Zildjian 400th Anniversary Snare Drum Review

Practical Buying Guide

Introduction:

Zildjian has always been one of the best cymbal companies, but did you know they had a snare drum available as well? 

They recently celebrated their 400th anniversary, making them one of the oldest companies in the world. One of the big celebrations was the release of this limited edition snare drum

Only 400 models were made, so it’s a very rare piece of gear. Here’s everything you need to know about it. 

Key Features: 

The main feature of this snare drum is that the shell is made with the same B20 bronze alloy that Zildjian uses to make their cymbals. The thick metal shell gives it very specific tones. 

It includes 3.2mm half cast flangeless hoops and fully-machined lugs, tension rods, and butt plate design. 

The finish is called Electro-Polished 304 Steel, and it’s another feature that makes this snare drum look so luxurious. 

Finally, the snare includes a hard case and certificate of authenticity when you purchase it. 

Build Quality
99%
Performance
100%
Price to Value Ratio
90%
PROS: THINGS WE LIKED
  • Incredibly special snare drum to celebrate Zildjian’s 400th anniversary
  • Dark and metallic tones that work well in any musical style
  • Looks amazing
  • A true collector’s item
CONS: THINGS WE DIDN'T LIKE
  • One of the most expensive snare drums ever put out to the drumming market

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Zildjian 400th Anniversary Snare Drum Review:

What To Expect from This Snare

 

Quality 

This is truly one of the highest-quality snare drums available right now. Everything about it is pristine, especially the way it sounds. 

The bronze shell gives the snare dark and metallic tones. These bring out plenty of sensitivity from whoever plays it, leading it to be quite an inspiring instrument. 

We wouldn’t expect a cymbal alloy to create such a great drum, but it surprised us when we heard just how good it sounded. 

 

Construction

The construction aspect of the Zildjian snare drum is the big drawcard. The big idea is that it’s made with the same materials that are used for cymbals.

This means that it has a B20 bronze shell. This alone makes it one of the most unique snare drums on the market. 

It has top-tier features in every other area as well. For the hoops, the flangeless design allows the drum to sound very open and resonant. They also look incredible in contrast with the metal finish. 

The lugs and tension rods look and feel fantastic, beefing up the high-quality nature of the snare drum. 

Finally, the included Remo drumheads make the snare sound great straight out the box.

Performance

When hearing this snare, the first thing we loved was the darker nature of the tones. They sound quite aggressive, but they’re also very musical. 

The snare drum feels extremely heavy due to the bronze shell, but that makes it feel weighty when you strike it. Some drummers love that, while others prefer lighter feeling snares. 

We also heard that the snare has a wide tuning range. It can give you deep and bellowing tones that sound fantastic. It can also give you bright and striking ones. 

Overall, the performance quality is incredible. 

Prive to Value:

The price tag is the one aspect of the snare that isn’t great. It costs $4000. That arguably makes it one of the most expensive snare drums ever. 

You could get a DW Collector’s Series drum set for $4000, and that’s already considered an expensive drum kit. 

So, this is only really a snare drum for drumming collector’s who have no problem paying a few month’s rent for a single snare. 

It’s just so expensive that we can’t see most people even considering it. However, the price tag may be worth it to some drummers who value how special and exclusive it is. 

Zildjian 400th Anniversary Snare Drum Review
  • Build Quality
  • Performance
  • Price to Value
4.8

Conclusion

We love the Zildjian 400th Anniversary snare drum. We think it has such an epic design, and it’s definitely a snare that any drummer would love to own and use. 

It’s just not a snare that most drummers would actually buy. It’s just too expensive, and you could get your dream drum set for the same price. 

The fact that only 400 of these were made makes the snare very special, though. We’re envious on anyone who becomes an owner of one of these! 

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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