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Pearl Masters Maple Complete Snare Drum - 14" x 6.5"

By Joseph "Stix" Davis - 8/7/18

This snare drum has a special place in my heart. On April 1st, I proposed to my girlfriend Kaitlyn, and gave her a white gold ring with a Celtic knot, sapphire, and our names engraved on the inside, a gift for our anniversary. She gave me a picture of this snare drum, her gift to me. She noted me talking about this snare, the specific size, and finish. She went to SSE Music in La Crosse, WI, placed the order, and they all kept it a secret until the big day. Needless to say, she knocked it out of the park. Thanks dear! You're the best!

The drum was on backorder, so I had to wait a few months. When I finally got it, I got it in the studio, took some photos, and started playing around with it. I've had some time this last weekend to really sit down, take it apart, put it back together, play it, and record it.

Size

14" x 6.5". Compared to a 14" x 5.5" snare drum, the extra inch of depth allows for a warmer and more full tone, but can still be tuned up for a nice crack.

Shell

EvenPly-Six, 6-ply, 5.4mm 100% maple shell, with a 45° bearing edge. This shell is made using Pearl’s Superior Shell Technology (SST) method, and utilizes scarf joints.

Finish

The Absinthe Sparkle is a spectacular green lacquer sparkle finish. I'm not normally a green guy (blue is my all-time favorite color), but I love this finish. Especially when I put it under some white soft box lights for the photos. See for yourself!

Hardware

SuperHoop II, 2.3mm Triple Flanged Hoops

CL65 Bridge Lugs

T061L Tension Rods, M5.8 x 47mm

S022N 20 Strand Snare

SR017 Strainer

The hoops are pretty standard, 2.3mm triple flanged. The hoops have "Pearl SuperHoop" engraved on them. Much more elegant than a simple sticker. The bridge lugs are classy looking as well. The tension rods come with nylon washers to eliminate metal on metal contact. The snares are 20 strands. The strainer is a side lever style throw.

Demonstration

For this demonstration, I used two Audix F9 overhead, an Audix F5 snare, and an Audix F6 kick drum microphones. I used no EQ or compression. I wanted the drum to sound as authentic as possible to give you an idea of what it sounds like. I play the snare drum with no muffling, then a studio ring, then a wallet. These are not the stock heads. I use Aquarian Drumheads. Texture Coated for the batter head, Hi-Performance for the resonant head.

Final Thoughts

I've had my eyes on this snare for a while, and I was beyond thrilled to find out my fiancé ordered this snare drum for me, as a surprise anniversary gift! It's gorgeous, it's warm, and it sounds wonderful. I recorded a demonstration, linked below. Thank you again Kaitlyn and SSE Music!