SUPRA!

 

Supra: derived from Latin supra "above, beyond"

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supra

Until now, the one unrepresented material in my snare collection was aluminum. It's not something that bothered me though. I was perfectly content because brass, steel and woods present enough variety for me. But when this turned up from one of my regular drum sellers, I couldn't resist. Supras are legendary classics, touted as the "most recorded snare drum in history", and the choice of rock luminaries like John Bonham. While their sound hasn't changed, old ones show signs of age in the form of pitting. This is when the aluminum corrodes under the chrome plating, and shows up like acne. This one had to be brand spankin' new because the shell looked to be in immaculate condition, and it had a new P88 throw off and butt plate. I'll never know how the seller got the price down for such a new drum, but all I cared about is that I could afford it. 

When I got it, it was indeed in perfect condition. Lucky, JB music in Megamall finally got a shipment of new 14" drum heads, so it now has an Ambassador Coated batter and Evans Hazy 300 reso. I whipped out my mics, recorded some demo tracks, and confirmed that aluminum is every bit as well behaved under microphones as everyone says it is. It came with lug gaskets, which is a hotly debated topic in drum discussions. I like what I hear now, and am lazy to take them off. So they'll stay on for now.  I wouldn't take it to a live, much less unmic'd gig, as brass would project to the audience better. But for recording, this is most likely THE ONE.  

This is my third Ludwig snare, and the first that I didn't have to change the throw off. What a luxury. 

A WISHY WASHY STORY

 

I’ve had an on-and-off desire for the Swish Knocker over the decades. Back in the 90s I wanted one desperately, but none were available. It cooled off in the 2000s when I got my monstrous Paiste 22” 2002 China. 

It came back in the mid-2010s when I learned there was one available in JB Music MOA. But upon audition, I was less than impressed. It sounded stiff and lifeless, and lacked two rivets. Disappointed, I quickly forgot about it. 

Strangely, without rhyme or reason, I got curious again and called the store early this year asking if it was still there. Yup, the same cymbal was still there, still lacking two rivets. But the curiosity was easily doused upon remembering my last disappointing encounter. 

Finally, we were scheduled for dinner yesterday with my wife’s high school classmate in MOA. After parking, I had my wife go ahead to the restaurant while I stopped by JB for a quick peek at possible bargain. As I entered the door, I was reminded of it again. It wasn’t on display, and it took the sales person not a few minutes to dig it out of a pile. I knew it was the same one because it was still missing two rivets. Also, the big 25% off sale ended last week, so I would have to pay full price for it. But none of that mattered the moment I played it. Inexplicably, it sounded absolutely magnificent this time around. It had a rich throaty crash, funky ping, and sizzling wash. 

What changed in my attitude towards this cymbal? Was it having been stored and aged for almost a decade? Had the acoustics in the store been modified? Are my strokes different? Or was it just my shifting current taste? Whatever the reason, I walked out of the store with 2419 grams of year 2015 magnificence, and a lighter bank account.

A happy ending to a long and wishy-washy story.

HEAVYWEIGHT

In the mid-2010s, Pearl released two special limited-edition free floating snares. The first was the Pearl FBD1465C 30th Anniversary Free Floating 14" x 6.5" 3mm Brass Patina Finish Snare. The second was the Pearl CS1465F Chad Smith Signature Free Floating Tricolon 14" x 6.5" 3mm Brass/Steel Snare. I never saw the former, but I did see the latter in JB Music some years ago, then in FB Marketplace and Carousell before the pandemic. It looked spectacular, but so was the price. This is probably why it never got bought. My curiosity led me to discover what made it special. 14x6.5 Free-Floating chassis. Diecast hoops. Three seamless interchangeable 3mm shell rings, two brass and one steel. Only one hundred ever made. The price? Let's just say it was about double my most expensive snare. Why did I suddenly consider buying it? It was Christmas. I survived a bout with Covid19. The semester was ending. Any excuse becomes valid when you have a serious case of Gear Acquisition Syndrome. 

It arrived with a “Certificate of Authentication” and a drum head both signed by Chad Smith, which I really didn’t care for. So they are tucked away with my spare drum heads. It was pre-owned, but never played, with nary a stick mark on the batter head. The first thing I noticed with I took it out of the box was that the drum is very, VERY HEAVY! Seven kilograms of heavy. The hardware is extremely solid, but luxuriously satin smooth and/or polished shiny. The heads came with almost no tension. I cranked the reso head, then I brought the better head up to half turn above finger tight and it sounded fat and authoritative. Each half turn up brought higher pitch, and more glorious harmonic combinations. The response is super sensitive, and the loudness can be deafening when whacked with the stick butt. The only mod I applied was a half inch square of cushion tape to the reso head to control a bit of after-buzz. But that’s it. I usually swap out the snare wires for Puresounds, and mounting string for plastic straps. But everything was so perfect that I left them stock. 

This drum has spoiled me forever. Suddenly all the other drums I was interested in lost their luster. It has earned a permanent spot in my recording setup. And if and when I finally start gigging again, this will be my go-to snare ….. if I have the strength to carry it.