A snare drum is the most important component in the drum set, and the snare-wire is a crucial component of your drum̥s sound. This fact has not been widely recognized until very recently; only a few drummers understand this important connection.
1n 1960, Ludwig and Slingerland manufactured what has now become the standard for good vintage wires. Several manufacturers have tried to re-produce the sound. After years of research, we have replicated the Slingerland wire taking several factors into account such as material, spiral diameter and pitch. Canopus finally decided on a core thickness of 0.5 mm, a spiral diameter of 1.35mm and a pitch of 3.4 mm.
In that process, Canopus also found that the end plate is another determinant of a snare-wire’s sensitivity, and they have tried various sizes for these as well. Canopus concluded that 0.5mm is optimal to hold the wires. They also decided to exclude the guiding grooves for snare strings and tapes that most manufacturers use. These guiding grooves impaired the sensitivity of the snare drum. Their end plate is quite thin however; it may have caused breakage of strings and tapes. Canopus resolved the problem by having the lapel at the holes on the end plate.
After years of careful analysis of the material composition, thickness of the end plate, shaping experiments and production consideration, they have the CANOPUS Vintage Snare Wire.