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Snare drums are arguably the most important drums in any drum kit setup, with many drummers switching between snares for various scenarios.
I’ve always thought that it’s a great idea to own one good wooden snare and one good metal snare. That gives you enough variety to tackle any musical setting and get the best sounds.
For this guide, I’ll be focusing on wood snares. I’ve picked out five of the best wooden snares that I’ve been able to play over the years.
I’ve made sure to give options with different price tags and features, but I’ll also compare them according to their sound quality, performance, and overall playability.
What are the Best Wood Snare Drums?
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Best premium snare
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Best professional snare
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Best budget snare
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Best birch snare
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Best mahogany snare
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In-Depth Wood Snare Drum Reviews
A&F Drum Company Solid Maple Snare Drum
A&F Drum Company Solid Maple Snare Drum Review
The A&F Drum Company Solid Maple Snare Drum is one of my favorite snare drums from the brand. Most drummers prefer metal snares from A&F, so I actually think this one is quite underrated.
It has a solid ply maple shell, which has been steam-bent to shape it. With the snare only having a single ply, I’ve found that it’s louder than most other maple snare drums. Drummers typically go for metal snares when they want volume, so I like how you get the volume benefit while still having the warm maple tones.
This snare drum has A&F’s patented Patina hardware, which gives it a rustic look. The worn-down brass lugs and tension rods with the brass counter hoops make it look incredible. I also think the hardware pieces contrast very well with the dark finish of the shell.
In terms of tone, I’d say that this snare drum offers a powerful crack, and your ghost notes will have plenty of body behind them.
That combination makes this one of the best snare drums I’ve ever heard, and it will get even better when you equip it with a good batter head that fits whatever your playstyle is.
Since this is an A&F snare drum, it costs about the same as most intermediate drum kits. While that’s probably too pricey for most drummers, it’s a proper collector’s option, and I think it’s one of the best snare drums on the market.
Features:
- Steam-bent maple shell
- Patina hardware
- 14” x 6.5” size
Pros
- Incredible build quality with a unique solid ply shell
- A bit louder than most other maple snare drums
- 100% handmade by the skilled artisans from A&F
- Wide tuning range
Cons
- Very expensive for a single snare drum, which is to be expected from any A&F product
Gretsch Brooklyn Standard Snare Drum
Gretsch Brooklyn Standard Snare Drum Review
The Gretsch Brooklyn Standard Snare Drum is one of my top options for drummers who need something versatile. Gretsch created this snare drum with Mike Johnston, and the whole idea is that it’s the perfect gigging drummer’s tool.
It works for any musical style, it sounds great in every tuning, and even the finish allows it to comfortably fit within any drum kit setup.
The snare has a hybrid shell that mixes maple and poplar plies. While the maple plies bring plenty of warmth and roundness, the poplar plies add a bit of sensitivity. Poplar is typically a wood type that gets used with cheaper drums, but I think Gretsch has done brilliantly here to make it add an extra dimension of tone to this snare.
Out of all the features that this snare offers, my favorite is the internal control mechanism. The snare drum has a circular lever on the one side that dampens the underside of the batter head when you turn it.
This allows you to muffle the drum without adding any external muffling pieces. The beauty of this is that you get a clean appearance on the surface but muffling it this way also doesn’t kill the tone like a gel or piece of tape would.
I’ve often heard people referring to this as the Swiss army knife of snare drums. It just does everything you need it to do, making it an excellent option for any drummer!
Features:
- 6-ply maple/poplar shell
- Internal control mechanism
- 14” x 5.5” size
Pros
- One of the best snare drum options for gigging drummers that play a variety of musical styles
- Internal tone control mechanism stops you from muffling the snare and killing its tone
- 42-strand snare wires give it thicker attack with more sensitive ghost notes
- The included Remo Permatone batter head gives it a focused tone
Cons
- There really is nothing bad to say about this snare drum!
Pearl Modern Utility Snare Drum
Pearl Modern Utility Snare Drum Review
The Pearl Modern Utility Snare Drum line offers several wooden snare drums at a wonderfully low price. Out of all the size options available, I think the 14” x 6.5” snare is one of the better options to pick.
You get a warm maple shell on this snare, and the deeper size makes it sound a lot meatier and fuller than many other snare drums. However, I still find it versatile enough to get cracking tones when tuning it high.
