Weird Wood Snare Drums | 6 Exotic Shells Compared!

Would you agree that a snare drum stands as an icon of rhythmic expression? Well, its ability to cut through the air with crisp cracking sounds absolutely commands precision and power for any drummer. This gives anyone enough reason to want a unique sound with their snare drum. And today, that is exactly what we’ll be discussing in this article by the Drum Center of Portsmouth!

Don’t get me wrong — Maple, Birch, and Poplar wood snare drums sound just fine. But hey, since we’re focusing on the idea of having a unique sound for your snare drum, how about we go through some weird and exotic woods today? Perhaps those kinds that you haven’t even heard of?

Sounds exciting, huh? Well, it really is. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s do it. Here are 6 Weird Wood Snare Drums to add to your collection!

First up on the list is the limited edition Canopus Wenge Birch Hybrid Snare Drum. With a snare size of 14x6.5, it’s got inner and outer plies of very dense Wenge wood. Oh, and it also has inner plies of Birch as its snare shell. The best part? This wood snare drum features the iconic Canopus hardware that we all adore and love here at the shop — die-cast hoops, eight chrome-plated solid brass lugs, Remo heads, and Vintage Series wires, the best in the business!

On top of it all, this magnificent sounding Canopus Wenge Birch Hybrid Snare Drum was hand-made in Japan. With the expertise and attention to detail of the innovative craftsmen of Canopus, you know you’ve hit the jackpot with this wood snare drum! 

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if you fell in love at first sight with the DW Purple Heart Snare Drum. I mean, it’s part of undoubtedly one of the best drum sets I’ve ever seen — the DW Collectors Pure Purple Heart 6pc Drum Set Piano Black Gloss W/Black Nickel HW. The wholedrum set is made of pure Purple Heart wood, which is an extremely dense and tough material to work with.

But what definitely stands out is the contrast between the jet-black high gloss lacquer color of the hardware and the bright purple color of the wood shell. Man, it’s just a thing of beauty and one that will absolutely turn heads! Finally, the wood snare drum itself has a lot of metallic-sounding qualities because of the Purple Heart wood’s density.

Next on our list is the Dunnett Classic MonoPly Milkwood Snare Drum, Ronn Dunnett makes some of our favorite boutique wood snare drums out there. They surely don’t disappoint and take pride as one of Canada’s most remarkable exports along with Tim Horton’s.

With a snare size of 14x6.5, it is made of milkwood which is a very soft and pliable material. This gives the wood snare drum a really nice sound to it! It’s also got some great response and mid-range attack which you’ll absolutely love. Oh, and in fact, it has 42-strand snare wires to give you a little bit of extra response. How ‘bout that?

The Dunnett Classic MonoPly Milkwood Snare Drum’s satin natural finish is also just a head-turner if you ask me. It’s a well-made solid-ply wood snare drum with tons of amazing features like the R4 Strainer and Hypervent. Yes, THE HYPERVENT! 

Ah, up next is the British Drum Company Archer Snare Drum which is handcrafted entirely from English Yew wood. This is a rare and sumptuous material and in fact the hardest among the softwoods. Oh, and did you know that the English Yew wood’s strength and pliability actually made it the preferred material by archers during medieval times? Yes, it is that special!

The BDC Archer Snare Drum generates a rich and warm tone with fast attacks thanks to the English Yew wood. With a snare size of 14x6, the Archer is a 10-ply wood snare drum that is cold-pressed and has 30° round overbearing edges. Lastly, the satin natural finish of the inside and outside details of the Archer is just ridiculously beautiful to the eyes. 

A work of art — those are the words that would come out of your mouth once you see this Pearl StaveCraft Makha Snare Drum. It’s made of solid Makha exotic wood staves combined with Thai Oak using what they call the DadoLoc joint. Ah, this wood snare drum’s hand-rubbed natural maple finish with die-cast hoops is just outrageous. And they used a clear Remo on top so I’m sure you’ll fall head over heels in no time with this amazing wood snare drum!

Oh, and those Makha exotic wood staves and Thai Oaks aren’t just for decorations. In fact, the DadoLoc joint has increased the total shell strength of this wood snare drum by a whopping 50% already. As a result, these 25-millimeter-thick staves easily give you a solid shell sound with a ton of volume and articulation.

Finally, the last one on our list is the very special Tama Star Reserve Solid-Ply Japanese Cedar Snare Drum. This wood snare drum is made of Japanese Cedar, which is the national tree of Japan! A traditional and unique Japanese woodworking technique called Uzukuri is also used in making this elegant wood snare drum. Uzukuri creates a three-dimensional texture and appearance, making this wood snare drum look extra special.

Japanese Cedar is also relatively soft compared to the materials of other wood snare drums on this list but it sounds absolutely amazing. Oh, and you know what? It also SMELLS AMAZING!

The burnt oiler cedar finish of this 14x6 wood snare drum blends really well with the nickel-plated brass hoops which just looks captivating to the eyes. To top it all off, it also has the famous Tama Bell Brass snare wires to provide you with extra response!

And there you have it. The 6 best weird wood snare drums you can score here at the Drum Center of Portsmouth — the largest independently owned drum store in the world! Are you still looking for more remarkable drums and percussion instruments to add to your collection? Feel free to visit our website www.drumcenternh.com or subscribe to our YouTube channel Drum Center of Portsmouth for more amazing content. See ya’!