A great sounding and incredibly versatile snare drum, that adds well defined color.
A number of years ago, Noble & Cooley and the Zildjian Cymbal Co. joined forces to produce a legend, the Zildjian Alloy Snare. This drum was built of Zildjian's secret cymbal alloy, and has become one of the most collectible drums on the vintage market. The demand for that drum, and the experience we gained in its development and manufacture, prompted us to develop the most recent addition to the Noble & Cooley line of high-end snare drums, the "Alloy Classic".
This 13"x6" snare drum is well on its way to becoming one of Noble & Cooley's most popular products ever, and with very good reason. It is a great sounding drum, and incredibly versatile. It is appropriate for virtually any musical style, and can be tuned for countless voices and effects.
Unlike most metal drums, the Alloy Classic is built of cast aluminum, not rolled sheet metal, or sliced from tubing. This process renders a more porous shell, and the resulting sound is denser. It has much more character than most metal snares. By tuning the heads high, you can still realize the "crack" or "pop" of a metal drum, but at looser tunings the sound of the drum can approximate the warmness of a wood shell.
The Alloy Classic shell is machined after casting. Lathing and CNC machining produce a drum of incredible consistency. The bearing edge and shell dimensions are kept to a very tight tolerance. When you hear an Alloy played somewhere, and then go to your local dealer to buy one, you will own the drum you heard. Your expectations will be fulfilled (if not exceeded).
The Alloy Classic uses the famous N&C brass throw-off and patented cam action snares. The lugs are low-mass brass tube style lugs, and the rims are die-cast. The hardware is all black powdercoat.
This is a remarkable drum. It is currently owned and used regularly by some of the biggest names in drumming. If you intend to own just one Noble & Cooley snare, this is the one to look for.
