Why I will never go Custom with SJC Drums again!/My Custom SJC Snare Reviewed
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- Опубліковано 17 жов 2020
- here I give an honest review of my Custom SJC Snare with sound examples and everything. i talk about why i wanted a SJC Snare, why I chose these specs and this design, the pros and the cons and how the whole ordering process went... So you can decide for yourself, if going custom with SJC is worth it based on my experience.
Thanks for watching
Follow up video:
• Never SJC again!!! But...
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www.instant-gaming.com/?igr=T... - Ігри
The most honest review I've ever seen dude... and I like it.
My thoughts:
1- sound: I know you said you're not an expert in mixing, etc (neither do I), and I should be in the room to judge how it really sounds, but... I don't like it at all. Such thickness increases the volume, but fucks the tone (imho). Thinner shells usually give you a better sound, and if you need more volume in a gig and so... well, that's what mics and PA systems are for, isn't it? Anyway, if that's the sound you like, that's the sound you like, nothing wrong about it. And you can always try different heads, tunnings, etc to achieve what you want.
2- customer service: absolutely regrettable. We all understand that in these covid times everybody has problems, but the lack of communication has no excuse, I think.
3- tunning issues: as you said, at this price range (and for far less), that is unnacceptable. I don't know if it's just your snare or a common isue for SJC, but I can tell you that my China and Taiwan line production Mapex Black Panthers and Pearl Masters Custom (from 90's and early 2000's) never had such a problem and they stay in tune really well. Anyway, I don't know if you tried, but there's maybe a way to fix it. Some brands (Tama, Gibraltar...) sell small pieces that you can install on the rods and are supposed to keep the tension. I don't know if they really do their job since I never needed such a thing, but it's not so expensive and I think in your situation it is worth to give it a try. I've also seen some people using small pieces of gaf on the lugs, blocking them. And finally, you can replace the small pieces (sorry, I don't know its English name) inside the lugs (not the lugs themselves), where the rods are inserted. These pieces are usually generic (again, Gibraltar could do the job), unexpensive, and won't suppose an aesthetic issue.
If replacing them and maybe the rods as well, the problem isn't solved, there are only 2 more possibilities: hoops and/or bearing edges wrapped. In this case the best thing you could do (imo) is to ask for a refund if you're still in time, or sell the drum... otherwise it will be a nightmare every time. The art work is cool, but I don't think it worths it.
It sucks when these things happens, but for much less money you could have a much better snare. I hope you can solve it...!!!
Hey Dude, Thank you so much for watching and the feedback, i really appreciate it. Im actually after that high pitched sound in my snare (I know its not everyones cup of tea, totally get that)but yeah it sucks that it cant keep up to the expectations. As you said, I never had this issue with ANY drum ever. I bought some Tunerfishes (Lug Locks), they work perfectly but are ugly as hell and completely ruin the visuals. But hey at least I can use it now. But yes,the overall experiencecombined with the most horrible customer communication and service will prevent me from buying anything from sjc again. Shouldve gone for a better option but got deluded by all the ,,pros,, using the brand... at least noone gets tricked into going with SJC because of me, thats the least I could do
@@timjourdanmedia there is a few more extra tips you could try, if you're not completely satisfied with those lug locks:
1- Pearl sells some nuts you can install in your rods (on the thread, not the head), to lock them in place (use with plastic washers and check rods diameter first). Since they're not on the head, they are less visible, so the visuals ain't so bad. You can check them out on their Ian Paice's signature snare drum, but they sell them alone.
2- of course, use plastic washers on your rods, instead of metal ones, as I'm sure you already do, but you can add some soft rubber washers beneath them (you can even made them yourself if you don't find them). Rubber has more grip than hard plastic, so more friction = less rod loosening.
3- use some kind of grease to lub the rods/lugs, instead of oil, like lithium or graphite grease. They're better for lubbing and it last longer but since it's more dense, again = less loosening (you don't need a lot, just a "rice grain" per lug.
4- replace the flanged hoop for a die-cast. Die-cast are stiffer and distribute pressure more evenly all along the hoop instead of "bending" on the spot you hit when you do your rim shots (that is where the rods usually loose, because of this). However, this change has an influence on the sound that you may like or not (I usually prefer die-cast hoops for a snare, but it depends on the precise snare and the kind of sound I'm looking for). In addition, good quality die-cast hoops are expensive and you'd have to search for one with the same colour if you want to keep the looks.
