I replaced the snare that came with my Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Kit with a 70's Supra but was still looking for a nice sounding wood snare. This is THE one which I found dirt cheap on eBay and in like new flawless condition. I replaced the the Remo Ambassador top head with an Aquarian Focus-X and it sounds like a million!!! Mine is the white satin haze which blends perfectly with the white pearl on my Catalina kit.

This snare came with my tama superstar fusion set, but I got the orange satin flame finish. The stock heads aren't the best, but better then I expected. I threw a remo coated emporer x batter on there with a hazy side resonant head and it has great depth. The sound is great. Out of my 3 snares it's my favorite.

Bought this from a distribution warehouse cheap because the finish is no longer available, and that being said it has a stunning finish and I can`t fathom why its going out, the blue looks like something born out of a hippies nightmare.

When it comes to features tama has done the trick when you talk about the Superstar range, diecast hoops on EVERYTHING the birch basswood combination and with all those features the price is great for all those pro features.

The snare has a very fat sound and its like there is lots of barely restraint power that explodes from underneath the drumhead when struck, I favour the birch sounds when it comes to drums, I like the attack and clear sounds. I changed the heads from my much disdained pearl export stock snare (Emperor X and Ambassador reso), tightened down and the sound is just massive, its so thick and fat and reminded me of the sound that comes from drums that are way more expensive than this snare.

I have to change the hoop because the batter hoop was bent when I got it but it still sound good.

P.S. I put the stock heads on the export snare, tightened down and got this nice piccolo sound from it so it seems like the Emperor X need a snare with a bit more power.