated on October 2, 2019

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The snare wire is one of those negligible parts that sit in a humbly among the other more significant part of drum set. Many of us have been guilty of attributing the outcome of that perfect sound of your snare drum to its head. While the snare head is an important part, the piece of equipment that ties up all the sound with a neat little ribbon is your snare wire.

In my journey of polishing my technique when using my snare drum, I used a variety of snare drum sizes. However, there was always that little detail that was lacking. Finally, when I started experimenting with those coiled up pieces of metal, that was when I was able to hear the pure sound of the snare.

Snare wires contribute sounds that are punchy, fresh, or dirty, depending on which sort of wire you and going to purchase.

So let’s dive into the list of the 5 snare wires I think are the topmost in the market as of now.

PureSound Super 30 Series Snare Wire, 30 Strand, 14 Inch - S1430

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Puresound Percussion was started in 1995. Today, the company has a collection of normal snare wires and vintage wires for older snares.

This product utilizes steel-alloy wires with end clips. This snare wire can fit in drums that are from 12 to 14 inches. It includes 30 medium gauge strands which increase the presence of the snare. This means that you can include the snare into all your fillers in your drum playing and create those ghost notes more cleanly. The coils in this set are spaced very evenly and can fit it snuggly in a snare bed that is about 3 to 3.5 inches.

The dynamics that these wires give and the sensitivity with which it operates is excellent giving a fat and meaty sound.

When it comes to where this product went wrong, some reviews stated that they couldn’t find the balance of the sound even though it was fixed tightly. Also, the snare wires picked up noises from the other drums around it when they were played on.

The snare wire series will enable you to be heard even if you're in the loudest band. and also gives the best bang for your buck.

Pearl SN1420D UltraSound Graduated Tension D-Type with 20 strands and Cords

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Started way back in 1946, the Pearl Corporation is a company that distributes flutes, drums, percussion instruments in wholesale.

The specialty of the SN1420D 20 Strand snare wires is that the center is set with a tighter tension and the outer wires are fixed with a comparatively looser tension. This enables you to draw out a finer and more articulated sound when you hit the center of the drum and get a more sustained sound with a wet effect when hitting the edges of the drum making it possible for you to play for various classifications of music styles.

The endplates of the snare wire are fitted with tabs for looping in your snare cord giving even fixture for your wires. It also comes with a provision to use the snare wire with a ribbon attachment if you want to.

There are a couple of reviews that favor these snare wires when fitted with a wooden snare drum than when having them inside their metal snare drum counterparts.

As for what’s not good, there doesn't seem to be much talk about this. Overall I think this is a versatile option.

Ludwig L1930 20-Strand GSL Replacement Snare Wires

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Ludwig is one of the most celebrated brands that began in the 1900s as a drum shop and is now the leading manufacturer of percussion instruments. The highlight of this brand took place during the 1960s when a bandmate from the band The Beatles endorsed the brand.

This snare wire can fit a 14-inch drum and was specifically made for the Ludwig snare drum and is pretty inexpensive. The snare wires are thin and are made of steel and have end fittings that are made of steel as well.

This brand also has no cons that anyone is talking about at the same time, not much hype surrounds this product. It is a solid option overall.

DW DWSMTT2014 True-Tone 20-Strand Wire for 14" Snare

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DW expanded as Drum Workshop, has been around for more than thirty years. They make products for drums. Don, the founder, started a teaching studio and named it Drum Workshop. The company has now grown and expanded into drum accessories and other hardware as well.

The DWSMTT2014 True-Tone 20-strand snare wires can fit into 14-inch drums. The snare wires and end plates are specifically created with a uniform shape enhancing the response and snap. The tension range for this product is good, giving a solid pop.

The wires come with durable brass end clips. It includes ribbons that you can use to fix onto the drum and can be set up easily.

The craftsmanship that you see in this product is undeniable and raises the bar for other products.

Gibraltar SC-4471 Snare 14 Inch/42 Strand

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Gibraltar Hardware makes drum sets and hardware for percussion instruments such as drum pedals, and drum thrones.

The SC-4471 snare wire by this company fits most 14-inch snare drums. The snare wire is configured with 42 stands which increase the sensitivity of your snare drum by generating a fat sound while playing. You can use this to experiment with your playing or to stock up on emergency wires.

As for the negative side, this mostly fits only in a 14-inch drum. Also, a few wires seem to be longer than the rest making the wires unbalanced, making the tension spread unevenly resulting in a rattling sound.

Amid the flaws, the choice remains with you and entirely depends on the sound that you are looking to get. Due to the tension issue, you would be getting a looser that sustains well. I would stay away from this option, especially if you are going to use your drum set for recording music rather than live shows.

The gauge and genre

Snare wires come mainly in some kind of metal like steel. They come in different gauges. Whenever choosing a snare wire based on the material and the size, you must realize that this can change the way you play. The thicker your wire, the crisper and cleaner your output sound which is suitable for heavier music like rock or metal. Meanwhile, the thinner wires produce a more sensitive and works well in a blues setting.

What’s the magic number?

The resonance of your snare is controlled by the number of wires you choose to have on your snare wire. A wide range of strand counts exists from 8 to 42. The key to remember here is that less is more when it comes to snare wires and their effect on the sensitivity of the drum.