It's to be thankful that you did this review to warn people. I wasn't considering to get one of those, since I always tend to flee from boutique or signature instruments. There's a lot of high quality line production instruments out there that suit my needs and are not as overpriced, but I understand the pleasure of having something special, and it's cool you made this. You know, some people are disapointed after buying an expensve item, but never admit it and just say it's everything ok only to justify the expense they made. But if the product doesn't fully meet your expectations it's much fairer that you say like it is, isn't it?
@@isihernandez9752 thanks man, ill check them out for sure. Exactly, if you made a bad purchase so be it. Its only fair to the other people to admit it and also imo to the manufacturer so they can improve (even though with SJC I have very little hope sadly)... But yes, looking back, I shouldve gone for a non signature product from another brand, as I.mentioned in the video and as you told me as well above. The only reason I got it was the custom design plus my unknowing of the severity of the problems the drum has/would have... but yeah I guess everyone is smarter after the whole disaster
@@timjourdanmedia "experience is the mother of science", they said, and mistakes are the main part of learning proces. But don't torture yourself, usually signature models are good quality, just too overpiced (and with features that maybe a specific artist could need, but not necessarily yourself). No one could know that snare had such troubles though, and certainly Jay Weinberg or SJC won't mention it in their promos. Now, thanks to you, many drummers who could be considering this purchase are warned. 👍🏼🤟🏼
My first set was a real cheap one. I couldn't keep the entire set in tune. I found small internal lock washers (the star type) did the trick. They held the tension rods in place and kept the tension. They're quite inexpensive, too. Your local hardware store has them, I'm sure. Put them between the tension rod heads and the flat washer.
Another truck I learned was put some teflon tape on the tension rod threads. (Also available at your local hardware store).
Hi Tim! First off thanks for your support and patience during this build. We loved your design! The COVID situation made our 2020 a bit more hectic than we anticipated and we apologize our communication was delayed. We appreciate you making this video! Glad the snare drum arrived safely. As far as the de-tuning on the tension rods, this is natural in a brand new snare drum especially because we put a dab of oil on the rods to help with the brand new threadings. As you mentioned, with a thicker snare like a 48ply there’s a lot more mass and vibrations, we really recommend lug locks. This is what our guys like Jay Weinberg use to keep the tension rods in place and have no issues playing a 2 hour set. We hope this solution works for you so you can enjoy this beautiful snare!
i will do a follow up video after i put lug locks on it then. thanks for reaching out🤘
@@timjourdanmedia Sounds good! They will help for sure
@@timjourdanmedia Any sign of the video?
@@EvanPrendergast tbh, didnt think people would be interested in it... but hey, i will shoot it tomorrow, so it should be up in a few days☺️thanks for the push
@@timjourdanmedia Awesome man! Can't wait to see it!
Great Review, totally get your points!
I love this lmao it's hilarious and honest at the same time, professional as hell, 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
Pleasure seeing you here raymond😂
thanks man🤗♥️
@@morguemolestation-topic6098 how strange 🤔🤣🤘🏼🤘🏼
Hello there
@@Philipp_Thielen_510 General Kenobi!
Dude. Love the review and LOVE the paw print
thanks alot 🙏🙏
You did a great job with that review my guy, wasn't awkward or anything xD
phuuu i was already worried
@@timjourdanmedia can't be more awkward than my Casserole Reviews ;)
I’ve always wanted an SJC kit but then I found Varus drums and got me a custom 6-ply Maple 12x7 and it took way less time to get here. That’s a beast and an amazing company. I highly recommend
i knew about them, but inwas blinded by sjc marketing and the slipknot fanboyism... plus i knew, that i could have everything done onto my snare for sure, so i didnt really take a closer look at varus.... well now i know. Their stuff is amazing
I’ve got the chance to try both a custom drum and a series made kit. IMHO they are great, I felt really good about the sound and the overall quality. The price is a bit higher but still a good quality drums :)
Woooow pls more!
I had a bad experience to but love the drums . Took forever cause the COVID and they moved there warehouse . But one of the drums was scratched and they put the wrong tension rods in my kick drum and they put a old mounting brkt on one of the toms . Which was a way different looking bracket. Wanted to cry after my unboxing .
Sounded great when tuned up. Check out Lockerz tension rod locks.
