Best Maple Snare Drums of 2025

Hayden Bryant Avatar
Hayden Bryant
Last Updated: 5 Feb 2025

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Maple snare drums are a popular choice among drummers due to their warm and balanced sound. These drums are made from high-quality maple wood, which offers excellent resonance and projection. The smooth and consistent grain of maple wood ensures that each drum produces a consistent tone. Maple snare drums are versatile and suitable for various music genres, making them a reliable choice for drummers of all levels. With their superior sound quality and durability, maple snare drums are a wise investment for any drummer looking to improve their performance.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

PDP By DW 7x13 Black Wax Maple Snare Drum Cover #TOP 1
PDP By DW 7x13 Black Wax Maple Snare Drum
ftb score rating icon 9.8
PDP By DW 6.5x14 Black Wax Maple Snare Drum Cover #TOP 2
PDP By DW 6.5x14 Black Wax Maple Snare Drum
ftb score rating icon 9.7
Pearl Modern Utility Maple Snare Drum Cover #TOP 3
Pearl Modern Utility Maple Snare Drum
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Maple Snare Drums

PDP By DW 7x13 Black Wax Maple Snare Drum

Pacific
PDSN0713BWCR
Black
7x13
PDP By DW 7x13 Black Wax Maple Snare Drum Cover
PDP By DW Black Wax Maple Snare Drum 7x13

The PDP By DW Snare Drum features a Concept Series 10 ply maple shell, providing a warm and resonant tone that enhances your performance. Its 7x13 size and split dual-turret lugs offer excellent tuning stability, allowing you to achieve precise sound adjustments easily. The DW Mag throw-off ensures a smooth transition between playing and muting, giving you greater control during your sessions. With true-pitch tension rods featuring brass inserts, you can expect improved tuning accuracy and durability, ensuring your drum sounds great every time you play.

What We Like
Great sound quality
Easy to tune
Smooth throw-off mechanism
Durable construction

PDP By DW 6.5x14 Black Wax Maple Snare Drum

PDP
PDSN6514BWCR
Black
6.5x14
PDP By DW 6.5x14 Black Wax Maple Snare Drum Cover
PDP By DW Black Wax Maple Snare Drum 6.5x14

The PDP Black Wax Snare Drum features a Concept Series 10-ply maple shell, providing a warm and resonant tone that enhances your drumming experience. Its 6.5x14 size with 10 two-sided dual-turret lugs ensures consistent tuning and stability, giving you peace of mind during performances. The DW Mag Throw-Off allows for quick and reliable snare engagement and disengagement, making it convenient to switch techniques effortlessly. Additionally, the True-Pitch tension rods with brass inserts enable precise tuning adjustments, ensuring your drum sounds just the way you want it.

What We Like
Warm, resonant tone
Stable tuning
Quick snare engagement
Precise tuning adjustments
#TOP 3

Pearl Modern Utility Maple Snare Drum

MUS1480M227
Satin Black
14"x8"
Pearl Modern Utility Maple Snare Drum Cover
Pearl MUS1480M227 Modern Utility 14"x8" Maple Snare Drum, Satin Black

The Pearl Maple Snare Drum features a 6-ply, 5mm all Maple SST shell, which ensures a warm and resonant sound, perfect for various musical styles. Its CL Bridge Lug provides enhanced tuning stability, allowing you to maintain your desired sound effortlessly. With a thin matte lacquer finish, the drum not only looks sleek but also protects the wood while enhancing its tonal qualities. Additionally, the smooth SR700 strainer makes it easy to adjust the snare wires, giving you precise control over your sound during performances.

What We Like
High-quality Maple shell
Stable tuning system
Sleek protective finish
Easy snare adjustment
#TOP 4

Pearl 14"x8" Professional Maple Snare Drum

PMX1480S/C126
Emerald Mist
14"x 8"
Pearl 14"x8" Professional Maple Snare Drum Cover
Pearl Snare Drum Professional Maple 14"x8" (PMX1480S/C126)

The Pearl Professional Maple Snare features all Maple 6-ply shells, known for delivering an exceptional drum tone. This design enhances resonance and projection, allowing you to achieve a rich sound. The 45-degree bearing edge ensures that energy from your strikes is transferred quickly, resulting in increased sustain. With premium transparent lacquer finishes, the snare not only sounds great but looks stunning too, showcasing the natural beauty of the wood. Additionally, the 2.3mm Triple-Flanged SuperHoop II hoops maintain even tension across all tuning points, giving you reliability during performances.

What We Like
Exceptional drum tone
Enhanced resonance and sustain
Stunning natural wood finish
Reliable tension during performances
#TOP 5

Pacific Drums PDP Limited Dry Maple Snare Drum

PDP
PDSN0812DMDW
dark walnut
12 Inches
Pacific Drums PDP Limited Dry Maple Snare Drum Cover
Pacific Drums PDP Limited Dry Maple Snare Dark Walnut 8"x12"

The PDP Limited Dry Maple Snare is an 8"x12" drum crafted from high-quality maple and finished in a dark walnut satin. This snare drum is designed to produce a crisp sound, ideal for both live performances and studio recordings. Its unique construction ensures durability, allowing you to play with confidence. With its sleek appearance, the PDP Limited Dry Maple Snare not only sounds great but also looks fantastic on stage, adding a touch of elegance to your setup.

