Samurai Spirit: Yamaha's Musashi Snare

Specialty and custom snare drums are huge these days - especially considering that most of them are smaller-than-average drums. Consider the Musashi snare from Yamaha. Named after a legendary 17th century Japanese samurai warrior regarded by many as the greatest swordsman in history, it's a beautifully-crafted little drum that speaks loud. I had the opportunity to try out the 6-1/2" x 13" version of the Musashi (it also comes in a 6" x 12" size). This instrument, with its dark-stained 7-ply oak shell, had lots of personality both visually and sonically. Oak produces plenty of volume, and this snare was no exception. The tone was bright and aggressive as you might expect, though with a nice warmth and woody quality, no doubt in part to its 6-1/2" depth. The drum had a full-sounding sweet spot, and was capable of producing resonant, lightning-like rim shots. The Musashi would be a natural for reggae and Latin styles (the 12" version also thoughtfully includes a "side-stick wedge" for playing side-stick patterns). With its smaller footprint it would also make a killer jazz snare, though it also proved capable of the volume demanded by rockers. The Musashi cuts like the sword of the warrior whose name it bears.