I highly recommend considering this snare drum if your budget isn’t big. I think it sounds surprisingly good for the price, and I would comfortably say that it’s the best snare drum I’ve heard that costs under $300.
There’s something special about most Pearl products, and I always find that the cheaper drums still feel quite premium. The CL Bridge Lugs and 1.6mm triple-flanged hoops are solid hardware parts that hold the snare together, and they ensure highly reliable performance quality.
However, if you already own high-end gear and you’re looking for a pristine snare drum, I don’t think you’d enjoy this one. It’s more of an option for beginner and intermediate drummers who want to upgrade from a cheaper snare drum on their drum kit.
The final thing to mention here is that the snare has two finish options. I prefer the Satin Black, but the Satin Natural has a great authentic wooden look!
Features:
- Maple shell
- 1.6mm triple-flanged hoops
- 14” x 6.5” size
Pros
- One of the best-sounding affordable wooden snare drums on the market
- Multiple size options available, but I’m a big fan of the 14” x 6.5” snare
- Great upgrade from an entry-level snare drum
- Easy to tune
Cons
- Doesn’t sound as good as all the high-end snare drums on this list
Sonor Gavin Harrison Signature Snare Drum
Sonor Gavin Harrison Signature Snare Drum Review
The Sonor Gavin Harrison Signature Snare Drum is one snare that I often find to go under the radar. All of the other snare drums that I’ve listed are quite popular, but I rarely hear people talking about this one.
Without exaggerating, I think this is one of the most uniquely designed snare drums available. It just offers so many more features than any other snare, making it a highly enticing pick.
Let’s start with the main features, though. It has a 6-ply birch shell, which makes it sound very bright and punchy. When hearing this snare, I can immediately recognize how the high frequencies come out a lot stronger than other snare drums. It produces a lovely pop when you play rimshots.
With that sort of sound, you’d assume that this snare is mainly good for live gigs where you need something powerful.
However, there is so much more to this snare drum. It has different bearing edges on either side of the shell, which is something you don’t often see. I’ve found this to be one of the biggest features that separates it from other birch snares.
It also comes with three separate sets of snare drum wires. They all have different shapes to provide slightly different snare drum responses when you play.
The snare also comes with three separate dampening rings. They fit the snare perfectly, so it’s better to use these than standard ones. You can also stack them together to get even more dampening if you need.
Lastly, the snare comes with a high-quality carry case, a case for the snare wires, and two drum keys. The whole package is incredibly expensive, but you can feel how worth it the cost is when you open everything up.
Features:
- 6-ply birch shell
- 3 sets of included snare wires
- 14” x 5.25” size
Pros
- One of the most heavily engineered snare drums available, meaning it has more features than most others
- Incredibly versatile due to the customization options that it comes with
- Bright and powerful tones that are great for live stages
- Includes a carry case when you buy it
Cons
- Very expensive compared to most other pro snare drums
Ludwig Legacy Mahogany Jazz Fest Snare Drum
Ludwig Legacy Mahogany Jazz Fest Snare Drum Review
Our last snare drum on the list is the Ludwig Legacy Mahogany Jazz Fest Snare Drum. While Ludwig sells some other really incredible snares, most of the popular ones have metal shells. If you’re looking for a good wooden Ludwig snare, I think this is one of the best.
I love how this snare blends vintage inspiration with a modern design. It looks and sounds like a snare drum from the 1930s, but it performs as reliably as any modern option.
The mahogany and poplar shell mix gives the snare fundamentally deep tones, and I’d say that this snare sounds a lot more open than all the others I’ve reviewed. You get slightly more snare buzz, offering more sensitivity as well.
The other big feature is the 3-step Baseball Bat Dampener. You’ll find this lever on the side of the shell, and you can move it to activate an internal muffler that touches the bottom of the batter head.
Like the Gretsch Brooklyn Standard that I recommended earlier, this lever stops you from needing external muffling, which is always great.
While all the snare drums up to this point have been amazing, I think this one may be divisive. If you don’t like open tones, I wouldn’t recommend it.
It’s amazing for styles like jazz and classic rock where open tones are suitable!
