Review of the NEW Ahead Snare Black on Brass Snare Drum
Simon Edgoose (Mikedolbear.com)
Famed for their aluminum sticks, Ahead have ventured into a new area. On the Ahead stand were some new metal snares. Now, I must admit to not being tremendously excited by the prospect of another new snare drum, but at the risk of sounding like an advert… “That was before I heard it!”. The shells are very thin and are 14” or 13” x 6” in black chrome over brass.
They have tube lugs, Fat Cat snares (with the adjustable tension inner wires), S-Hoops (triple flange hoops with a larger top flange angled over the bearing edge, which sound more like cast hoops), Tight Screw tension rods (which have an insert of nylon to guarantee they never de-tune) and a choice of Dunnett or Trick throw offs. Now, on paper, they should sound good, but I think that Gerry and I decided they were they best snare we had heard so far at NAMM. When the person who was showing us them first hit one, a guy who was passing stopped and came over and asked what the snare was as it sounded ‘incredible!’. It is stupidly loud (making us blink in a hall with 20m high ceilings) but also REALLY musical. One to check out.
Size - 14"x6"
Shell - 100% Brass Shell
Finish - Polished Black on Brass Finish
Lugs - Tube Double Lugs, Chrome (x8)
Hoops - Ahead 'S' Hoops
Strainer - Dunnett USA Release
Heads - Ahead (Ctd Batter, Clr Snare Side)
(Please note: Serial number may differ from drum shown)
