Which snare drum to buy? Types, sizes and prices – 2026 guide

The snare is the drum a drummer plays the most, so choosing it matters more than the colour or brand of the whole kit. In this guide I explain how wooden and metal snares differ, what size to choose, what to check in the shop and how much a good snare costs. I use Polmuz snares as examples, because I know them inside out.

The snare is an instrument of its own

A drum kit is made up of several instruments, and the snare is the most important of them. It does not have to be the same wood or the same colour as the rest of the drums. Beginners often think that is a mistake, but a snare can stand out clearly from the kit and that is completely normal.

It should, however, match the kit in volume. A thick metal snare added to a small jazz kit with an 18″ bass drum will be much louder than the other drums, and a kit like that is harder to play and harder to balance.

You play the snare more than anything else, so it is the last place to save money. A sensible plan is a beginner or intermediate kit with a professional-grade snare.

What a snare drum is made of

It all starts with the shell. The lugs are bolted to it, and the tension rods screw into them. The shell is closed at the top and bottom by hoops, either bent steel or die-cast, and the rods pull them down onto two heads: the coated top head you hit and the thin, clear bottom head. The snare wires lie under the bottom head, and the throw-off lets you tighten or release them.

• Triple-flanged or die-cast hoops. Die-cast hoops give a stronger, more “cracking” rimshot. They also stiffen the snare, so they shorten its overtones. Triple-flanged (bent) hoops are more versatile. I write more about this in the guide to snare hoops.
• Snare wires. In our snares we mostly fit PureSound wires. You can read how snare wires differ in the post about snare wires.
• Lugs. Some of our snares have so-called cross lugs. That is our idea for the look, they do not affect the sound.

Wooden or metal snare drum?

There is no single right answer, it is a matter of taste. A wooden snare is more versatile and has a warmer, more open sound. A metal one usually sounds sharper and cuts through the band more, though not always: our aged aluminium snare sounds quite dry and very pleasant.

Wooden snares: maple, birch, walnut, bubinga

We make most of our snares from maple and birch. Maple has the most balanced sound and fits almost anywhere, birch gives more top end. Walnut and bubinga are darker, denser and harder woods. They let us cut the bearing edge more precisely, which translates into easier tuning and a clearer sound. In my opinion these are our best snares, for more demanding drummers.

You cannot say, though, that maple is for rock and walnut is for jazz. Everyone picks the wood to suit their own ear, and build quality matters more than the species. The only thing I advise against is poplar snares, because you cannot cut a professional edge in such a soft wood. To start with, most people choose maple or birch snares.

Metal snares: aluminium, brass, copper

Our aluminium snare, which I call our “naturally aspirated diesel”, is one of our most popular snares. The shell is only 1 mm thick, but the wide beads work like reinforcement rings and tame the overtones, so the snare sounds good straight out of the box. It works in many situations, especially in rock.

Brass and copper are noble, classy materials. Copper sounds very articulate and at the same time easy on the ear. Both metals are at their best on big stages, in arenas and stadiums.

Acrylic and carbon fibre

Snares made of synthetic materials, acrylic and carbon fibre, sound more in the midrange and are an interesting alternative to wood and metal. The acrylic Model 2 costs about PLN 1,000. We made our carbon fibre snare from parts of a rocket engine built by the Polish company SpaceForest.

Reinforcement rings

Reinforcement rings (also called focus rings) are two rings that strengthen the shell at the top and bottom. They shorten the overtones, so if you do not want to muffle your snare, this is the one to choose. Snares with reinforcement rings cost a little more, and because the shell wall is thin, they respond very sensitively to your playing. It is a solution taken from old, vintage drums.

What size snare drum should you choose?

• 14″ is the standard snare diameter.
• 14×5.5″ is the classic snare. It is easier to control, because less air moves inside the shallower shell.
• 14×6.5″ is deeper and sounds fuller. This is the size we have the most snares in.
• 14×8″ can be tuned very low, to a fat, short, “wet towel” kind of sound.
• 13″ sounds higher. It also works very well as the main snare, for example in metal, where a high, piercing sound has to cut through the guitars.
• Piccolo (e.g. 14×3.5″) is a shallow snare for accents, most often as a second snare in the kit. Tuned high, you often hear it in reggae, for example.

