Steel snare drums are among the most common in the industry. From middle school concert bands to professional touring acts, there’s a decent chance the snare being used has a steel shell. Steel is easy to manufacture, while being more affordable than other common drum shell materials. Combined with a projecting sound and semi-bright tone, steel makes a lot of sense when it comes to making snare drums.
That popularity also means there are many different models to pick from, which is why we made this list. We picked out our favorite steel snare drums within certain price ranges. They all have different specs and sounds, but they’re also all solid drums for the money. Whatever your budget may be, any of the drums on this list could be a good buy.
On with the list! These are the best steel snare drums, by budget.
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Under $300
Ludwig Supralite Snare Drum
The Ludwig Supralite may be the least expensive snare on this list, but don’t let the low price fool you. By streamlining the design and focusing on specs that matter most to drummers, Ludwig was able to create a drum that outperforms its price tag. We wrote about the series in more detail in Best Values: Snare Drums Under $300, highlighting that it’s not only a good choice among steel snare drums, but among sub-$300 snare drums of any type.
This drum has a 1mm-thick steel shell, which is standard in this price range. It provides a classic metal-shelled snare sound, with a bit more resonance than the other options on this list. It has a straightforward tone that isn’t particularly unique in any way, but simply gets the job done. What mostly separates this drum from other affordable steel snares, however, are its other specs. The lugs, strainer, butt plate, hoops, and available sizes all make this drum a solid value.
The Supralite comes in 3 sizes – a 14×5.5, 14×6.5, and a 14×8 – each incorporating 10 chrome-plated brass tube lugs. Compared to 8-lug alternatives, the extra lugs help with both tuning and stick articulation. The hoops are 2.3mm thick, which is a very versatile weight. The butt plate is heavy-duty and stylized with a Ludwig emblem. Then there’s our favorite feature – the P88i strainer. It’s one of the best snare strainers on the market, and the fact that it’s included on a drum at this price is very impressive.
You’ll want to be aware of the heads and wires that are included. They’re not professional-grade, so you’d want to upgrade those pretty fast. After upgrading, this drum should reach its full potential. It would be a good option for drummers who want a snare to play gigs with, without worrying too much about an occasional dent or scratch.
Gretsch Black Nickel Over Steel
The Gretsch Black Nickel/Steel snare drum is part of the company’s Full Range line. This model has the simplest design of all the drums on this list. The parts are straightforward, from the shell to the strainer. That’s one of this drum’s appeal though. It’s a true “meat and potatoes” steel snare drum that’s made for the road.
Like the Ludwig Supralite above, the Gretsch Black Steel has a 1mm-thick shell, 2.3mm hoops, and 10 lugs. The Gretsch has a straight shell design, however, without a bead. That impacts tone slightly, since you get a hair more resonance when sound moves uninhibited. It’s a minimal difference, and the larger lugs of the Gretsch basically offset any difference in shell resonance. In the end, the Gretsch and Supralite sound much alike, consisting of a resonant and metallic tone with a medium-high amount of volume.
The Gretsch Black Nickel has a basic lever-type strainer. There’s nothing wrong with it, but we certainly like the Supralite’s P88i strainer more. One plus the Gretsch Black Steel has over the Supralite is that the Gretsch comes with a professional Remo batter head. That can save you $20 or so straight away. The Black Steel comes in 14×5 and 14×6.5 options, as well, allowing you to choose between more body or more articulation. Along with the attractive black nickel finish, this snare is a very good choice for its cost.
Under $500
DW Performance Series Steel
The DW Performance Series Steel snare is a great option if you like more sophisticated specs. The base is quite simple (a 1mm-thick beadless steel shell) and the hoops are just like the previous two models we discussed, at 2.3mm thick. What separates this drum from those less-expensive options, however, are some of the other components. DW is known for innovative designs, and they include them on the Performance Steel.
DW includes one of our favorite strainers with this snare, called the Mag Throw. It incorporates magnets, a fine-tuning knob, a simple hinge, and a very reliable overall design. This snare’s lugs are another DW design, called Quarter Lugs. Even the tension rods are an upgrade. This drum comes with TruePitch rods, with finer threading to make micro-adjustments easier. Finally, DW installs USA-made Remo drumheads.
