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Aluminum is one of the most tried and tested metals used for snare drums. I’ve heard of dozens of world-class albums being tracked with aluminum snares, and I’ve played enough to know just how great they sound.
I’ve put together a list of all the best aluminum snares on the market. If you’re searching for a new snare drum, one of these may be a fantastic option.
What are the Best Aluminum Snare Drums?
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Best versatile snare
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Best deep snare
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Best premium snare
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Best budget snare
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Best small snare
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How I Tested and Selected the Best Aluminum Snare Drums
The thing I love most about aluminum snares is their aggressive attack and dry response. That’s the key feature, so I make sure that I can hear that come out clearly. It means that they don’t resonate much, boosting the amount of articulation you get.
The best aluminum snares tend to highlight those, while cheaper and weaker options fall away a bit with the tonal quality.
After checking the tone, I look at build quality. I’ll see what hoops are used and how the strainer design works with the wires.
Finally, I’ll tune it in a few different ways to see how it sounds in low, medium, and high tunings.
Best Aluminum Snare Drum Reviews
Ludwig Supraphonic LM402 Snare Drum
Ludwig Supraphonic LM402 Snare Drum Review
The Ludwig Supraphonic is undoubtedly one of the top go-to options for professional drummers. This snare has had a great reputation ever since John Bonham used it with Led Zeppelin. Since then, it’s been a staple in recording studios all around the world.
I’ve been able to play it a few times, and I’ve always been highly impressed by how versatile it is.
I’ve been able to get fat and deep tones with a relatively easy tuning process. The snare adds a great amount of low-end depth with low tuning.
I’ve also been able to get tight and cutting tones with the same drumhead setup. The higher tunings really pierce when you strike the head, with rimshots having great crack to them.
If you’re someone who only wants one snare drum for everything, I’d highly recommend this one.
The only downside is that I’ve heard a few drummers have some rusting issues, but that mainly depends on the environment you have the snare in. Also, you’d get similar problems with any metal snare.
You honestly won’t find too many snare drums better than this one. It just does everything you need it to do.
Key Features:
- 14” x 6” aluminum shell
- Imperial Lugs
- Chrome-plated
Pros
- One of the most versatile snare drums I’ve ever played
- Perfect option for session drummers and studio engineers
- John Bonham’s snare drum of choice, proving it to be an awesome rock option
- Very wide tuning range
Cons
- I’ve heard a few drummers having rust issues with the chrome plating
Sonor Kompressor Series Aluminum Snare Drum
Sonor Kompressor Series Aluminum Snare Drum Review
When playing the Sonor Kompressor Series Aluminum snare drum, I was immediately impressed by how thick and full it sounds. With the depth being 8”, this is a great option for drummers who like lower tunings.
It sounded best when I tried to get a fat rock sound. I found that loosening the wires a bit really does a lot to highlight that vibe.
I also find that it packs quite a punch with its volume. This makes it an amazing option for rock or metal drummers who still need impact at those lower tunings.
You’ll get the loudest tones when you play rimshots, with the resonance being slightly more powerful that what you’d expect from most aluminum snares.
I’m also a big fan of the PowerHoops that Sonor puts on these snares. I’ve been able to play these hoops on other drums, and they always provide wonderful open tones that bring out the best from the shell.
Just note that this snare is quite heavy, considering it has a metal shell that is deeper than most other options.
Key Features:
- 14” x 8” beaded aluminum shell
- Triple-flanged hoops
- Center-mounted lugs
Pros
- Deep shell that allows for beefy low tunings
- Powerful sound that perfectly suits heavier styles of music
- Surprisingly articulate ghost notes for such a deep snare drum
- Tuning is quite easy with this shell
Cons
- It’s really heavy, so it may not be the most ideal gigging option
A&F Drum Company Bell Series Raw Aluminum Snare Drum
A&F Drum Company Bell Series Raw Aluminum Snare Drum Review
This is arguably one of the best snare drums I’ve had the privilege of playing. While it’s a top option amongst aluminum snares, it’s also a top option amongst snares of any design.
A&F Drum Company Bell Series Raw Aluminum Snare Drum is truly a pristine piece of drum gear, providing the best possible tones that you can hear from a snare drum.
It’s been completely handcrafted, so you get personal touches behind each design point. I’m a big fan of the Patina hardware, as it makes the drum look rustic. It’s just such a beautiful design that really stands out amongst the thousands of snare drums out there.
In terms of sound quality, you get the expected cracking tones and dry response. However, I find this particular snare drum to sound a lot more open than most other aluminum options. This means that you get more overtones and resonance from every stroke.
You can muffle it to control it a bit better, but I love the open tones. It sounds just as good when you put something on the head to muffle it, though. The resonance gets cut slightly, leading it to sound tight and distinct.
