‘We’ve Not Slowed Down for a Minute’ – Snare Drum Sales in 2021

When considering the pandemic-related spike in sales of musical instruments and gear throughout the past 19-plus months, it makes intuitive sense why certain items have thrived. Ukuleles, acoustic guitars, any synth or keyboard or other electronic equipment that can be used “silently” via headphones – those all would presumably not be terribly disruptive for housemates or family members stuck at home with the musician, or to neighbors above, below, or next door.

But acoustic drums?

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, this market segment has also thrived since early 2020. Chalk it up to a robust suburban and rural customer base, improved sound insulation materials and techniques for those practicing their art in cities, enhanced tolerance and empathy for our fellow man, or whatever else. The fact is, drums have been experiencing robust sales – and snare drums, in particular, have been flying off the shelves. Current supply chain challenges present difficulties, but have also informed the buying habits of players, with savvy customers now placing orders weeks and months in advance.

MMR spoke with reps for eight major brands in the design, manufacture, and distribution of snares to learn about what specific models are being embraced by drummers, what trends are defining the market, and what the future holds.

For your brand, what are currently the top-selling snare drum models?

John Palmer: Our S.L.P. series continues to experience strong demand, as well as the higher-priced Starphonic and STAR series.  And we are also seeing strong sales in the more accessible Metalworks and Woodworks series.

Kevin Packard, Sr.: 2021 was a big year for Pearl snare drums. We introduced 15 new snare drums this year, including our 75^th Anniversary President Series Phenolic 14”x5” commemorative model, a collaboration with Pearl Artist Matt Halpern, and new a fresh approach to some tried-and-true favorites. All have been very well received by dealers and the playing community. Value-centered models like our S1330B Black 13”x3” piccolo snare still move with the highest velocity, but there has definitely been a swing to mid-to-high-end models as the year has progressed.

Shawn Lafrenz, Sr.: The Pearl Philharmonic series of concert snare drums continue to be the most in-demand product line in this category.  We offer a wide variety of shell types and sizes, but the PHP 14×5 Ply Maple models are consistently the most requested type, with piccolo sized PHB Brass and PHA Aluminum models a close second.

Jeff Mulvihill: Our Mapex Black Panther Series is our top selling snare drum series. Within the series our top seller is the Hammered Brass “Persuader” Model.

Regarding Sonor, I’ll answer this in two different ways: First, our SQ2 snare drum sales are extremely strong where we give the customer the chance to design something customer choosing from a huge range of shell materials, exotic veneers, and beautiful finishes creating a one-of-a-kind experience for our customers. Secondly, the Benny Greb signature snare drums in both beech and brass versions have been extremely well received and sought after in the market since the 2020 launch.

Terry Bissette: The top selling models are the LM402 Supraphonic and the LB417 Black Beauty. Both snares are metal, and are 6.5”x14”.  Truly legendary in the industry, it’s safe to say Supraphonic and Black Beauty snares are the most recorded snare drums in history. No doubt. 

Matt Rudin: Our snares remain some of our top-selling products across the board in terms of volume. Both our Stage Custom Birch (SBS-1455) and Stainless Steel (SSS-1455) snares top the list, which makes sense given the incredible value. The 100 percent birch delivers a sharp tone with excellent response at low to high tuning and the wide-open sound can be used in almost any situation. Similar to the birch line, the stainless steel offers great value, yet delivers a punchier, higher tone.

Our second highest selling snares come from our Recording Custom line, with the brass (RRS-1356, RRS-1455, RRS-1465) and the aluminum (RAS-1455, RAS-1465) taking the place as the second and third highest selling series. It’s not surprising given the superb consistency in sound provided by these snares.

At Yamaha, we are committed to developing drums for any application and have a wide assortment of snares for both marching and concert performance. Our best-selling concert snare is the CSM-1450 in the Concert Maple Series and one of the top-selling marching snares in the industry is the SFZ Series. To continue the legacy of the incredible SFZ line we have just released the new MS-9414, which is lighter and sounds even better.