The tone of the Performance Steel is not substantially different than the previously-mentioned models, due to the matching shell and hoop thicknesses. It has a resonant and moderately-bright sound. What you pay extra for are both the components and DW’s well-known reliability. This is a snare with high craftsmanship and high durability. The three available size options are also very welcome, coming in dimensions of 14×5.5, 14×6.5, and 14×8.
Gretsch Hammered Steel Snare
The Gretsch Hammered Steel snare has the most unique shell of any drum on this list. All of the others incorporate a smooth or beaded shell, but the hammered Gretsch provides a different type of sound. The hammering darkens the tone, taking some of the metallic edge off of the steel’s resonance. This shell is also 20% thicker than the previously-mentioned models, which provides a bit of extra overall volume.
If you’re worried about a hammered shell darkening the sound too much, Gretsch has you covered. By including die-cast hoops, you’ll get plenty of attack. Rimshots are loud and cross-sticks are robust. Of course, die-cast isn’t for everyone. These hoops have a drier tone, with a slightly higher tuning range. We like the combination of a hammered metal shell with die-cast hoops quite a bit. It gives players more articulation and a mellower resonance.
The other specs on this drum are just like the Gretsch Black Nickel snare we listed above. You get 10 lugs and a simple strainer. However, the hammered version comes in one additional size. It comes in a 14×8, to go along with the standard 14×5 and 14×6.5. That extra deep version is particularly fun if you like to tune low, but each size serves a good purpose.
Tama Starphonic Steel
We’re big fans of Tama’s Starphonic series, which is one of the more innovative lines in the drumming industry. We talk about the maple version in Best Maple Snare Drums, but the steel-shelled PST146 is another great drum. This snare provides a warmer tone than your typical steel drum. By incorporating Starphonic’s hardware components, Tama rounded out the attack and created softer overall volumes.
The Starphonic steel shell a beaded 14×6, 1mm-thick shell, with a black nickel finish. That’s all pretty standard. Everything else, however, is what makes the Starphonic such an interesting drum. First, the hoop/claw system is very well-designed. The hoop doesn’t have holes. It has a groove, where the tension claws can rest. Head changes don’t even require removing tension rods. More importantly, the hoop design also impacts this drum’s sound. The lighter-weight system plays a large role in defining this drum’s more subtle nature.
Beyond the hoops and claws, the Starphonic has swiveling lugs, a ratchet-style strainer, a detachable butt plate, and high-quality Evans drumheads. All of it makes for one of the more interesting steel snare drums you can buy today. It’s not as warm a drum as wood or aluminum, but it’s about as warm as you can get with steel. If you’re looking for the tone of metal, but with less aggression, the Starphonic steel could be a good choice.
Under $700
Tama Charlie Benante Snare
The Charlie Benante signature snare drum is a great choice for hard-hitting drummers who need to cut through loud stage volumes. Benante worked with Tama to build a drum that’s bright, aggressive, and full of tone. The color mix of black nickel and stainless steel also looks fantastic, and Tama’s snare components are always well-designed.
In many respects, this Tama snare combines features from other drums on this list. It has die-cast hoops and a thicker 1.2mm beaded shell. That makes the Benante the only model on this list with those particular specs. The final result is a loud crack, pure metallic tone, and sustained brightness – a sound that fits right in with classic rock and metal bands..
Tama includes 10 lugs and dual tension snare adjustments with this drum. The heads are high-quality Evans heads, although the batter head is thinner than most drummers who play aggressive music would prefer. We recommend checking out DrumheadSelector.com for some ideas, if you’re not sure which heads might work for you. After installing a more appropriate batter head, the Charlie Benante snare should give you a more fitting power-packed sound that will fit on any loud stage.
Wrap-Up
Those are our picks for the best steel snare drums, by budget. Steel isn’t often thought of as a premium metal, but that doesn’t mean it can’t make for great snare drums. No matter what your budget is, there’s probably a good steel-shelled option for you. Hopefully, this list gave you all the information you’ll need to get your next drum!
By Peter Treuden – About the Author
Need a new case for your snare drum? Check out our Best Values: Snare Drum Bags & Cases!