A question for Dino & Koritz

[acududeman]

Dino/Rob - A technical question......have you guys ever considered using a Ludwig Supraphonic snare (or such) when recreating Dead shows from the 68-70 era? The drumming from this era of the GD is amongst my favorite largely due to the rudiment-filled crisp snare work of Mickey & Billy.

[acududeman]

On 6/11/2019 at 9:19 AM, acududeman said:

Dino/Rob - A technical question......have you guys ever considered using a Ludwig Supraphonic snare (or such) when recreating Dead shows from the 68-70 era? The drumming from this era of the GD is amongst my favorite largely due to the rudiment-filled crisp snare work of Mickey & Billy.

 

To expand my inquiry, I was wondering if you guys ever switch out your snare drums depending on the GD era you are performing?

The drummer's snare drums went from metal and shallow (5x14?) in the Pigpen era, to wood and relatively shallow ( '72 -mid 70's), to deep and wood for the remainder of the run (80's-90's)….to my knowledge

Just curious......I'm definitely a fan of the earlier snare sound and never really liked the 80's/90's sound which I assume was all about filling the back beat for stadiums, but most of the snare drum subtlety and nuance (rudiments!) was lost after '80 (in my opinion).

[robbok3]

Great question.  For me< i use 3 different snares on the road, depending on the era. They are all wood but different. for the 68-70 stuff I use a 5x13 GMS maple.  Tuned to be crisp and sensitive and pitched on the high side, not unlike a supraphonic. I will use it for the 71-74 stuff on occasion but more often I use a Tama 6.5x14 maple also tuned fairly tight and sensitive.  For 76-90's depending on the year/show I will use that as well but most often (especially for 80 on) I use a Longo 6x14 mahogany that is a little warmer and darker.  Not quite as sensitive but has quite a bit more body to it.  I hope this answers the question at least a little bit. 

[acududeman]

1 hour ago, robbok3 said:

Great question.  For me< i use 3 different snares on the road, depending on the era. They are all wood but different. for the 68-70 stuff I use a 5x13 GMS maple.  Tuned to be crisp and sensitive and pitched on the high side, not unlike a supraphonic. I will use it for the 71-74 stuff on occasion but more often I use a Tama 6.5x14 maple also tuned fairly tight and sensitive.  For 76-90's depending on the year/show I will use that as well but most often (especially for 80 on) I use a Longo 6x14 mahogany that is a little warmer and darker.  Not quite as sensitive but has quite a bit more body to it.  I hope this answers the question at least a little bit. 

 

Thank you, Rob.....interesting!

And congratulations to your BLUES!!!

[Vortex]

Hey acududeman, 

   

    Thanks for your inquiry. 

I’ve played seven different snare drums within my time of 20 years with the band. 

     Generally speaking I do switch up between time periods but usually keep two snares on the road at a time, at times I’ll have three.   Most of the time, I switch things up around Jubilee time when I can get home and back.   I just brought back an older combo I had on the road around the early 2000’s which is a 6 1/2 x14 Ludwig Hand Hammered Copper Snare which I love.   I believe this is vary similar to Super Ludwig in that copper is used to make Brass.  I have used that for the early years by tuning it tighter, but I’ll use it for electives and later years by usually tuning it down just a little.  It’s still on the tight side tuned to about an F #. 

      I have a 7 x 14 Noble and Cooley solid shell maple snare that I primarily use for later era two drummer shows.  This is actually the same model Billy used in the later 80’s and 90’s.  

     Around 2012 or 2013 my friend Rudson (who since passed and was GD roadie Ram Rod’s son) let me take out a Sonor snare that was purchased at the same time the GD drummers got their Sonor kit and it was a spare, so the same model they were playing at times with the Sonor kit which was late 70’s thru mid 80’s. 

     Last year (just brought them home before the jubilee so I played them all last year and throughout this last tour) I had a Tama 5 x 14 Starclassic birch snare I’d use for all the time periods but would use this primarily for the earlier time periods by tuning it up a bit.  Again for electives and double drum set ups 70’s and on, I'd tune it to an F#.   

The other snare I used for the last year (and many other years at various times) is a custom made drum I got from Dan Healy’s friend when Healy was doing sound for us back in 2008.  This gentleman is a master wood worker and one of the only guys who knows how to bend a 1” thick piece of wood into a circle.  It’s a solid shell 1” thick 5 x 14 (maple I think).  I love the sound of it! I think the sound comes off as “thick” as well with very little overtones or ringing so I’d use it primarily for the later 70’s on. It does produces a sensitive snare sound as well.  But I think it not as loud as the Tama Starclassic birch, especially with the prototype Evans Calftone head on it. 

     Other snares I’ve used at various times are an old 60’s Slingerland 5 x 14.  I believe this is a Mahogany shell.  I’d use it primarily for earlier time periods and I’d tune it up high in general.  

     And for a a bit around 2007 and 2008 I used a 6x 14 Noble & Cooley aluminum alloy snare, primarily using that for the earlier time periods by tuning it higher but I’d use it for other time periods as well at times by tuning it down a bit.  Superphonics where made of Aluminum as well with a Chrome plating.   

     On most of my snares now I use the Puresound Custom Pro snare wires.  

     I have two other snare, both Yamaha recording custom snares,  that I’ll eventually bring out for a go on DSO tour.  I’m currently playing them at home to get use to their feel and messing around with various ways to set them up.   One is a very deep 8 x 14 and the other is a 6 x 14 ... both birch. 

