The Noble & Cooley SS 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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Utilizing a steam bending process that is ages old, Noble & Cooley implement modern building techniques to achieve one of the few steam-bent shell snare drums in its price point that exceeds its value.
This particular ash shell drum features a new finish for Noble & Cooley - Shou sugi ban. Shou sugi ban originated in Japan in the 18th century as a way to make wood weatherproof. The technique involves charring a wood surface to render it a deep charcoal-black. The blackening of the wood that reveals clean, distinct lines and an inherent textural beauty that is finished with a hand-rubbed oil. A fitting complement to the bold ash grain patterns.
The Classic SS line of snare drums utilizes solid brass components forged in a sleek and elegant design that enhances the sound and aesthetic. The lugs, like the CD Maple, stay in tune with precision and ease. The lugs are solid and attached with a single screw at the nodal point, which provides minimal contact on the shell and allows the shell to resonant at its maximum efficiency. Their drawbridge style throw-off is simple, elegant, and quiet.
Through our extensive testing, this drum performed well in multiple tuning ranges. In the medium and high tuning ranges, this drum offers clarity and sensitivity from the center of the drum to the edges with ease. Whether used in a live situation, or in a studio environment, the Noble & Cooley Classic SS performs well and with ease. For players in search of an incredible instrument, look no further than the Noble & Cooley Classic SS snare drum.
In this video, Sound Pure drums specialist Barry Knain reviews and demos the Noble & Cooley 7x14 Classic SS Ash Snare Drum Shou Sugi Ban.
The SS 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 ash, 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 plies. 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 that the mounting 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 drum's 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.
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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