There was a time in the not too distant past where smaller snares were really only used as occasional side drums or for effects. However, that all eventually changed and these smaller snares became very common and popular, so much so that 12” drums are often now used as main drums.

This particular snare drum, model SDM1050MA for the more geeky minded, is not a 12” drum but a little 10×5 model made from maple and is in a nice natural finish.

The drum itself has 6 ‘bridge’ type lugs, 2.3mm hoops, Sakae’s own snare mechanism, butt plate and wires and Remo-made heads; a coated Ambassador on top and a clear snare side on the bottom.

To play, the drum is crispy, full bodied and easy to tune. Given its size, it also has a reasonable tuning range as well.

In terms of a complete package, this is a quality drum. It’s well made and the wood used is of a nice grade.

Visually, it may seem a little plain – maybe ‘understated’ is a better word – but I’m not convinced that many manufacturers actually make drums this small which also fall into the eye candy bracket. That said though, Sakae do offer this model in much louder finishes so there probably will be something for everyone.

The hardware is of the same high quality you would normally find on larger Sakae drum. I liked that about it; no cheap and nasty snare mechanisms here.

Sound-wise, whilst this is only a small drum, it’s still quite dynamic. It’s not going to become a main snare drum in any hurry but for an add-on drum it’s very useable. The drum can also easily be mounted in a snare drum stand or you could use some sort of suspension mount and hang it off a hihat or cymbal stand.

The only thing I’d say about this drum – and it’s not a downside as such – is that it falls more into the ‘big boy’ price bracket considering its size. But, having said that, you do get a well-made drum that is ready to go straight out of the box.

It has the features you would get on a regular 14” drum, whereas many manufacturers put lower quality fittings on drums of this type. So, in that regard, you will get what you pay for. Think of this as a shrunken down 14” model in that respect rather than an afterthought cheaper effects drum.

For more info and details of other sized models, head over to HERE

David Bateman