Jim DeStefano: First off, thanks for including us in your review. Within the DW Brand, we have three series of drums (Collectors Series / Performance Series & Design Series). Each of these series offer both metal and wood snares in different depths and diameters. All the snares are professional quality, so the real difference is the ability to customize your choice. Collector’s Series offers the most options, followed by Performance Series and then Design Series. Within each series, some of our most popular models over the last 12 months include the following:

Collectors Series – Dave Grohl Icon Series / Black Nickel over Brass / Purpleheart shells; Performance Series – Chrome over Steel / 6.5×14 Maple shells; Design Series – 5.5×14 Maple shells / 6.5×14 Acrylic shells

Andrew Shreve: Our stock USA Custom and Broadkaster snares are always in demand, but from an individual model standout, the USA Custom 6.5×14 Bell Brass, 5.5×14 Brooklyn Standard, and Keith Carlock Signature snares are really sought after.  These three snares are constantly backordered.

Rob Dean: This year keeping PDP snares in stock has been a challenge.  As soon as they come in they seem to ship out!  Our Black Wax snares and new Concept Select snares are moving fast.  Black Wax is offered in 6×10, 6×12, 7×13, 5.5×13, 5.5×14 and 6.5×14.  Concept Select snares are 3mm bell bronze, 3mm aluminum, and 3mm Steel.  You can get the Concept Select snares in 5×14 or 6.5×14 sizes.

Have there been any recent advances in design, materials-used, types of finish, et cetera that have been driving sales of late?

SL: We released the upgraded SR505 Silent Triad strainer for the Philharmonic series in 2021 and the demand for this new strainer system has been incredible over the past year. We also added a new 20Ply birch/maple shell configuration and refreshed the entire line with new colors and finishes.

RD: Definitely!  Our 2021 Limited Edition snare comes in an exclusive Twisted Ivory wrap and walnut wood hoops.  This retro-styled and supremely versatile, 8-lug drum with DW MAG throw-off can be tuned low as a backbeat workhorse, up high as a side snare or anywhere in between.  The Concept Select snares are all 3mm seamless shells with true-pitch tension rods and DW MAG throw-offs.  From a curated metal shell selection to the unique laser-engraved Art Deco insignias emblazoned on each drum, these snares are worth checking out… and showing off.

JS: We have a great design team here at DW. The team is headed by our founders John Good and Don Lombardi and Rich Sikra (VP of product development). They are always working to provide new product offerings that give drummers a broader selection of sounds. Over the past couple years, we’ve introduced snare offerings that incorporate unique build materials ranging from almond on the wood side to titanium and carbon fiber. We also offer unique sizes and designs like our Pi-snare offerings. Each of these snares offers the drummer a different sound palette and playing experience.     

AS: We developed a unique aging compound that gives Keith’s signature snare drum a vintage patina and “antique” look to the shell and, although each shell varies from one another visually, they all look super vibey and cool.

JM: Yes. In this latest iteration of the famed black panther series, we have applied the Mapex Soniclear bearing edge profile to all the metal shell models. This requires specialized tooling and attention to detail on the production side, but the proof is in the sound and feel of these drums. It really makes a difference when you increase the quality of the contact between head and drum shell.

Sonor’s Benny Greb signature models each feature a revolutionary set of internal tone controls giving the player a renewed concept of on-board sound control eliminating the need for any external dampening devices or materials.

TB: In the last couple of years we’ve upgraded and improved many of our snare drum throw-offs and butt plates. This is across the board in all price points. For Ludwig, aluminum and brass seem to be the customer preferred shell materials. That being said, we’ve done well with copper over the years. For finishes, one of the strongest trends has been a “raw, unfinished, and weathered” look. Brass, copper, and bronze fared well with this motif.  More recently, a few dealers have also opted to choose unique and creative finishes and builds that set them apart from the masses.  More like a “custom shop” approach. 

