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Rich - RTCustoms

Bell Brass - The holy grail of snare drums?

Updated: Apr 8, 2023

What is Bell brass? Bell metal is a hard alloy used for making bells and related instruments, such as cymbals. It is a form of bronze with a higher tin content, usually in approximately a 4:1 ratio of copper to tin. One major difference, is that bell brass isn't brass (copper and zinc) at all, it's an alloy of bronze (copper and tin). Bell brass should actually be called bell bronze, or cast bronze, but misleading marketing in the drum industry has lead to confusion over the makeup of these fantastic shells. Which leads us nicely into the launch of our new series....


RTCustoms Cast Series Featuring our first two cast bronze snares and hoops



How are they made?


Our shells are made to order in whatever size and thickness requested by a process called sand casting. This involves molten bronze being poured into a mould made of compressed sand.



The shells are then accurately turned to the correct thickness by CNC controlled machines, which allows for different thicknesses such as integrated re-rings on top and bottom.


The shells then go through a 2 stage cleaning and polishing process to remove all dirt from the factory and allow the bronze to showcase it's true beauty! A few coats of lacquer and it is ready for drilling!







Snare 001 - 13x7 4mm shell

Specification RTCustoms 13x7 4mm custom cast bronze shell Cast bronze custom shaped hoops Black nickel hardware Strainer with bronze shards set in top section Evans heads Weight - 13kg Snare 002 - 13x6.5 3mm shell with integrated 5mm re-rings

Specification RTCustoms 13x6.5 custom cast 3mm shell with 5mm re-rings Cast bronze 'die-cast' hoops Chrome hardware DW Mag Strainer Evans heads Weight 13kg


How do I get one? You can head to our webstore and place a pre-order or email us at rich@rtcustoms.co.uk and we can discuss your options. Purchase a 14x6.5 with Stainless steel hoops here - https://www.rtcustoms.co.uk/product-page/14x6-5-cast-bronze-snare Check out the options and Pre-order here - https://www.rtcustoms.co.uk/product-page/cast-bronze-snare-drum *Remember to upgrade your snare stand before purchase*





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