$424.04
A second voice, not a smaller version
Most people buy a 13-inch snare for one of two reasons: they want a side snare that sounds nothing like their main drum, or they want a main drum that cuts harder than a 14 does.
The FSDC Maple 13 does both jobs, and it's the least expensive way we know of to get a genuinely different sound onto a kit — cheaper than a new cymbal, and it changes more.
What an inch takes away
Dropping from fourteen inches to thirteen does three things at once.
The pitch goes up. The fundamental climbs, and it lands in a frequency range that isn't already crowded by guitars and keys. On a dense stage a 13 is often more audible than a 14, even though it's a smaller drum.
The response gets faster. Less head area means more rebound. Rolls tighten up, ghost notes come easier, and the drum feels quicker under your hands. Players who find 14s a little sluggish tend to like a 13 immediately.
The body gets leaner. Less air inside means less low-mid weight. That's the honest trade, and it's why we build it at five inches rather than shallower — the depth puts back some of what the diameter takes away. If you want a 13 that hits like a 14, that's the MobTown Elite 13 at six inches deep, and it costs more for exactly that reason.
All maple
Six plies of maple, no mahogany core. Bright, present, long sustain, strong projection. On a small drum this is a feature — maple's top end is what makes a 13 slice rather than just squeak.
Hardware
- Eight double-sided die-cast lugs, chrome. The added mass focuses the drum and keeps the small shell true under high tension, which matters more on a 13 than a 14 because a 13 wants to be cranked.
- 2.3mm triple-flanged hoops, batter and snare side, 8-hole. Open, live rimshots — the sound a side snare is usually bought for.
- Chrome-plated throw-off and butt plate.
- 13" 20-strand snare wire. Dry, focused, without excess sizzle cluttering up a drum that's already bright.
Heads
- Batter: Aquarian Studio-X with Power Dot. A 10mil coated single ply with an underside muffle ring and Power Dot. It reins in high-pitch ringing while keeping the punch — exactly the control a bright, high-tuned small drum wants.
- Resonant: Aquarian Classic Clear snare side. Thin 3mil clear, sensitive and responsive.
Who it's for
Players adding a left-side snare. Drummers with tight stage footprints — a 13 buys back real estate a 14 takes up. Anyone with smaller hands or a smaller frame who's been fighting a full-size drum. And anyone who wants a second real snare without spending twice.
Built to order
Standard finish is clear satin lacquer. This is also our most popular drum to order in a loud color — on a side snare, nobody's asking it to blend in.
