When you deal with as much music gear as we here at we do, then you see the term "workhorse" bandied about far too often. Anyone who uses it frivolously really should check out the Gavin Harrison Protean Signature snare drum. In fact, the very name Protean means versatile, and one look at this instrument is enough to explain why. The hand-selected birch shell features a hybrid bearing-edge configuration, with a round vintage cut against the batter head, and a modern 45-degree edge on the snare side.

Speaking of snares, you get three totally different sets of snare wires with the Gavin Harrison Protean Signature snare drum, and swapping them out takes seconds. Finally, there's a set of three dampening rings you can use to fine-tune your sustain. Top it off with a complete accessory package, and the Gavin Harrison Protean Signature snare drum is one of the most complete instruments you'll ever add to your kit.Just examining the construction of the shell itself, it's clear that there's nothing conventional about the Gavin Harrison Protean Signature snare drum. It's a 6mm birch shell crafted from only six plies in Sonor's German workshop. The shell is thin and light, giving it a natural airiness that balances the short decay and punch of the rounded top bearing edge. While that gives the batter side a vintage crack, a modern 45-degree snare-side bearing edge resonates freely, adding clarity to the voice of the snare wires.You can't have a hybrid rounded/45-degree bearing edge setup and expect to get the best results from any standard set of hoops, so Sonor balanced the edges with an S-Hoop on the top side and a special triple-flanged steel hoop on the snare side. Gavin wanted to up the density of the 6-ply birch shell, so he selected vintage-style Phonic lugs, whose hourglass configuration increases the body of the drum while relieving much of the tension.

FEATURES

• Ultra-versatile snare drum that provides session drummers and live performers with a massive range of tone and expression
• Lightweight 6-ply/6mm birch shell delivers complex high frequencies and a naturally scooped midrange for impressive impact
• Hybrid bearing edges include a rounded batter-side edge for vintage punch and a modern 45-degree snare-side edge for clear snap and sustain
• S-Hoop batter-side hoop provides the perfect space for the 3 stackable/interchangeable dampening rings for maximum dynamic control
• Open triple-flanged bottom hoop provides easy access to the Dual Glide strainer so you can quickly remove the snare wires
• 3 sets of snare wires include Straight 8 stainless steel snares, EQ offset bronze snares, and Spacer asymmetrical varied brass snares
• Vintage-style hourglass-shaped Phonic lugs add mass and body to the shell
• Full Premium Edition package includes a custom Hardcase hardshell case, storage box for snare sets, and 2 custom tuning keys