KP: This is an important year in Pearl’s history, so we decided to look to our past to best celebrate our path forward. This included the revival of our original Jupiter Chrome-over-Brass shell in the new DuoLuxe line – the first-ever inlaid metal snare drums. 2021 also marked the return of the Heritage Alloys (Black Nickel Brass, Steel, and Aluminum,) in our player-focused Sensitone Snare models, which have sold very well. Our new StaveCraft snares use a traditional joining technique in woodworking called Dado-Loc to create a hardwood stave construction shell that’s 20mm thick, and drummers that have been lucky enough to get one have been raving about them.

JP: Our TAMA R&D team continues to innovate and refine products that provide fresh voices, so we are always trying new things.  From our perspective, unique finishes (such as our Bronze Aged finish) are well received. The key is that magic combination of unique features/specs that is priced right in the market. Wood shells and metal shells are both viable, so we continue to explore choices that give drummers something different, both sonically and visually.

We’ve been reporting on how sales of certain instruments and gear have been faring quite well during the pandemic – how have snare sales been recently?

TB: To be honest, all categories have been up for our brand since long before the pandemic. Snare drums, drum sets, hardware and accessories, all segments are faring quite well.  Safe to say, we all originally expected business would drop off when the pandemic hit, but we’ve not slowed down for a minute. It’s business as usual, with a respectable and noticeable lift. 

AS: Very well!… and not just in North America.  We’ve been experiencing an excellent volume of orders in most regions – most notably in Asia, Europe, and Australia.

MR: Although global supply chain issues and slower production brought on by COVID has made gauging true demand difficult, it seems demand for snare drums across all categories has not slowed. From snares for drum sets, marching, or concert performance, we are still seeing demand increase.

RD: Very good. I would say we have been very fortunate during the pandemic.  Orders have been strong and because of the delayed lead-times people have been placing orders further out than normal.  We at PDP greatly appreciate the support and hope that everyone that’s been able to afford new snares is enjoying them.

JM: Very Strong. As reported by many different sources, there has been a return to at-home music making, coupled with an explosion of at-home recording and streaming that has contributed significantly to strong snare drum sales.

There has been a real uptick in high quality, custom purchasing stemming from newfound spare time and, in some cases, newfound budget for consumers. While the pandemic has cost the economy in certain sectors, it has saved in others leading discerning individuals to go ahead and purchase the high-end gear they have been dreaming about.

JS: We have been very fortunate at DW, as our demand has been very strong in all product segments through the pandemic. We theorize that, maybe as a result of significant downtime, many musicians decided they had more time to work on their craft. As an example of this, we saw a spike in sales of our double pedals. One explanation could be that drummers wanted to work on their overall playing and that may include adding a double pedal (i.e. double bass playing) to their arsenal. Demand has also increased in our snare offerings, pretty much across the board. For most of us drummers, you can never have too many snares to choose from.      

JP: We are happy to see positive results in the snare drum category this year.  Incoming orders are strong at pretty much all price points.  Our challenge has been on the production and delivery side.  The global shipping issues are directly affecting our ability to fulfill orders.

SL: For concert and chamber musicians – and especially students of all ages – the snare drum is the center of the “performance and technical universe.” During the pandemic we saw a large number of players and students add to their collections while they spent those isolated pandemic hours working on new music and improving their skills.  The snare drum was an important outlet for creativity for many people during the pandemic due to its relative compact size and musical flexibility.

KP: Though results of the pandemic have been absolutely tragic, it has been refreshing to see people turning to music as a way to cope, create, and connect. Social Media and social distancing have driven players to discover – or in many cases, remember – the true joy that comes with drumming; so the demand for snare upgrades to All-In-One drum set packages has been tremendous. On the other end of the spectrum, it’s been interesting to see increased worldwide demand for our high-end Music City Custom Solid snares, which we launched at the last pre-pandemic NAMM show in 2020. We, along with the rest of the industry, are currently feeling the effects of an expanding musician community that the supply chain can’t keep up with.

What are some strategies – marketing, display, promotion, sales – employed by dealers who are especially successful at moving snares?