Features:
- Mahogany/poplar shell
- Internal dampener
- 14” x 5.5” size
Pros
- Vintage inspiration in a modern snare drum
- Wide open tones with plenty of warmth and body
- Internal dampening control lever to stop you from needing external muffling
Cons
- Quite expensive, especially when considering it doesn’t offer as many features as the other pricey snares on this list
Features to Look Out for in a Wooden Snare Drum
Shell Material
While all the snares that I mentioned above have wooden shells, different woods can make a snare drum sound very distinct depending on their shell construction.
There are dozens of wood types that drum manufacturers like to use. However, the most popular ones are poplar, maple, birch, and mahogany.
Poplar is known as the affordable wood, but a lot of vintage-style snare drums have poplar plies to add a flatter sound.
Maple shells sound balanced across low, medium, and high frequencies, making it the most versatile wood. I’ve always found that a classic maple snare is easier to tune.
Birch shells produce stronger high frequencies, and that makes them sound a lot punchier than other snare drums. I often use a birch snare drum for live gigs, as they tend to work best when competing with other instruments.
Mahogany shells are stronger in the lower frequencies, so they have more depth to them and often sound fuller.
The sounds you get also depend on shell thickness, which often differs from snare to snare. Some drums also have wood hoops, but those don’t add as much as a tonal difference. They just change the feel.
Counter Hoops
The counter hoops are the metal rims that attach to the top and bottom of snare drums. Most snare drums have triple-flanged hoops.
However, you get a few snares with different styles to add to how they sound and feel to play. For example, most A&F snare drums have brass hoops. These are a bit thicker, and they give stronger rimshots. I also think they look really cool!
The most popular alternative to triple-flanged hoops are die-cast hoops. These are very thick and heavy. They add more control to the tones, and they make snare drums feel a lot heavier.
Snare Throw Off Design
All snare throw-offs perform the same role. They act as a lever to activate and deactivate the snare wires.
Different brands offer various throw-off designs, though, so it’s always good to see what you’re getting. High-end snare drums often come with unique throw-off designs that are meant to boost playability.
A good example is Pearl’s Click-Lock snare strainer. It clicks into place, while most other snare drum throw-offs are quite fluid.
Another example is DW’s MAG throw-off. This one has a magnet to latch it in place, whereas most other strainers are mechanical.
Snare Wires
I’ve always found snare wires to be the big feature that drummers forget to look at. You’d be surprised at how much of a difference it makes when you replace a set of wires.
The wires control how sensitive a snare drum is, and they can also slightly affect the tones that you get.
You should always look at what wires you’re getting, along with how many strands they have. The more strands there are, the thicker a snare drum will sound.
I love experimenting with different wires, which is why I’m such a big fan of Sonor’s Gavin Harrison Protean snare drum. It comes with three sets of wires to switch out when you buy it.
Drumheads
The batter head is the last feature that you should look at when buying a snare drum. You’re going to get far better sounds when you upgrade the batter head to something good from Evans, Aquarian, or Remo.
However, a lot of high-end snare drums already come with good batter heads that have been made in the US.
Just check out for that, as it may save you a bit of money from not having to upgrade just yet.
Best Wood Snare Drums FAQs
What is the Best Material for Snare Drums?
Each type of wood brings different tones out of a snare drum, so it mainly depends on which sound you like when picking one.
However, maple is undoubtedly the most versatile wood type for drum sets, and it’s the usual go-to for studio engineers and live sound engineers. So, maple would be the top choice in most instances.
It’s often easier to get a wide variety of tuning styles with a maple snare compared to snares made of other wood types.
What Makes Wooden Snare Drums Different from Metal Snare Drums?
The main difference would be volume. Metal snare drums are a lot louder than wooden snare drums, as they have more focus on high-end frequencies. They also resonate a lot longer.
Wooden snare drums are also lighter than metal ones. A good brass shell or steel shell will make a snare drum heavier. This often means that you need to use a more solid snare drum stand for a metal snare.
Which Brand Makes the Best Snare Drums?
The answer to this is completely subjective, as every major drum brand has an impressive range of high-quality snare drums.
However, there are a few brands that have been known to offer more popular snare drums over the years.
The biggest one would be Ludwig, with many of their snare drums being the most popular options in drumming history.
DW, Gretsch, and Tama also offer impressive ranges of professional snares.