Like the Kompressor snare, this is seriously heavy. It’s even heavier than you’d expect, thanks to the denser metal components around the shell.
Key Features:
- 14” x 6.5” handcrafted aluminum shell
- Weighs just over 14 lbs.
- Patented Patina shell hardware
Pros
- One of the most beautiful aluminum snare drums on the market
- Wide open tones that are wonderfully musical
- Best shell design quality out there
Cons
- Costs far more than what most drummers are willing to spend on a single snare drum
Pearl Sensitone Heritage Aluminum Alloy Snare Drum
Pearl Sensitone Heritage Aluminum Alloy Snare Drum Review
If you’re on a tight budget, look no further than the Pearl Sensitone Heritage Aluminum snare drum. While this snare costs much less than every other option on this list, I’d say it still easily competes.
I’ve seen some really famous professional drummers use this snare, showing just how good it is for the price.
I’ve always loved how dry it sounds. The tones are really full and vibrant, but they disappear quickly after striking the drumhead. This makes it quite easy to get a good sound when tuning, as you don’t need to worry too much about overtones.
I also love how great the snare sounds in lower tunings. You typically don’t get very high-quality sounds in this area from cheaper snare drums, but the Pearl Sensitone doesn’t follow that trend.
With that said, the tonal range isn’t as vast as what you get with the other snares on this list, so you can definitely feel a quality difference. A lot of drummers won’t mind that, though, so this is an awesome option!
Key Features:
- 14” x 6.5” beaded aluminum shell
- SuperHoop II steel hoops
- Classic CL lugs
Pros
- One of the best value-for-money snare drums I’ve played
- Particularly strong attacking tones in the low-end
- Very sensitive, bringing ghost notes and subtle strokes to life
Cons
- Tones aren’t as detailed as what you get from higher-end snares
DW Collector’s Series Metal Snare Drum
DW Collector’s Series Metal Snare Drum Review
My final recommendation is a fairly popular snare drum from DW. The biggest thing that separates this snare from the others is its size. With a 13” diameter, you get even tighter sounds when you strike it.
I’ve played the DW Collector’s Series Metal Snare Drum a few times, and the tones always inspired me to play fast patterns with dense stickings. The shell just articulates those so well. So, if you’re a drummer with really busy hands, this may be your best option in the aluminum department.
You also get all the good construction features that DW snares are famous for. The MAG throw-off design is always a winner, making it easy to turn the snares on and off.
The 3.0mm triple-flanged hoops really bump the quality up, as they enhance the overall tone of the snare by allowing the shell to vibrate.
My only gripe with this snare is the textured shell looks a bit weird. However, I only noticed it when looking at the snare at an arm’s reach. You can’t notice it from a distance.
Key Features:
- 13” x 5.5” textured aluminum shell
- 3.0mm triple-flanged hoops
- MAG throw-off
Pros
- Speaks very quickly with an excellent crack behind every stroke
- Not much beats the hardware quality of DW snare drums
- Highly versatile for a 13” snare drum
- Ideal snare drum for drummers with quick playing styles
Cons
- Some drummers may not like the textured appearance of the shell
Aluminum Snare Drum Buying Guide
Tone
The main reason for purchasing an aluminum snare drum is the distinct tone that you get from the shell. Most aluminum snares have sharp attacking sounds that dry out quickly. You don’t get too much sustain, and that makes the snares easy to control.
However, these tones will differ slightly depending on the overall build design of each aluminum snare you look at.
Hoops
Counterhoops are the metal hoops that get placed on the top and bottom of a snare shell. The thicker the hoops are, the less sustain a snare will have.
As an example, the DW Metal Snare drum has 3.0mm triple-flanged hoops while the A&F Aluminum snare has lighter hoops. The A&F snare sounds a lot more open, while the DW snare has tighter tones that don’t ring out as long.
Some snare drums have die-cast hoops, which are thicker and heavier. They dry out tones even more, so they’re not ideal for aluminum snare drums. That combination will lead to a really dead sound, so I wouldn’t recommend getting a snare with die-cast hoops.
I’m typically a big fan of die-cast hoops, but not on aluminum drums.
Shell Size
The size of the shell is the final aspect that affects the tone. The larger a shell is, the deeper the tone will be. It will also likely have more resonance compared to a smaller shell.
A typical size for a snare drum is 14” x 5”. But when it comes to aluminum snare drums, I’ve noticed that most are a bit deeper than that, having depths of 5.5” to 8”.
If you prefer low tunings, I’d recommend getting a deeper snare. If you love high-pitched and cracking tones, a 5.5” depth will be perfect for you.
You also need to look at the diameter. Most snares are 14”, but you’ll get a few smaller ones. I only recommend the 13” DW Metal Snare on this list, as that’s the best small aluminum snare that I’ve tried out. There are a few more options, though, so make sure to check those out.
