The Horizon line of snare drums was designed to complement the Horizon drum kits. These snares are built of the same shell ply as the kits, and offer many of the same design features. 4.75x14 Dark Cherry Gloss
$824.00
Retail: $1,200.00
The Horizon snares are anything but simple. Aesthetically, their minimalism is understated giving way to their full and complex sonic attributes. At a medium tuning, the drums have fullness and a warm note when struck dead center. Every note has a solid, cutting top with a warm full bottom. The 2.3mm hoops keep the drum lively and open while the low-mass solid lugs add focus and balance to the sound by providing a slight compression on the shell and minimizing some overtones. Each note has a smooth attack drawn from the shell, with a touch of warm color. Tuned up high, a great crisp sound that that highlights the shell wall with a smooth even crack and fantastic rebound. Dropped down low, the drum really sings in a big way. Rounded fullness reminiscent of power ballads is ever present but allowing the sparkle of the cam action snare wires to shine through. The spongy rebound really allows the player to lay into the back beat as well as press rolls without ever having to really work to pull notes out of the drum.
In this video, Sound Pure percussion specialist Barry Knain explains the various features of the Noble & Cooley 4.75x14 Horizon Series Snare Drum, Dark Cherry, and tests it out in several different tuning ranges.
Noble & Cooley is a custom drum shop and make their drums to order, not to fulfill any particular marketing niche or price point. These are pro-level drums and so they use nothing but the finest in materials and workmanship. They are a research driven company. What that means is that each drum they make has been painstakingly designed to provide the best sound possible.
Noble & Cooley has found a simple, transparent solution to the common and bothersome problem of drum detuning. The lugs are fitted with delrin inserts that create a cold form around the inherent thread imperfections of any given tension rod. This effectively locks the tension rod in place virtually eliminating the usual drum detuning that stick impact creates.
Noble & Cooley researched the impact of venting. They found that multiple venting holes, placed correctly, made a difference not only in the sound of the drum, but also in the feel. Symmetrical venting lends the drum a more consistent rebound at various locations on the head. They also placed the vent holes in line with any other holes that need to be drilled in the shell (lug mounting, e.g.). This reduces the inhibiting effect that drilling has on shell vibration. In a nod to aesthetics (and looking good always counts!), we designed our lugs in such a way that allows the vent holes to be completely out of sight.
As a company, Noble & Cooley has a rich heritage that is as singular and remarkable as the drums themselves. Founded in 1854 by Silas Noble and James Cooley, the company has been producing drums for over 140 years. We were one of the primary manufacturers of marching drums for the Union Army during the Civil War. Still owned and operated by direct descendants of James Cooley, the Noble & Cooley Company of today is run from the same rustic location in Granville, Massachusetts.
For many years, Noble & Cooley served primarily the toy drum market. It was in 1980 that company vice-president Jay Jones (Great-great-great grandson of James Cooley) decided to enter the professional drum arena. Working closely with designer Bob Gatzen and pulling out of retirement a steam bending machine old enough to have survived a company fire in 1889, N&C introduced the Solid Shell Maple Classic snare drum in late 1983. The drum was a huge success and revolutionized the drum industry to a degree no one could have expected.
It is precisely this combination of innovation and tradition that fuels Noble & Cooley to this day. Attention to detail and the relentless pursuit of perfection are the motivating ideals of our company philosophy. Our commitment to excellence is the reason why Noble & Cooley are called by many "The World's Best Drums."
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