AS: There are several dealers who do a stellar job with promoting Gretsch snare drums on their social networks and/or company websites.  We see customers demonstrate our snares on high-end video that also sounds incredible – sometimes just on a snare stand and sometimes paired with a full kit.  It’s most impressive production work.

RD: I would say social media and online presence has been a great help while people have been more hesitant to go out.  Lots of great videos and content [are] being shared through many different avenues.

JS: I’ll nominate that the common thread that runs through our most successful dealer relationships is their online and social media presence. Whether it is well-produced YouTube videos or targeted social posts, the dealers that we have done the most business with over the last several years are the dealers with a strong online presence. I am truly impressed with many of our dealers’ product videos. They are well produced with great content. It makes the customer’s purchase decision much easier when they have really good information so accessible.     

SL: Dealers understand their client needs better than anyone, and we often see the more successful concert snare dealers working closely with area educators and players to make sure they have a diverse selection of drums offered alongside the most needed accessories to complete the playing experience.

KP: Sometimes the bleakest moments make us step up our game. On the eve of our 75^th Anniversary celebration at the top of 2021, our executive ataff at Pearl gathered the marketing team together to see how we could best honor the occasion without the benefit of something like NAMM to bring everyone together. We decided that the best way to do that would be to bring the trade show experience to the dealer in the comfort of their own space. This meant extensive video of each new product, Artist demonstrations and testimonials, and actual scheduled meetings with our inside Sales Team and Pearl Dealers to personally show them through our “virtual booth.” The results were pretty phenomenal, especially considering there were so many new snare models to educate dealers about. Pre-orders of our President Series drums were excellent, with the Diamond Jubilee Anniversary Edition snare selling out ahead of the public launch. We have an online database that houses all our digital content that any of our dealers have access to, and they have been sharing that content through their own channels to tremendous success.

MR: Snares are a great way for drummers to change up their sound without overhauling their entire kit. We  know that finding the right snare sound can be difficult, so we developed the Find Your Backbeat page. The site gives visitors a chance to compare different snare sounds and helps them hone in on the snare that is right for them: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/drums/ac_drums/FindYourBackBeat.html

We have also just launched a new video series, giving detailed sound samples of almost every snare in our drum line, tuned at low, medium and high. You can see these videos on our YouTube channel.

JM: Two specific things: maintaining a strong stocking position and co-promoting the Mapex demo sound content that we have produced for each of our individual snare drums.

In general, [it’s important to have] a knowledgeable and caring staff to truly curate the customer experience by spending just that little extra time on providing the customer what they need and want for their own situation.

JP: Video reviews and demos have enormous reach and are very effective.  We also know that dealers who have a reputation for strong in-store snare drum representation are garnering sales.  These dealers are really good at snare drum tuning, which is essential.  A personal pet peeve of mine is when I see a really nice snare drum that is really poorly tuned.  Who wants to buy that?  Many consumers will tap on a given snare and purchase it if they like what they hear.  Having every snare drum tuned well gives them their best chance to be purchased.

TB: The dealers that are most successful take the time to shoot many of their own images. They typically use only one or two stock photos, then they enhance their presentation with their own.  Many are watermarked with their store name and/or logo. The other driver would be video. Many of those same stores film their own audio/video to promote the snares. They often tune the snares three ways: high, medium, and low pitch.  This demonstrates a brief sonic snapshot of the dynamics and frequency range each drum delivers within those tunings. This works particularly well for online sales. For more brick and mortar walk-in sales, the better stores put the drums on display and meticulously tune them, providing a better playing and listening experience for the customer. 

Does your brand have any recent or upcoming snare models you’d like to draw our readers’ attention to?

JP: We are always exploring new things, so… stay tuned.

KP: Our two most recent Artist Signature Snares are really something special. Brian Frasier Moore’s Gum/Maple 14”x5.5” model and Matt Halpern’s 14”x6” Black Powder-Coated Brass snare couldn’t be more different sonically, but they are individually spectacular instruments. For something completely different, the Modern Utility Maple 14”x10” Floor Snare is a great value and seriously versatile for numerous playing voices and situations.

