Bronze is like a Super Supra, in my experience, unless it's "Bell Brass" (which is bronze, btw and is like 3mm thick). The Hambro is less than half that at 1.3. The thinness gives it a lower fundamental and more sensitivity (more overtones because of the increased mass over Al). Bronze is slightly louder than aluminum and the hammering keeps down some of the whine of a heavier metal.
Supra has great tone but isn't loud enough? Bronze is the way to go.
I find brass to be more sensitive even than bronze, btw. If you're not hearing enough of your ghost notes and rubs, brass acts a little like a compressor in that regard. My new hammered brass is the drum I've been waiting for. All my little drummer-y moves can now be heard from 25 feet away.
I am on a constant seesaw between the thick wallop of thin wood snares and the volume and projection of heavy metal snares. I guess that's why I own [redacted] snare drums.
OH, here's a thing I discovered, Penningtron- That keystone acro I got from you? I was on the phone with another drum nerd buddy and he was telling me those are going for stupid money these days (the word is out on Acros, finally) and I said "Yeah, but they're still Acrolites. There's a million of them."
"Not the keystone ones, they have brass hoops."
I grabbed a magnet off of the refrigerator went out to the garage, and lo, so it was. Brass hoops! (which explains why it has a louder and clearer cross-stick than my Supra.)
twelvepoint wrote:Do you follow Adrian Kirchler, an Italian drum maker? He tends to create more in the orchestral world, but his stuff is lovely, and he does his own rims, lugs, throwoffs and snares. Just insane workmanship.
I do follow AK and I drool over some of the work he does. I love those early-20th Century Black Beauties with all the engraving and stuff. Getting one from AK is probably exactly the same cost as getting a vintage one but without the hassle of a 100 year old snare throw. However, stupid expensive. If I ever need a massive tax writeoff, I'll get one.
Get that swag!
