Snare Drums

What hoop should you choose?

When buying a snare drum from Drum Gear SnareWorks, you have 5 options in choosing hoops. No matter which one you choose, it will have a decisive impact on the sound of your drum.

Here below, you can read some guidelines about the variety of tones before you decide what to buy.

2.3 mm triple flange hoops (standard)

These hoops are attached to the drum when you buy it. We call them standard hoops, but their real name is triple flange hoops.

This is an excellent choice if you want a medium open drum that sounds great for all purposes. This is the all-around good choice.

3.0 mm. triple flange hoops

This relatively new model in the hoops field is the most sturdy version of the classical triple flange hoop available.

What the increased weight and thickness does, is increasing the volume of your drum, but it also gives you more control over the drumhead and snare wires. In practice, this means that the drum articulates your strikes, making them more distinct, and the sound resembles the well-known sound from the die cast hoops.

S-Hoops (safe hoops)

S-hoops were invented by the American, Rick Barrickman, and they are actually rather simple, though still pretty ingenious. In a sense, a S-hoop resembles a triple flange hoop, just with the last (and top) fold bent in over the drum instead of outwards over the rim (the way it is done on the triple flange hoop). The clever thing about this is that the S-profile, you achieve by this manoeuvre, gives a perfectly firm hoop - and that without increasing the weight of the hoop.

Furthermore, a acoustic phenomenon emerges when the metal is bent in over the drumhead like it's done with the S-hoop. In a sense, a small pocket of air emerges, resulting in a rounding of the sound, imparting a certain tenderness to the tones.

You should be aware, however, that in some cases, you are not able to mount a microphone to the S-hoop.

Die cast hoops

The die cast hoops are the biggest, heaviest, and stiffest on the market. 

This kind of density means that the drum is easier to control. In a sense, you get more sound from your drumhead and less sound from the shell. You'll get a very high volume from your drum, and the drum is perceived as more controllable and well articulated. On the other hand, you lose some of the scattering and openness in your tones compared to other types of hoops.

Vintage hoops (single flange hoops)

These hoops are not only very stylish. They are also very light, and they provide the excact opposite of the triple flange hoops. With these hoops, it is to a great extent the drum shell that produces the sound and not so much the drumhead itself. This results in a very open and soft sound.

These vintage hoops are, however, somewhat more troublesome. You have to apply so-called "claw hooks" to the hoop for the screws, and the screws have to be exchanged for some sligtly longer ones. Yet, this all is included in the prize you will find in the model selector for every snare drum.

Good luck with your options! We hope, you'll find the perfect match for you. Remember that you can always write in the chat, send an e-mail, or call for advice or guidance.