Die Cast or Super Hoops

[oldbatterhead]

in the process of building a custom snare, solid birch 6 ply shell with 6 ply reinforcing rings top and bottom... 14" X 7" 10 lug and considering which hoops I should use...Should I go Die Cast or Super Hoops? 30 snare wires or 24 or 20?

[Cheez_Whiz]

If it were me (and if your budget permits), I'd try to find a set of each, used. Try 'em out, even mix & match them ( die-cast on batter/ flanged on reso) and see what works for you. I only have one all birch snare and I just run Super Hoops on it; however, that drum is only 5" deep.
There's also the option of the Fat Tone hoops if you want to brighten things up a bit.
In the end it will really depend upon the sound you are looking for and my ears may not be the same as yours.

[melvinspeed]

My 2 cents, cause Cheez is right, what I like may not suit you:

Die Cast top and bottom -- better for cross-sticking and rimshots, imo.

At least 24 strand wires; maybe 30 strand. On deeper shells, I have found I prefer more wires.

[Thrush]

As I understand it, general rule of thumb is thin shell = thick hoops, and thick shell = thin hoops. The idea being that thicker hoops dry out the head, focussing the sound from the shell, and thinner hoops allow the head to open up and sing more from a drum that doesn't naturally resonate as much.

That being said, there's always exceptions to any rule, and my CZX snare, 10mm thick 8ply, wears die-casts. That snare is pretty much all about power and crack though.

As said, it really boils down to the personal taste and the sound you're going for.

[MilesAway]

Superhoops for sure.

I find die cast hoops are less comfortable to play on, don't sound as good, and weigh a lot more. If you want a drier sound, you can detune a lug, or use a bit of tape or something.