The Best Beginner Snare Drums | 6 of Our Favorites Reviewed

Have you recently explored the world of percussion and just fell in love with the sound and intensity of the drums? Or are you simply curious and looking for the best drum to kick off your legendary musical career? No matter what reason you have, just remember that as long as it’s about drums — the Drum Center of Portsmouth has always got your back!

Now, if you’re wondering what’s the best affordable drum out there, you might consider buying a beginner snare drum. Why? Because with the right style and skills, it can make any drummer’s presence stand out.

You’re lucky because we’ll be comparing the 6 best beginner snare drums that are LOADED with amazing features all at budget-friendly prices in this another insightful article by DCP. So, are you ready? Let’s do this!

Starting off this list is no other than the Tama Woodworks Snare Drum made of 8ply Poplar wood which is known to be less dense and usually found on beginner snare drums out there. It’s also equipped with 8 lightweight lugs and light matte-black hoops that are perfectly complemented by the shell’s Natural Zebrawood Wrap finish.

This beginner snare drum has a size of 14x8 and features a simple throw-off with a lightweight design. This combination of materials is responsible for bringing out a full and warm tone combined with medium attack for drummers. The best part? You can enjoy all of those features together with the beginner snare drum’s decent finish for only $169.99!

Just a quick tip — if you’re looking for a beginner snare drum with the best value for its price, then we suggest that you go for steel ones. Do you know why? Because they generally sound good no matter what the brand is. Just as long as you tune them right, you can expect to have great projection.

With that being said, the Ludwig New Supralite Snare Drum might be the bang for the buck you’re looking for! For as low as $199, you can already expect tons of decent features from this beginner snare drum. 14x5.5 snare size, 1mm beaded steel shell, 2.3mm steel triple-flanged hoops, chrome-plated brass tube lugs, P33 butt-plate, P88I throw-off, and 20-strand brass-coil snare wires to give you that extra response you want!

See? That’s a lot of amazing features for a beginner snare drum. All while promising to deliver quality and versatility for the drummer with its wide mid-range overtone!

Ah, you can’t go wrong with Yamaha’s Stage Custom Series when it comes to choosing an amazing beginner snare drum. It’s because the legendary tone that a Yamaha all-birch drum possesses is now available with the Yamaha Stage Custom Snare Drum! 

This 14x5.5 snare drum features the iconic all-birch Yamaha shell, an extremely functional throw-off, solid triple-flanged hoops, and 10 lugs to get you extra control for tuning. Imagine — you can enjoy all of these Yamaha specs and features for only $129.99, together with the beginner snare drum’s mesmerizing Deep Blue Sunburst finish!

Now, this Mapex MPX Maple/Poplar Hybrid Shell Snare Drum is a no-brainer. Why? Well, first of all, this beginner snare drum is the least expensive on the list with the most impressive features. Secondly, just look at it. Man, that beginner snare drum absolutely looks like it’s worth more than $149!

But hey, this snare drum isn’t just about looks. It has an Armory Style throw-off and a total of 20 lugs to promise you extra control. And that’s not all of it! This 14x6.5 beginner snare drum gives you a controlled and precise attack with a balanced tone and wide tuning range, thanks to its hybrid maple/poplar shell.

The PDP Concept Steel Over Chrome Snare Drum definitely steals the spotlight from this list in terms of the most sought-after features for beginner snare drums. Priced at $229.99, it features a snare size of 14x6.5, 10 dual turret lugs, True-Pitch Tension tuning rods, and a MAG throw-off. Oh, and of course, some bright yet dynamic snares to give you that extra response you want!

Aside from this snare drum’s jaw-dropping features, its looks can also stand out considering its price. Made from 1mm rolled steel shells and plated in a mirror-like chrome finish, PDP Concept snare drums also feature Remo heads. Now that’s a beginner snare drum that would definitely make you look twice!

Since we’re talking about budget-friendly and beginner snare drums, this list wouldn’t be complete without including the Pearl Export Series. According to our awesome owner Shane, these Pearl Export kits are “the tried and true leader”.

Priced at only $176.99, this 14x5.5 beginner snare drum sports a mirror chrome wrap finish but its shell is actually made of a hybrid poplar and mahogany wood. It also features a remarkable and smooth SR700 adjustable snare throw-off, 8 low-mass lugs, decent snare wires, and Remo heads!

Alright! Since we’re seriously talking about the most affordable and budget-friendly drums out there, let me include this one interesting beginner snare drum that ANYONE can use as a bonus — the Percussion Plus Misc. Snare Drum. 

Before anything else, let me just clarify that this beginner snare drum is USED. It is in fact included in DCP’s “Used Section” with all parts present and still functional! With a snare size of 14x5.5, this beginner snare drum is equipped with a 1mm steel shell, 6 lugs, a fairly decent throw-off, and an internal muffler.

Well, if you ask me — this is a nice beginner snare drum if you just want something to practice on. And everything works and looks fine (aside from the cobwebs and spiders inside the shell). Just kidding! But hey, you can score this beginner snare drum for only $29.99. Not bad, huh?

And there you have it! The 6 (+1 bonus) best beginner snare drums that you can score here at the Drum Center of Portsmouth — the largest independently owned drum store in the world.

Want to see a comprehensive head-to-head comparison of each of the 6+1 beginner snare drums to help you decide which one to purchase? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Make sure to check out this video and let our drum experts show you the performance of each beginner snare drum on the list!

Are you still looking for more remarkable drums and percussion instruments to add to your collection? Feel free to visit our website www.drumcenternh.com or subscribe to our YouTube channel Drum Center of Portsmouth for more amazing content. See ya’!