Out of all the drums in your kit the snare drum is one of the most important. Many drummers have more than one in their collection for live and studio work.
Our aim is to provide a large enough selection for the right sound and feel of any style and application.
After many years of building and testing various configurations live and in the studio, we can sit down and discuss in detail the type of sound and feel you are looking for. We have hundreds of combinations to choose from and can custom design and build your dream snare to your exact specifications.
Any of our snare drums can be made using all three types of our lugs. We prefer to use our KD-SLM lugs as it gives our drums a look and feel, plus we consider them to be the best on the market.
We can also supply other lugs if you don’t like the look of them. Simply drop us an email and we will do all we can to help.
Our snare drums will come complete with 2.3mm hoops and our standard snare strainer unless otherwise stated.
All hardware is kept in stock in chrome, black and brass as standard but any plating or powder coated finish can be applied to you drum.
Please have a look at our snare drums below for information on shell type.
Although the sound of a drum is affected by several factors, it is the properties of the shell which are most important. This is because it is the shell which modulates and radiates the vibrations created by the drum head being struck. These vibrations are perceived by the ear as a fundamental note plus harmonics & overtones. Changes in shell properties such as the bearing edge, diameter, thickness, depth, construction type/material, choice of head, and tuning, all have radical effects on a drum's resonance and sound.
Most drums on the market are constructed from mass produced, moulded wooden ply shells. These shells are constructed from multiple thin layers of wood and glue. The glue in these shells dampens the natural resonance of the wood, and hence the sound of the drum.
KD segmented shells are different. These are constructed from individual blocks of solid wood that are glued together to form rings. The average ply snare shell has approximately 2000 square inches of glued surface, ( ten ply shell has nine plies of glue), KD segmented shells have less than 75 square inches. The vast reduction in the amount of glue used allows the shell to vibrate more freely, resulting in a louder, clearer and more focused drum sound.
The segmented construction method is similar to that used in brick work, resulting in a very strong, dimensionally stable shell that does not go out of round.
As segmented shells are built from solid pieces of timber, the options of woods that are available is endless. Shells can also be built from a mix of different species to create unique individual sounds and looks.
KD segmented shells usually feature bearing edges cut to 45' inside with a slight 45' outer cut. The edge is rounded slightly on the outside which adds more body and depth to the overall sound of the drums. Other bearing edge options are available on request.
KD classic maple drums feature select cuts of premium Canadian maple wood cut into plies, positioned with staggered vertical seams, and sealed together with evenly distributed air pressure. This process ensures that every drum shell is in round and of uniform thickness. It also provides the shell with superior tone quality and durability. Shells are either 8 or 10 ply as standard.
Renowned for its warmth, maple has been the choice for many professional drummers for decades. It offers great projection with a nice full warm sound with full sustain.
We offer three configurations of the classic maple snares, 6ply (4mm), 8ply (5.4mm) and 10ply (6.7mm). All available in 10", 12", 13" and 14" and in a wide range of depths from 3" to 10" to ensure the right sound and feel for many different styles.
With so many wooden and metal snare drums available we now offer the KD Acrylic range. These drums will add plenty of colour to any snare collection.
They are constructed from 7mm acrylic and only have one vertical seam in the shell.
Our stave snare drums are constructed in the same way as a barrel or conga drum using solid pieces of wood (or staves) that run the length of the shell vertically.
Select cuts are chosen then planned and cut to size; we use double the amount of staves to your lugs (Example: If your snare drum has 10 lugs your drum will have 20 staves. This is to ensure that that all lugs are fitted to the center of a stave leaving less stress on the join) we glue them together using our special mould to keep all the staves in a sturdy position, while drying. Once the raw shell is dry, we then lathe the shell round. Using this process the shell in a more natural form than ply shells because the staves are solid and turned not bent under pressure - this is the closest construction you can get to a trees natural form. This allows sound waves to travel more freely through the wood, creating a great resonance and tone.
You can use the same wood or mix different varieties of woods for your own unique individual sound.
Available in a wide choice of woods.
Our new K-28 snare drums have soon become our best selling snare to date, and in such a short time. We first designed and made these drums for a studio project where they become very popular with the sound engineer. Having got such a good response from them, we decide to make more and see how they sounded in a live situation. They proved to be a success and more and more people were asking for them. We made many variations with the amount of plies we used and settled for a 13ply hybrid shell made from birch and cherry.
The shells are made up from 12 multiple layers of select finish birch with the grain running vertical, then they are finished with an inside layer of black cherry with the grain running horizontal and your chosen outside finish.
The shells are produced using a special mould with even air pressure distributed from the inside of the shell ensuring a round and durable cylinder. All seams are vertical and staggered for a much stronger shell.
Because of the birch running vertical, this creates a much faster decay with great bottom end. The added layer of cherry on the inside of the drum makes it shaper and punchier with great glass highs.
Made from 1.2mm brass. The KD Brass snares are fitted with vintage tube lugs and the hardware is available in chrome, brass and black nickel as standard. Other powder coated options available by recrest. Renowned for its glass highs and power, these brass snare drums are a nice versatile option to the warmth of wood to add to any drummer's collection.