Well done ,,, Jay Weinbergs sound is explosive in that video , it's my dream to get that sound.... I wish I could afford.......
thanks man
@@timjourdanmedia i only love super high tuned snare , Same as Chris Adler warbird , Tama supraphonic etc
Hey man! So I’ve had the SAME problem with my multi ply snare and it’s 100% normal. All that mass, and you hit parity hard, try 3 things....no 1 lug locks, no 2 Ahead tight screw, and no 3 try a little dab of “lock tight” it’s the blue locking liquid guys use on car part and motorcycles. One of or a combo of these 3 things should sort you out! Keep up the great videos dude!
hey man, thx so much for watching and the feedback. I got the lug locks and they saved that snare. But they kinda ruined the looks.
But the terrible customer service and experience with sjc is more than reason enough for me to leave this video up. Also, I talked to alot of people that own a sjc snare, not only custom pieces, but also ,,line,, snares.... and they all said they all have the same problem with their snare and a lot of told sjc as well... So SJC is/was aware of the problem and does nothing to fix it, nor did and do they warn their customers that spend a fortune on their stuf.... Kinda sad tbh
But hey at least I can use my snare now
Look up black tuna fish lug locks, gauger percussions or simply get some nuts to put on the tension rods and tighten up to the lugs. If you really are interested in investing check out pearls locking tension rods.
should get some tuner fish drum lug locks off amazon. you put them on your tension rods and stops them loosening. they work great for me
I did, thanks for the suggestion, they work perfectly. But they kinda ruin the visuals. But at least I can now use the thing. I should make a short follow up video on these
The thing with SJC, is that the only thing special about them is their finishing department. I'm not going to dish hate out on them, because I met Mike and Zach once, and they were nice guys and incredibly fun to talk to, so I don't feel like they deserve hate, but their drums don't exactly give me the "wow" factor. Their drums do sound good, but so does every other drum kit made with Keller/Nordic shells. I mean, you could get a snare/kit from INDe, or WFLIII, and get the same incredible sound as SJC or Truth, for considerably less money, since they all source their shells from the same place. Except you'll probably get more resonance from INDe or WFLIII, since they utilize thinner shells and lower-profile hardware. What I will give SJC though, is that they're geniuses when it comes to creating off-the-wall finishes and designs, and that the family vibe they have going on with their customers and artists alike, is admirable. Not to mention they're obviously great at marketing. I just wish they'd venture more into the R&D world and create something revolutionary, rather than hop onto trendy stuff as much as they do. But nonetheless, the snare in the video looks awesome
You fucking KILLED those blasts also your entire kit (+SJC snare) sound fucking sick.
thanks alot dude. means the world to me🤘♥️
I have this issue with every single snare I have, various manufacturers. I always use lug locks. Simple fix. 🤷♂️
I know the pain , I just got my 1700 dollar Jay Weinberg custom snare and when I opened box , the bottom head was ripped apart obviously someone dropped it , got a new bottom head from Sweetwater right away , they were great about the problem, but now watching your video I feel worse :) I’m not going to use it a lot , mostly a collector item but I can feel your pain , luckily I could afford a another snare that was cheaper but if u were going to use it as your main snare I can see how disappointed u could be, great drumming by the way
aww dude that fucking sux to hear. yeah it is my main snare, due to budget and also because of the custom finish and everything. I fixed it with special lug locks but i got nonhelp or care from sjc.. combine that with the whole shit experience beforehand from the video above and I can never recommend sjc again... Wish you the best, and thanks for the compliment and watching🤘🙌
man, same exact story for me with soundattak and sjc, finally after 10 months and surprise 400€ of import taxes In IT caused by brexit my kit arrived
ah man, sux to hear
Bro I think this snare drum without vents is not quite good coz all the vibrations and attack spat out from the vents minimizing the vibrations and tuning range and stability stays great.........
i thought about that, but after chatting to people with similar snares, the vents dont seem to have an impact on that, they help with releasing the pressure inside the drum, meaning your bottom shead wont crack this fast. But the tuning stability is not affected. I got some tunerfishes and they fixed the problem, but the overall shit experience, correspondence and customer service is more than reason enough to keep this video up.
@@timjourdanmedia Awesome buddy........ you shown sjc's true colors........keep rocking keep blasting......even I was about to buy after listening the set the tone video that Boombastic sound but.....I bought mapex blackbird birch walnut 14×7...
@@sylvester3068 awesome man, that snare is siiiiiiiick
I solved this problem by putting a cast hoop on the batter side...
did it as well... worked fine but the custom aspect is gone since the original one had a custom paintjob
For some reason I see this as a repeating trend for custom drum manufacture's (OCDP, Truth, SJC).
And I'm not saying that smaller boutique drum manufacturers are bad. There tons of killer drum brands
out there with some of the best sounding drums.
