Members Skr4ped Posted April 20, 2004 Members Share Posted April 20, 2004 I just put a new resonant head on my snare, and I can't get rid of the snare buzz. I've got the snares just as tight as they go, but I still get that buzz. I want the crack, but not the buzz. Do I need to loosen the snares? It wasn't a problem before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 2_maelstrom Posted April 20, 2004 Members Share Posted April 20, 2004 this is a good learning experiance(sp). As soon as you find out the answer i will have learn the answer too.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Steve Posted April 20, 2004 Members Share Posted April 20, 2004 How tight is the head? The head is vibrating the snares, so if you make the head less resonant, the snares will vibrate less. Sounds like right now, the snare and batter heads may be tuned to a very similar note, thereby making the whole drum resonate more. Either loosening or tightening the snare head could solve the problem....kinda depends on if the snare is resonating with itself, or if other similarly tuned toms are setting the snares buzzing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ulank Posted April 20, 2004 Members Share Posted April 20, 2004 Originally posted by Skr4ped I just put a new resonant head on my snare, and I can't get rid of the snare buzz. I've got the snares just as tight as they go, but I still get that buzz. I want the crack, but not the buzz. Do I need to loosen the snares? It wasn't a problem before I have found that too tight can lead to a nasty unpleasant buzz. I don't mind if I get some buzz, but not if sounds like a bug zapper. I usually keep loosening the snares a little at a time until I get rid of the nasty buzz, but not quite to the point that it buzzes when I walk by my kit Steve's suggestions would be my other option. Try tuning up the heads differently. Good luck...indeed, let us know what works for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agogobill Posted April 20, 2004 Members Share Posted April 20, 2004 Intercession ... 12-Step program. Drum Tuning Bible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skr4ped Posted April 20, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 20, 2004 I tried tightening the resonant head, loosening the resonant head, loosening the snares. I got it to where I can live with it, still not great though. I had it sounding good when I was using a batter head for the resonant side, but I lost a lot of volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iplayloudly Posted April 21, 2004 Members Share Posted April 21, 2004 i think this is just a natural character of snare drums. I dont think you'll fully get rid of it without totally changing the sound of the drum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agogobill Posted April 21, 2004 Members Share Posted April 21, 2004 I have a Black Beauty that is very sensitive and I put some Puresound Equalizer snares on it, which helped quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lucho_84 Posted April 21, 2004 Members Share Posted April 21, 2004 what works on my tama snare is tightening both heads as well as the snares to the desired pitch. and i mean tight. you still have attack and crack. this completely eliminates buzz for me and i get an awesome sound. when i play poeple complement me on my snare sound. usually it's the low's that get snares buzzin' but i took care of that problemo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members technik Posted April 21, 2004 Members Share Posted April 21, 2004 You mean there is a buzz sound when you hit a tom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skr4ped Posted April 21, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by technik You mean there is a buzz sound when you hit a tom? No, I mean the snares buzzing against the resonant head when you hit the snare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Steve Posted April 21, 2004 Members Share Posted April 21, 2004 Ok, let me get this straight... It's NOT sympathetic buzzing? Your toms or kick aren't setting it off, it's just a bad buzz that lingers too long on the snare only, right? If this is the case, I've got three things for you to check/try: 1.) Make sure you re-installed the snares correctly. I once put mine back on upside down and didn't notice it and had the same problem. I felt like a dumbass when I figured it out. Depending on how your snares work, and how they're attached the strainer (plastic strips, strings, etc.) you might not have the snares sitting flush against the bottom head. 2.) Take the snares off completely and look at them with no tension on them. Are they still parallel to each other and equally tight. If you've got a couple that are 'off' in some way, they might not be getting equal tension. You can either snip off the offending snares with wire cutters, or go buy a new snare. 3.) If #1 or #2 aren't the problem, I'd recommend starting over by taking off the snare entirely and reinstalling it. Obviously, the goal is to have the snare unit centered on the head, and if the snare tension is only adjustable on one side (like most drums), as you tighten the snares they'll stretch toward the throwoff's side. You might need to re-loosen the snares, move them a little toward the 'butt-plate' side of the drum, and then re-tighten the snares. You also may end up 'bottoming out' on the throwoff before the snares are tight. In other words, the strainer is tightened completely, but the snares themselves still aren't tight. What I do when take my snares off (aside from trying to put them back on rightside up!) is to loosen the strainer completely and then try to tighten the snare by hand as tight as I can before I screw down the locking mechanism. That way, I have plenty of 'turns' available to me on the strainer to tighten the snares up. Try these things and let us know if you still have problems. BTW, what kind of snare are you using? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skr4ped Posted April 22, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 22, 2004 There are a couple snares that are kind of bent, I'll try cutting those off tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I installed the snares correctly. The owner before me had put the thing on with a guitar string It's an old steel Ludwig snare, not sure of the year or model. I'd like to upgrade to a wood snare eventually, but that will have to wait until I have some money. EDIT: BTW, it's not sympathetic buzzing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ShishKaboom! Posted April 22, 2004 Members Share Posted April 22, 2004 post some picks of your 'old steel Ludwig snare'it might be something interesting,you never know.Also I wouldn't say that 'upgrading to a woodshell snare' is the right term,wood and metal shell snares are not inferior or superior to one another,they're just different,different sounds for different tastes and styles of music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skr4ped Posted April 22, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 22, 2004 Originally posted by ShishKaboom! post some picks of your 'old steel Ludwig snare'it might be something interesting,you never know.Also I wouldn't say that 'upgrading to a woodshell snare' is the right term,wood and metal shell snares are not inferior or superior to one another,they're just different,different sounds for different tastes and styles of music. I wasn't trying to say that wood shells are better, it just sort of came out that way. I kind of like the steel snare, but the throw off is crap, the rims are pitting, and some of the hardware is starting to rust. I want a wood snare just to try something different, and see how it works for me. I don't have a digital camera, so I can't get pics of it. I'll look to see what model it is later today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ShishKaboom! Posted April 22, 2004 Members Share Posted April 22, 2004 Sorry if I took what you said the wrong way,I understand now what your saying, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skr4ped Posted April 22, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 22, 2004 My snare is exactly like this, except mine doesn't have the red swirl covering. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=64434&item=3719458069&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Steve Posted April 22, 2004 Members Share Posted April 22, 2004 I'd betcha yours is an acrolite. The newer ones have a darker finish, but the older ones have kind of a brushed grey metal appearance. They're actually aluminum. Great drum. If you clean it up you should have yourself a pretty good piece of gear. Does it look like this one? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=64434&item=3718329682&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW If so, it's a keeper. Just gotta fix the snares. BTW, Ludwig makes all of the parts for it, so if any of the lugs or snare mechanisms are too screwed up to clean up, replacements are easy to come by...hell, you could buy a 2nd one cheap enough and just pull the best parts off both drums and build one 'good' drum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members john clarity Posted April 22, 2004 Members Share Posted April 22, 2004 everyone here on these boards can't speak highly enough of acrolites, but i had the chance to buy one a few months ago and i just didn;t like it. granted i was looking for a woodier-type sound if i was going to upgrade, but the owner and me spent a hell of a lot of time each tuning it etc, setting it up as we each individually would like it, and i just wasn't impressed enough to put money into it. he then brought out a yamaha maple snare, deeper that the acrolite, which he wasn't selling unfortunately, which was absolutely gorgeous sounding. am i missing something here in relation to acrolites, or was this just one bad experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skr4ped Posted April 22, 2004 Author Members Share Posted April 22, 2004 Originally posted by Old Steve I'd betcha yours is an acrolite. The newer ones have a darker finish, but the older ones have kind of a brushed grey metal appearance. They're actually aluminum. Great drum. If you clean it up you should have yourself a pretty good piece of gear. Does it look like this one? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=64434&item=3718329682&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW If so, it's a keeper. Just gotta fix the snares. BTW, Ludwig makes all of the parts for it, so if any of the lugs or snare mechanisms are too screwed up to clean up, replacements are easy to come by...hell, you could buy a 2nd one cheap enough and just pull the best parts off both drums and build one 'good' drum. No, mine is from the "Standard" series. The logo around the vent hole says STANDARD, and below that is the Ludwig logo. It doesn't have that ridge around the middle, and the lugs are different. Will the replacement throw-off that Ludwig sells now fit my drum? The current throw-off doesn't like to move Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Steve Posted April 23, 2004 Members Share Posted April 23, 2004 I'd check with Ludwig...shoot 'em an e-mail. It SHOULD work, however, if it's the same strainer. As for everyone saying nice things about Acrolites, I think most people think that FOR THE MONEY it's a great drum. It's very well made and pretty versitile compared to other drums made of similar materials and sizes. Since there are literally millions of them in circulation, you can almost always get one for under $100. So if you've got no snare drum and only $80 to spend, rather than buying some junk generic snare, most people would be better served buying an Acrolite for the same price. My old one (sold it long ago) was a 5x14 and I'd put it up against practically any other 5x14 metal snare. A deeper maple snare WOULD sound different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members john clarity Posted April 23, 2004 Members Share Posted April 23, 2004 geddit, it's a wood snare, and you said WOULD, oh lordy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Steve Posted April 26, 2004 Members Share Posted April 26, 2004 ...I see that John's been to the pub again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rumblebelly Posted April 26, 2004 Members Share Posted April 26, 2004 Well, I would be to if I lived there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Steve Posted April 26, 2004 Members Share Posted April 26, 2004 Hmmm, 11:28am here in New York....5 hour time difference....4:28pm in Galway..... Yeah, can't disagree with that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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