Really sounds like your just a gorilla on the snare drum! What make and model of snare head are you using? A good recommendation for you would be a 2-ply head with a reinforcing patch in the center. As for your original question, no, there's nothing about an 8-lug snare that would make it more likely to break heads. As for myself, I've never broken a drum head. Sticks, yes...heads, no!

-Mark

Ha! Yes I guess so. It is a (65?) Premier Royal Ace and it had an Evans Genera Dry with a control ring. The other was admittedly not really a snare batter head but was a brand new Aquarian Galaxy that I had lying around. I had recently replaced it with an EC2 on a 14" floor tom. Kind of shocking that they both broke. Wondering if, for some reason, that particular snare doesn't like the high tuning I usually use.

I typically just use a G2 on my other snares and my Acro has an Evans reverse dot that I feel like I beat the hell out of and haven't broken.

Like Mark said, no difference in 8 or 10 lug regarding drum head durability. Only difference i've noticed is that the tuning range is wider on a 10 lug snare drum than on an 8.. Maybe extremely tight tensioning of the batter head, coupled with your caveman bashing(;)) is causing you to break through heads. Most heads can withstand a beating, but if you're breaking them on a regular basis, you might wanna rethink your technique, or it's gonna cost you a pretty penny every year for snare drum heads. Yes Sir.

Yes check for proud and sharp anomalies along the edge. Where on the head do you hit?

Mitch

Breaking a snare head is an anomaly for me, which is why I asked. Maybe it's the excitement of using a vintage snare gave me some extra verve!

I tend to angle my snare slightly toward the kick. I would say I hit center mostly, but cheat toward 2 o'clock.

Take the batter head off and run your finger lightly along the bearing edge to check for anything that might cut the head under impact from the stick.

HTH

Mitch

I don't believe the amount of tension jugs would cause significant stress anomalies which would make it easier to break heads. I cannot imagine breaking a snare head. I never even break sticks:p

Some people are simply animals :lol: I played in place of a drummer one gig and used his kit. I tell ya that it looked like a sawmill around the hi hat and snare and big chunks were taken out of his cymbals. I have never seen anyone play so heavy handed.

I may have solved the problem. After mentioning I sometimes cheat to about 2 O'clock when hitting my snare head it occurred to me that the muffler happens to be located in that position. I tool a look at the broken heads and sure enough they both seem to have broken at that spot.

Looking at the Royal Ace muffler, it is a small twin job and one of the felts is worn off, exposing the metal beneath. I think what may have happened is that, although I didn't have the muffle engaged, it was very close to the head and the felt-less muffler tore the head when I hit just above it.

I made sure the muffler was fully disengaged today and played without incident for several hours.