The Gretsch USA Bell Brass snare is one of the best snares on the market. It’s incredibly popular among professional drummers due to the features it offers and the tones it has.
If you’re looking for a top-tier snare, this may be a good option for you. In this review, we’ll see what makes it so good and explain why it has such a strong reputation in the drumming community.
The main feature of this snare is its 3mm brass shell. Brass snares have a very distinct sound, and the heavy-duty nature of this one makes it a powerhouse.
It also has die-cast hoops on the top and bottom to strengthen the tones and add tuning stability.
Underneath the snare, you’ll see a 42-strand set of snare wires, adding plenty of versatility.
Finally, the snare has a snap-in key holder to make it easier to adjust tension rods quickly during gigs.
This snare has a brass shell that gives it very powerful tones. However, it’s also quite sensitive, which is another benefit of brass snare drum shells.
When you hit it hard, it has plenty of body and projection. When you hit it softly, you’ll hear every subtle nuance from all your strokes.
You can tune it high and low, and it will sound just as good in both tuning settings. It’s truly one of the most versatile snare drums on the market when you look at its sound quality.
The die-cast hoops do a great job of strengthening this snare drum. They tighten up the tones, but they also make it look and feel more pristine.
Gretsch uses their Lighting throw-off here, which is a smooth lever that makes turning the snares on a breeze. The strainer that comes with the snare is also very well-built.
With the 42-strand snare wires, you get plenty of snap and sensitivity. The large number of wires is one of the defining characteristics of this drum.
Lastly, the snare comes with Gretsch’s Permatone drumhead. It’s a decent head that brings excellent tones out of the snare. It sounds best when you strike the control ring in the center.
This is the type of snare drum that will stop you from wanting to play any others. It just performs so well in every tuning setting that you could use it for every style of music. Is one of our top Picks for the best snare drums for rock.
Do you want a beefy snare that slaps? The Bell Brass can do it. Do you want a cracking snare that pierces? The Bell Brass can do it, and it will add a bit of body underneath the cracks.
We can’t say enough good things about how well this snare performs.
Here’s the kicker. Unfortunately, this snare alone costs over $1000. That’s a lot of money for just one drum. However, we think it’s well worth paying that much for such a high-quality snare drum.
With it being so versatile, you don’t really need to have other snare drums in your collection. That makes the high price a bit more bearable.
This snare is the perfect option to have in your studio. You can bring it out for any session, and you’ll be able to tune it to fit the music perfectly.
It’s also a great live drumming option due to the volume that it offers. However, the heavy weight may start wearing you down if you play many gigs every week.
This is a snare drum that every drummer in the world would most likely love owning. It’s one of Gretsch’s best products, and we strongly recommend that you get it if you can.
With top-tier tones, plenty of versatility, and immaculate construction quality, it’s easy to see why this snare drum is so popular. You just need to get past the high price tag to get it.
Drum Teacher
Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.
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