What We Like
High-quality maple construction
Crisp sound for performances
Durable and reliable
Sleek dark walnut finish
#TOP 6

Mapex MPX Maple/Poplar Side Snare Drum

Mapex
MPNMP0550CNL
Natural
Mapex MPX Maple/Poplar Side Snare Drum Cover
Mapex MPX Maple/Poplar Side Snare Drum - 5.5 x 10-inch - Natural with Chrome Hardware

The Mapex MPX Side Snare Drum features a compact 5.5" x 10" size, making it perfect for adding a unique sound to your drumming. The combination of maple and poplar woods offers a warm, resonant tone, enhancing your overall performance. With the Army Throw off mechanism, you can easily switch between snare and non-snare sounds, providing versatility in your playing style. The drum is equipped with Remo UX Heads, ensuring durability and rich sound quality, so you can enjoy a reliable instrument for your music sessions.

What We Like
Compact size for versatility
Warm, resonant tone
Easy sound switching
Durable Remo UX Heads
#TOP 7

Tama S.L.P. G-Maple 13"x7" Snare Drum

LGM137-STA
Tama S.L.P. G-Maple 13"x7" Snare Drum Cover
Tama S.L.P. G-Maple Snare 13"x7", Satin Tamo Ash #STA - Snare Drum

The Tama G-Maple Snare Drum is designed for those who appreciate high-quality craftsmanship and materials. This snare drum features a balanced combination of careful workmanship and selected materials, ensuring a superb sound that enhances your performance. As an acoustic drum, it allows you to express your creativity in a natural way, making it perfect for both practice and live settings. Your satisfaction is paramount, so you can rely on this drum to meet your musical needs.

What We Like
High-quality craftsmanship
Excellent sound quality
Perfect for performances
Designed for user satisfaction
#TOP 8

Gretsch Catalina Maple Black Stardust Snare

CM1-6514S-BS
Black
6.5x14"
Gretsch Catalina Maple Black Stardust Snare Cover
Gretsch Drums Catalina Maple Black Stardust Snare 6.5x14" CM1-6514S-BS

The Gretsch Catalina Snare is a high-quality drum that features a 6.5x14 inch size, making it versatile for various musical styles. Its maple construction contributes to a warm, rich tone, ideal for both live performances and studio recordings. The Black Stardust finish not only looks stunning but also complements your overall drum kit aesthetic. This snare drum is perfect for enhancing your rhythm section, providing the crisp and clear sound that you desire.

What We Like
High-quality maple construction
Versatile for various styles
Stunning Black Stardust finish
Crisp and clear sound
#TOP 9

Mapex MPX Maple/Poplar Snare Drum, 5.5 x 14-inch

Mapex
MPNMP4550CNL
Natural
Mapex MPX Maple/Poplar Snare Drum, 5.5 x 14-inch Cover
Mapex MPX Maple/Poplar Snare Drum - 5.5 x 14-inch - Natural with Chrome Hardware

The Mapex MPX Snare Drum is a 5.5" x 14" model crafted from a combination of maple and poplar, delivering a rich and versatile sound. Featuring Remo UX heads, this drum provides excellent tonal quality, making it suitable for various music styles. The Army throw-off mechanism allows you to quickly engage or disengage the snare wires, offering flexibility during performances. The natural finish with chrome hardware not only enhances its aesthetic appeal but also ensures durability, giving you a reliable drum for all your playing needs.

What We Like
Rich and versatile sound
Quick throw-off mechanism
Durable chrome hardware
Attractive natural finish
#TOP 10

Pearl Dennis Chambers 14"x6.5" Maple Snare Drum

DC1465S/C119
Matte Black
Pearl Dennis Chambers 14"x6.5" Maple Snare Drum Cover
Pearl Snare Drum Dennis Chambers Maple 14"x6.5" (DC1465S/C119)

The Pearl Dennis Chambers Snare offers a unique 10-Over-8 Lug design that enhances sensitivity and expands your tuning range, making it ideal for various musical styles. Crafted from a 4-ply Maple shell with a 4-ply Re-Ring, it delivers a rich and articulate sound that suits any performance. The sleek matte black lacquer finish not only looks great but also provides versatility in appearance. Moreover, the SR300 Philharmonic Strainer allows you to control three individually tunable 6-strand snappy wire snares, giving you the flexibility to customise your sound.

What We Like
Enhanced sensitivity and tuning range
Rich, articulate sound quality
Stylish matte black finish
Customisable snare control
Buying Guide Image
Editor's Notes

During our maple snare drum research, we found 37 maple snare drum products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 4,445 customer reviews through our big data system to write the maple snare drums list. We found that most customers choose maple snare drums with an average price of £358.23.

The maple snare drums are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of maple snare drums, including Pacific, PDP, Pearl, Mapex, TAMA.

Written by
Hayden Bryant Avatar

Hayden was born in Liverpool, and he never left his hometown until university. In his freshman year at the University of Manchester, Hayden was the group leader of a popular music group. Hayden is responsible for the popularity of his music, and this is because of his natural ability to play with keys and strings. He graduated with BFA in 2016 and returned in 2018 as a lecturing staff in the School of Music.