     I’m not opposed to adding a Ludwig Superphonic snare to my collection if I run across one I like. I remember going by the GD warehouse back when it was still operational in the 2000’s when they were preparing for some Dead tour and Mickey was using one on his kit so he’s even used one relatively recently. 

Thanks,

Dino

[acududeman]

4 hours ago, Vortex said:

Hey acududeman, 

   

    Thanks for your inquiry. 

I’ve played seven different snare drums within my time of 20 years with the band. 

     Generally speaking I do switch up between time periods but usually keep two snares on the road at a time, at times I’ll have three.   Most of the time, I switch things up around Jubilee time when I can get home and back.   I just brought back an older combo I had on the road around the early 2000’s which is a 6 1/2 x14 Ludwig Hand Hammered Copper Snare which I love.   I believe this is vary similar to Super Ludwig in that copper is used to make Brass.  I have used that for the early years by tuning it tighter, but I’ll use it for electives and later years by usually tuning it down just a little.  It’s still on the tight side tuned to about an F #. 

      I have a 7 x 14 Noble and Cooley solid shell maple snare that I primarily use for later era two drummer shows.  This is actually the same model Billy used in the later 80’s and 90’s.  

     Around 2012 or 2013 my friend Rudson (who since passed and was GD roadie Ram Rod’s son) let me take out a Sonor snare that was purchased at the same time the GD drummers got their Sonor kit and it was a spare, so the same model they were playing at times with the Sonor kit which was late 70’s thru mid 80’s. 

     Last year (just brought them home before the jubilee so I played them all last year and throughout this last tour) I had a Tama 5 x 14 Starclassic birch snare I’d use for all the time periods but would use this primarily for the earlier time periods by tuning it up a bit.  Again for electives and double drum set ups 70’s and on, I'd tune it to an F#.   

The other snare I used for the last year (and many other years at various times) is a custom made drum I got from Dan Healy’s friend when Healy was doing sound for us back in 2008.  This gentleman is a master wood worker and one of the only guys who knows how to bend a 1” thick piece of wood into a circle.  It’s a solid shell 1” thick 5 x 14 (maple I think).  I love the sound of it! I think the sound comes off as “thick” as well with very little overtones or ringing so I’d use it primarily for the later 70’s on. It does produces a sensitive snare sound as well.  But I think it not as loud as the Tama Starclassic birch, especially with the prototype Evans Calftone head on it. 

     Other snares I’ve used at various times are an old 60’s Slingerland 5 x 14.  I believe this is a Mahogany shell.  I’d use it primarily for earlier time periods and I’d tune it up high in general.  

     And for a a bit around 2007 and 2008 I used a 6x 14 Noble & Cooley aluminum alloy snare, primarily using that for the earlier time periods by tuning it higher but I’d use it for other time periods as well at times by tuning it down a bit.  Superphonics where made of Aluminum as well with a Chrome plating.   

     On most of my snares now I use the Puresound Custom Pro snare wires.  

     I have two other snare, both Yamaha recording custom snares,  that I’ll eventually bring out for a go on DSO tour.  I’m currently playing them at home to get use to their feel and messing around with various ways to set them up.   One is a very deep 8 x 14 and the other is a 6 x 14 ... both birch. 

     I’m not opposed to adding a Ludwig Superphonic snare to my collection if I run across one I like. I remember going by the GD warehouse back when it was still operational in the 2000’s when they were preparing for some Dead tour and Mickey was using one on his kit so he’s even used one relatively recently. 

Thanks,

Dino

 

Dino - 

Thank you so much for taking the time to get into such detail.....very informative and interesting info!

I have a DW Craviatto snare that is one solid piece of steam bent maple.....sounds great. The snare drum that came with my mid-70's Ludwig kit (Christmas present around age 11) was a Ludwig Acrolite…..I gigged with that thing for years. It's a poor man's Supraphonic…...that thing served me well for years!

Thanks again to both you and Rob for your responses!

 

Cheers, Reid (aka Acududeman)

[BillK522]

Those reads are totally over

my head, but make me feel

warm and fuzzy.

 

Praise DSO.

[gr8fulpair]

I'm just totally down with the word Supraphonic. Trying to figure out how to use it without talking about drums. Like, "I had this totally Supraphonic dream last night...".

[Greg from Chestertown]

Sounds like a word Wayne and Garth would use to describe Heather Locklear.

[Rude]

On 6/15/2019 at 8:49 PM, gr8fulpair said:

I'm just totally down with the word Supraphonic. Trying to figure out how to use it without talking about drums. Like, "I had this totally Supraphonic dream last night...".

 

I had a Toyota Supra that I installed an aftermarket stereo in making it supraphonic. It was the 1st car I bought myself in college. Well my mom ended up making the payments. 

[Rude]

7 hours ago, Rude said:

 

I had a Toyota Supra that I installed an aftermarket stereo in making it supraphonic. It was the 1st car I bought myself in college. Well my mom ended up making the payments. 

 

So I took off the targa top and played without a net constantly as loud as it would go thinking I was the coolest guy in Lexington. Of course the hot chicks would hear that 89 Althea and come running. Who knew dead didn’t pull all the girls. I’m sure many of you remember when that CD came out as it was the 1st late 80s live dead cd released. Dicks picks 1 was an epiphany with the 73 show on cd later on. Unfortunately I didn’t have friends who had tapes so those cds along with dead set and Europe 72 and live dead were my live dead.