6 Best 13” Snare Drums

Yamaha Recording Custom Brass Snare Drum Review

The versatility of the Yamaha Recording Custom Brass has always been my favorite feature. I’d say this is one of the best 13” snare drums to use for almost any style of music you can think of. 

I specifically love how good it sounds in the mid-range. You get metallic sounds that pierce when you play rimshots, and those even come through whether you’ve tuned the snare low or high. 

I also find the snare drum to be incredibly responsive depending on where you strike it. Most of my strokes always land in the middle, but I love how dynamic it sounds when I strike nearer to the edge. The shell also sings even with much softer strokes. 

Brass snare drums are known to be versatile, but this particular one seems to work well in studio environments. If I were to pick one snare on this list to use in the studio, this would be my top pick. 

The shell performs very well when tracked through microphones, as you can hear all the bits of detail needed to create a great mix. 

Not every drummer is a fan of metallic tones, though. While this snare is versatile, it may not be the best option for you if you prefer the more standard sounds from wooden shells. 

With that said, I couldn’t be more impressed by the performance here. You get a punchy snare drum on the surface and a really detailed range of sounds when you start playing around with tuning. 

Key Features:

• 13” x 6.5” brass shell
• 2.3mm triple-flanged Dyna Hoops
• Q-type throw off

Sonor Benny Greb Signature Snare Drum 2.0 Review

The Sonor Benny Greb Signature 2.0 snare drum is another highly versatile option. The key difference between this snare and other picks is that it has a beech shell. 

Beech isn’t too common when it comes to snare drums, and it gives the snare pronounced highs and mids. It also gives the shell great low-end punch. 

If you use medium tuning without any muffling, you get a strong sound that sings quite nicely. However, another strength of this snare drum is the Twin Monorail dampening system. 

There are two pieces inside the snare drum that you can use to dampen the batter head from the bottom side. One piece has hard felt material, while the other has sheep wool. The sheep wool dampens the snare subtly, while the felt dries the tones out by quite a bit. 

You can then use both at the same time to get a really dry and tight sound. 

I love this feature, as it stops you from needing to add any external muffling to the top of the batter head. You get a cleaner look, but it also feels like you have much better control over the snare drum compared to others. 

Apart from that, you get Sonor’s 2.3mm Power Hoops on the shell. They add a bit of bite to your rimshots while also controlling the tones a bit. 

Overall, this is an incredible snare drum to consider. Just note that it costs over $1000, making it one of the most expensive options. 

Key Features:

• 13” x 5.75” beech shell
• 2.3mm triple-flanged hoops 
• Twin Monorail dampener system

Tama S.L.P G-Maple Snare Drum Review

The Tama S.L.P G-Maple snare is an excellent option for drummers who love the classic sound of maple shells. You get the standard warm tones that maple shells are known for here. 

However, the main thing that separates this snare from the others is its 7” depth. With a deeper shell design, I find this snare to sound a lot better in lower tunings than anything else. 

This makes it a top option for rock, worship, and certain types of metal. It thrives in any sort of genre where you need a really deep and thick snare drum sound. 

It still sounds decent in medium and higher tunings, but I would mainly recommend getting a snare like this if you want to tune it lower. 

The die-cast hoops do a great job of rounding out and controlling the tones. The snare drum rings powerfully, but the overtones are cut at the tail to give you solid thumping strokes. I should also mention that die-cast hoops lead to much louder rimshots, which is another reason why this snare works so well in heavier styles. 

I’ve also heard a few people mention that the quality of sound you get can be dramatically different depending on which head you put on. Dry heads tend to make it sound a lot better, while thinner options lead to tones that are hard to control. 

A final word on this snare drum is that it’s just really great to look at. Not much can beat a beautiful natural wood finish. 

Key Features:

• 13” x 7” maple shell
• Die-cast hoops
• 20-strand carbon-steel snare wires

PDP Concept Limited Edition Snare Drum Review

The PDP Concept Limited Edition Snare Drum is another option with a 7” depth. However, I find this one to be a bit more versatile in its tuning than the Tama S.L.P option. While that snare sounded best in lower tunings, this one sounds just as good in medium and high tunings. 

I’d mainly say it’s due to the shell having a few plies of walnut mixed with the maple plies. Those walnut plies add a bit of warmth and projection, giving plenty of volume to the drum. 

It also has triple-flanged hoops instead of die-cast ones, making it sound a bit more open and resonant. 

Another thing to mention about this snare is that I love how it sounds with the snares turned off. The warm sounds make it really fun to play, and I just find them inspiring when hearing them. 

The only downside is that the stock batter head it comes with really doesn’t do the shell justice. I’d recommend swapping it out with something higher-quality to get the best tones from the shell. 

Other than that, this is an epic snare drum option, especially for the price. I’d argue that this snare has the best value-for-money compared to everything we look at so far. However, the tones aren’t as rich or detailed as what you get from the higher-end snare drums. 

Key Features:

• 13” x 7” maple/walnut shell
• Triple-flanged hoops
• DW-inspired hardware

Gretsch Brooklyn Steel Snare Drum Review

The Gretsch Brooklyn is another excellent metal shell option with plenty of bite. While steel snare drums typically sound quite hollow, I find this snare to have a surprising amount of body. 

There’s a unique warmness to the tone, which perfectly matches the crack and punch it offers. 

Since the snare is so loud, I think it sounds best when tuned in the mid and high ranges, but the 7” depth is definitely what gives it an edge in terms of warmth. 

I would recommend this snare to drummers who love open sounds. The ringing effect of the steel shell can be heard very quickly after you strike it, so it definitely sounds more aggressive than most of the other snares we’ve looked at. 

I personally love steel snare drums, and I think that this snare is super articulate and bright whilst still having some much needed body and warmth too.

Just note that steel shells aren’t ideal for everyone, so definitely listen to it a lot to see if you like it or not! 

Key Features:

• 13” x 7” steel shell
• 3.0mm double-flanged hoops
• 30-degree bearing edges

Mapex Black Panther Hydro Snare Drum Review

While this snare drum looks better than most, it’s the sound quality that really impresses me. I’d argue that it’s one of the best sounding snares in the Black Panther line, offering warm tones with plenty of projection. 

Whether you tune it low, medium, or high, you get rich quality coming from the shell. The Mapex Black Panther Hydro Snare Drum  is really responsive to dynamics, sounding just as good when you strike it softly as it does when you strike it hard. 

Mapex’s SONIClear bearing edges ensure that the tonal quality always remains even, so you’ll rarely hear this snare go out of tune. 

While the Yamaha Recording custom was a good studio snare, I’d say that this is a good snare to use for both studio and live settings. It’s definitely one of the most versatile options we’ve looked at. 

The last thing to mention is the Tri-vent system. These three vents cause the air to move quicker when you strike the head, giving you a more relaxed feel than what you get with most other snare drums. 

Key Features:

• 13” x 7” maple/walnut shell
• SONIClear bearing edges
• Triple-flanged hoops