TB: Stay tuned – we have a lot of new snare drums coming in 2022!

AS: Yes, keep your eyes open for Q1/Q2 2022.

JS: With our 50^th Anniversary coming up we will have some new snare offerings in 2022. A couple of my favorites that are currently available include our Collector’s Pi snares (unique build and size); Purpleheart snares (attack and body) and our thin Aluminum snares (dryer, resonant sound).     

RD: We have a handful of snares we’ll be launching next year that I’m very excited about.  More metal snares, for sure, and – who knows – maybe some really cool and unique wood snares, too. Keep an eye on our socials or check out our recently released YouTube page to stay in the know!

SL: The newest PHTR 20-Ply Maple Birch Philharmonic as really something to see and hear – incredible lacquer finishes and Pearl STL lugs plus all the tone, cut, and projection anyone could wish for.  The Philharmonic line of professional quality snare drums have been the flagship concert drum series for Pearl for over 20 years, but people should be familiar with all the new features and upgrades that have been recently added.  Pearl’s upgraded strainer, new shells, and finishes are truly exciting and once have set the standard for the concert snare drum market.

MR: Some other new products include the CFM-1414 deep bodied field drum and the new CSR-1450 in the CSR Series of brass snares, which are favored by professional and advanced players.

JM: We do have a special release coming up in Q4 of a very limited-edition Black Panther Snare drum designed by the late great Ralph Peterson, jazz legend, Berklee educator, and dedicated Mapex artist for more than 30 years. Our only regret is that he lost his battle with cancer before we could bring it to market, but we do fell that it will be a well-deserved tribute to his musical legacy.

Sonor does have some exciting things coming in 2022 that I really can’t wait to share… but I must!

What are your expectations for this market segment in the coming months?

KP: That will certainly depend on the normalizing of our current shipping and supply crisis. However, we are very hopeful for a robust 2022 based on the current rise of online performance platforms, and the return of live music. We have another Artist collaboration coming in the new year, and we feel we have a strong selection of models for players of all levels.

TB: Sales continue to grow, and we don’t expect them to slow down anytime soon. It’s kind of like the industry’s inside joke for drummers: “You can never have too many snares or cymbals.”  Drummers, engineers, and producers are always wanting “that next new sound” to make their music sound different, whether it be live or in the studio. With the development of new shell materials and interesting designs, there’s no shortage of ideas to grow this segment of the market. My prediction is, it will never slow down!

JS: As mentioned previously, we have been fortunate that our sales have been strong. Our biggest challenge is keeping up with the current demand, given some of the supply chain issues. That aside, if sell-through continues to be robust, it will bode well for all companies in the drum and MI space. That’s our hope.   

MR: As drummers continue to seek out new and unique ways to define their signature sound through their snare drum, this segment of the market will continue to thrive.

JM: I expect snare drum sales to stay very strong for the coming months and into 2022. More specifically, metal shell models in brass, steel, and aluminum will stay at a high level of demand. I expect the demand for snare drums and drums in general to stay very strong for the coming months and into 2022 and furthermore, I don’t really see the drummer’s quest for the perfect snare drum sound or sounds to ever stop in the community. 

SL: As orchestras, schools, and festivals around the country continue to get back to work and re-open we expect the demand for quality concert snare drums to continue to be strong.

RD: With high demand and lower than normal stocking levels, I feel like snares are going to continue to move fast.  We greatly appreciate all our drummers out there and I hope that no matter what snares people are buying, they are happy and motivated to play!

JP: I am optimistic we will continue to see strong demand for snare drums.  Drummers are always searching for a new voice within their kit that inspires them.  And relating to COVID, we are still just at the beginning to return to the full blossom for live music.  Drummers have practiced their craft during COVID and are excited to display their deeper connections with their drums and their music.  As an extension to “drumming during the pandemic,” the electronic drum market has surged and I expect many entry-level drummers who purchased an electronic kit will find their way over to the acoustic side of the instrument, which bodes well for the snare drum category.