But with SJC I feel like they try to market their products and get a bunch of artists to sign
and endorse their kits over making the best drums possible.
Which isn't a bad thing, but there are far better products better than SJC. And it's the reason why professional
drum brands like Tama, DW, and Pearl gain more artists to play and keep those artists.
On a personal note however, I think SJC has done a good job at making their drums.
And while there are things that are problematic, I think SJC has proven itself to be a drum company that's here to stay
and compete in the current market
thanks for watching. totally with you on that. But still i think if you want this much for a single drum, you should deliver... i mean the thing didnt even have die cast hoops as standard. I wont go to SJC ever again. The main goal wasnt to bash the company, but to prevent others from doing the same mistake when there are local and much better options around rather than the big dog who has a few fancy artists signed uo
I don't care how nice their drums are I would never wait 10 months for a drum
you got it! I would have cancelled if I knew that upfront but ey... Next time I go local, especially after they ,,offered,, help but never followed through, or even cared about it.
Get some locking tensioners. Or just use Black beauty and be done with it.
If he likes the snare so much he should get the new jay Weinberg snare
no, because it has the same sheelspecs and therefore the same tuning problems. plus if Im spending 2k on an instrument, I want something personal, not some boring replica
i see that S on the bass head ;)
yep😂but i changed it 2 weeks after shooting the video to.my own logo😏
How much was this thing? It couldn't have been cheap
with shipping etc 1870 ChF so roughly 1900 $
@@timjourdanmedia THAT'S MORE THAN THE JAY SIGNATURE! why? How?
@@mnto5879 because ist a custom design, so they had to spend 10mins more at the shop to set up the printer
@@timjourdanmedia 😂 I shouldn't have laughed but yeah sounds about right, I'm wanting one might to have to keep saving 🤘🤘
@@mnto5879 dont do it. go with another brand that actually builds its own shells and has decent customer service. If you put a laittle time into it you will find a shitton of custom drum builders in your area
Yes I got a josh fun snare and I’m looking at a custom snare, I love SJC and I know what you mean I’ve had it for a year and a half and it still comes out of tune very easy this review is very truthful but I would say get lug locks
i got lug locks but thats not my issue, the issue is the shitty customer support and service, together with the fact that they are aware of their problem and dont give you a solution in the package or even some sort of a warning
Just get an LM402 or 400 and call it a day. You shouldn't be stressing over a snare like this. Why do people mess around with another other type of snare? The snare was perfected in the 1960's with LM400 series and there's no reason to ever get anything else.
This is a defective snare, a defect in manufacturing.. U have to notify sjc bc they need to fix this. Im sure they would want to know what's goin on. If JW had this problem w his snare it would be unacceptable.
exactly. I contacted them, they didnt care about it at all! I feel pretty much robbed at this point. I made a follow up video where I talk about that and how I eventually fixed it myself if youre interested #shamelessplug
The Joey snare is about 300€, and it’s the best fucking snare in the World, what a shame :/
SJC is a gimmick brand. Stick to the masters like Pearl, Tama, Mapex, Ludwig, Gretsch, DW. They actually make their own drums. Not purchase shells and hardware assemble it with some paint and charge insane amounts.
Is that what SJC does?
@@enjoyevan Buys shells and hardware from other companies and assembled them with their overpriced paint jobs. Yes that’s what they do.
Crank it super high dude ... So high that tension rods cannot go higher anymore........
I got some tunerfish lug locks and tuned it to about 96 (fucking high) on the drumdial scale. They fixed the problem, but make the snare look like shit. But the terrible customer support still is more than reason enough to not buy anything from sjc again
@@timjourdanmedia yeah dude sjc is only original for Jay Weinberg and Josh dun noone else.....u better buyed mapex bp warbird Chris Adler snare.......
Or the Joey jordison snare
@@sylvester3068 yep looking back, I shouödve went with these instead... but hey,at least noone will make that mistake aswell because of me
@@timjourdanmedia really appreciate man......love from India
11:15 Clearly has never played a Gibson Les Paul, $3000 guitars that go out of tune halfway through a song
no never have, but i know what youre talking about😂
6 or 8 lugs on a snare? You asked for this to be out of tune easily. That was your choice.
😂😂yeah of course i did. 8
i guess i also asked for the piece of shit customer service and fuck up in the production
Bro got covid $$ and bought a snare ....
not really but valid 😂😅
Good video. Hey im nit affiliated but have you tried WILLIAMS TARGET SERIES DRUM HEADS? Give them a try.