We started the 2nd season of our Vintage tests, in which we deal with older or slightly newer (yet unavailable in current catalogs) drum kits and snare drums. All the instruments have been provided by Mateusz Wysocki and his MW-Vintage company, which (as the name suggests) specializes in vintage drums. To be more exact, it was drummer Max Psuja, who tested all the gear. Max as an utter vintage drum maniac, a former employee of a drum shop, and a great drummer, who has collaborated with a host of popular acts in Poland, such as Kumka Olik, Holak, Lilly Hates Roses or Yoachim, was perfect for the role of ’lab tester’. Needless to say, he was more than eager to do the job also the second time around.
We have been publishing the results of our tests successively in the last few months, and there’s lots more to come. Today, it is time for a…
14″x 8″ Keller Maple Custom Exotic snare drum
1. Product
During nearly 70 years in the industry, Keller have build and maintain a solid reputation as the worldwide leader in quality drum shells. Keller shells, which are constructed by skilled craftsmen and engineers, are made using premium hardwoods that have undergone rigorous selection and screening processes. Shells are created using state-of-the-art stagger seam lamination process. Keller products are sanded and inspected by hand.
While Keller offer standard sizes for all of their product lines, they will work with you to build shells to your exact specifications.
2. Basic specifications:
- Size: 14″ x 8″
- Shell: maple- Keller
- Plies: 4ply + 4 ply rings
- Rims: Die Cast
- Lugs: Double – “tube”
- Strainer: Pearl SR-017
- Snares: German Brass 25 strand
- Color: Maple Burl – Exotic veneer + Lacquer
3. Test and sound
When testing the Keller Maple Custom Exotic snare drum , we also used a 22″, 8″, 10″, 12″, 14″, 16″ Taye Studio Maple Exotic drum kit and Impression cymbals.
Max first presented the sound of the snare produced by single strokes at different levels of dynamics, he then proceeded to playing rudiment-based patterns to finish off with a rhythm figure using all the kit elements as well as performing a groove.
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Keller Maple Custom Exotic 14" x 8"
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Keller Maple Custom Exotic 14" x 8"
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Keller Maple Custom Exotic 14" x 8"
The snare drum built on the Keller shell by MW-Vintage is not small, it is 8″ deep. This snare drum finish is very eye-catching. It is a very versatile instrument, sounds great in low and high tuning. It has a pleasant, slightly “tangy” hum The characteristics of the sound resemble a snare made of metal rather than wood. The springs sound great and there are a lot of them, they definitely stand out. This drum is amazingly easy to tune. The Rimshot is very cultural and does not kill with volume. This instrument has very wide dynamic range, does not choke on very strong, atomic strokes from behind the ear.
Drummers and Drummerettes! It’s time to put the Keller Maple Custom Exotic snare drum to the most important test of all, i. e. the en.beatit.tv viewers’ test! Exclusively for you, we give you Max Psuja!