A snare drum for under PLN 1,000

If you want to spend around a thousand zloty, the best choice in our shop is the Polmuz Model 2 Maple for PLN 999. It is a maple snare (six plies, 4.8 mm) with a bearing edge cut twice at 45°, so it tunes beautifully. It comes in 14×6.5″ and 14×5.5″, in a natural waxed finish. It costs little, and with better snare wires and heads it becomes a professional-level instrument.

Our best-selling snare is its Model 2 Maple Gold Sparkle 14×6.5″ version with die-cast hoops. With chrome hardware it costs PLN 998, and with gold hardware about PLN 1,200.

The acrylic Model 2 snares cost about the same, and from time to time we have birch snares for about PLN 600–800. Those appear in our range only occasionally.

How to recognise a good snare drum

• Bearing edge. It has to be perfectly even. The check is simple: take the head off and put the shell edge-down on a sheet of glass. The snare should sit flat on the glass all the way round. It is also good when the edge meets the head on its flat part.
• Snare beds. These are two shallow dips in the bottom edge where the snare wires lie. They should be clearly cut.
• Throw-off. With the snares released, the wires must not touch the bottom head even when you hit a hard rimshot, otherwise they buzz and get in the way. On Model 1 snares the throw-off lowers the wires by 14 mm, compared with about 7 mm on typical snares.
• Tension rods and lugs. The rods should turn easily, so you can tune with your fingers and by the feel of the key, not only by ear. The lugs must be drilled parallel to each other and square to the edge, so the rods line up exactly with the holes in the hoop.

If all of that checks out, you are looking at a professional snare. Master-built instruments, though, have something more that no specification can describe. They help your expression, they are easier to play, and sometimes it feels as if they play themselves.

I show what this looks like in practice in the video about why our drums tune so quickly. You can read more about tuning in the posts on changing snare heads and wires and on tuning a drum kit in 15 minutes.

Marching snare drum

A marching snare is often deeper than a regular one and has brackets for a carrier, so you can march with it in a parade or at a ceremony. It is played mainly by marching bands and the military. We have maple Model 1 marching snares in 14×5.5″ and 14×8″, which are very popular (the carrier is sold separately). To order, we also make taller marching snares for more professional playing.

Warranty and where to try a snare

Our snare shells carry a lifetime warranty (acrylic ones 2 years), and the hardware 3 years. Full warranty terms. If something breaks or gets lost, we have spare parts. I explain how to match them to your snare in the guide to snare spare parts.

Snares are best compared in person. We have plenty of them in our workshop in Gdynia, and you can tune and try each one yourself. Call before you come: +48 797 317 035. You will find all available models in the Snare drums category, and if you are looking for a whole kit, see the guide How much does a drum kit cost and which one to buy?

Frequently asked questions

What is a snare drum?

A snare drum is a drum with metal snare wires stretched under the bottom head. The wires give it its characteristic crisp, rattling sound. The snare sits on a stand right in front of the drummer, and it is the drum you play the most: the backbeat, accents and fills.

How much does a good snare drum cost?

You can buy a proper wooden snare from us for PLN 999 (Polmuz Model 2 Maple). Walnut snares start at about PLN 1,500, bubinga at about PLN 2,500, and metal snares at about PLN 2,000.

Wooden or metal snare drum?

A wooden snare is more versatile and sounds warmer. A metal snare usually sounds sharper and cuts through the band more. To start with, I most often recommend a maple or birch snare.

What size snare drum should I choose?

The standard is a 14″ snare, 5.5″ or 6.5″ deep. A 13″ snare sounds higher, a 14×8″ can be tuned very low, and a shallow piccolo is mainly used for accents and as a second snare.

Does the snare have to match the drum kit?

It does not have to be the same wood or the same colour. It should, however, match the rest of the kit in volume, so it does not drown out the other drums.

What is the difference between die-cast and triple-flanged hoops?

Die-cast hoops give a stronger rimshot, stiffen the snare and shorten its overtones. Triple-flanged (bent) hoops are more versatile.

What is a marching snare drum?

It is a snare with brackets for a carrier, often deeper than a regular one, that you play while marching, for example in a parade or at a ceremony. It is mainly used by marching bands and the military.

Which snare drum should I buy for under PLN 1,000?

At this price I recommend the maple Polmuz Model 2 Maple for PLN 999, with a double 45° bearing edge, or its Gold Sparkle version with die-cast hoops for PLN 998. With better snare wires and heads it becomes a professional-level instrument.

Tomek Stukan, owner of DrumStore and the Polmuz brand. I have been working with drums professionally since 2006.