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Noble & Cooley 5x14 SS Classic Maple Snare Drum-Maple Gloss  From Noble & Cooley

The Noble & Cooley SS Maple Classic Snare Drum is an industry legend. It is the stage and studio standard, and few professional drummers don't own at least one of these remarkable instruments.

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This specific item was photographed by us here in Durham, North Carolina. We are a very small team dedicated to providing you the most accurate photos possible, through our obsessive focus - individually photographing nearly everything that comes through the door. Questions about what you see? Want more information, photos, or just a friendly conversation with someone that cares and who has actually had their hands on this exact item? Contact us now!
Noble & Cooley Drums

Available for Special Order

See something you like? This item is gone, but not forever. It can be special ordered, and even customized!

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Because of our special relationship with Noble & Cooley we can get this as fast, or faster than anyone in the industry. In some cases, we even have preferred build slots we can offer you.

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What We Think

Supreme sensitivity and vibrant versatility abound in this fantastic Solid Shell Classic Maple Snare Drum from Noble & Cooley. Shallower drums are generally known for their extra sensitive snare response, but not for their body and girth, or lack thereof. This drum offers both in spades as the solid maple shell provides an extra-rich tonal response with plenty of warmth. Buzz rolls are especially articulate, and rimshots crack with loads of projective warmth on this drum, making it well-suited for almost any style of music. 

Noble & Cooley 5x14 SS Classic Maple Snare Drum Maple Gloss Quick 'n' Dirty

In this video, Sound Pure percussion specialist Barry Knain explains the various features of the Noble & Cooley 5x14 SS Classic Maple Snare Drum Maple Gloss and tests it out in several different tuning ranges.

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    • Noble & Cooley 5x14 SS Classic Maple Snare Drum-Maple Gloss

Manufacturer's Description from Noble & Cooley

The SS Maple Classic was Noble & Cooley's initial offering in the professional drum arena, and served to establish our reputation as a manufacturer of "The World's Best Drums."

SOLID SHELL: The heart of this drum is the shell. We take a piece of 1/4" solid rock maple, hand-picked for grain consistency, and run it through a steam bending process that hasn't changed since the Civil War. A single piece of wood will vibrate far more freely than a piece constructed of multiple plys. Accordingly, a single ply shell will vibrate (resonate) more freely than the multi-ply shells that are most commonly used in drum manufacture. This resonance is what gives the SS Classic it's characteristic warmth and legendary bite. These drums are available in Maple, Oak, Cherry, and Tulip either 3 7/8", 5" or 7" deep for a completely customizable sound.

NODAL POINT LUG MOUNTING: Sound, as every grade school student knows, is produced and travels as a wave pattern. Although not nearly as apparent to the naked eye, a drum shell vibrates in much the same manner as a guitar string. By placing the lug post at the nodal point of the shell's natural wavelength, the intrinsic tone-creating vibration is virtually unaffected by the mass of the lug. The shell rings true. Instead of all drumhead sound, the shell itself adds to the ultimate tone of the drum. Nodal Point technology is a Noble & Cooley patent. Our choice of low-mass brass lugs also serves to counter the inhibiting effect mounted hardware has on shell vibration.

SNARE SYSTEM: Of obvious importance to a snare drum is the snare system itself. This includes the snares, the throw-off and the snare beds. Our patented cam-action snare wires are designed to allow very tight tensioning without choking the bottom, resonant head. They also will vibrate beautifully at medium and loose tensions. This creates a very versatile drum that can be tuned up or down as the playing situation or material requires. Our brass throw-off is smooth, simple and elegant. The snare wires are engaged or disengaged quietly and evenly. It is cast of low-mass brass and lacquered to a brilliant finish.

BEARING EDGE: Arguably the single most important aspect of drum crafting, the bearing edge is the point of contact between the shell and the drum head. It is the accuracy of the bearing edge (perfectly flat, no nicks, marks, etc) that will determine the drums tone and tunability. All of our custom drums have hand cut bearing edges that are checked and rechecked on a machinist's grade granite flat (true to 1/10,000 of an inch). This exacting process is an art; a perfect edge takes serious time and experience to create, and makes the difference between a good drum, and a great drum.

Noble & Cooley Drums

About Manufacturer

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."

Specifications

Features

  • 100% North American Maple shell
  • 1/4" Shell Thickness
  • Flanged Hoops
  • Evans heads
  • Made in the USA