Pearl · Free Floating brass snare · 1983–2011 (vintage run)
Pearl introduced the Free Floating snare in 1983 with the idea of keeping all the hardware off the shell. The lugs and strainer mount on a chassis at the bottom of the drum, only the heads and that chassis touch the shell, and you can change shells about as easily as changing a head. Pearl sold the shells on their own too, and built complete drums in maple, copper, brass and steel. The 1984 brass models were the B-914 (5 x 14), the B-914D (6.5 x 14) and the B-914P piccolo (3.5 x 14), all with chrome die-cast hoops, ten double-ended lugs and the S-011 strainer, and by 1987 an 8-inch B-914ED had joined them. Pearl's catalog pitched brass as the metal with the best resonance, bright and powerful. By 1991 the MLX kits came with a brass Free Floating snare. Pearl dropped brass and copper from the line in 2011, and today's 14 x 5 brass model uses newer MasterCast hoops and a Click-Lock strainer. Because the shell lifts out, a Free Floating drum can be wearing any of them. On drums like those in the 1991 catalog the shell badge names the material, so ask for a photo of it.
Inside the shellFree Floating brass snare
Model numbers date the run. The B-914, B-914D and B-914P are in the 1984 catalog, and the 8 x 14 B-914ED had joined them by 1987. Vintage drums have chrome die-cast hoops and the S-011 strainer, while the current FTBR1450 has MasterCast hoops and the SR160F Click-Lock strainer. In the 1991 catalog the shell badge reads Free Floating System and Brass Shell, with a serial number.
The usual problems are a swapped shell, a replaced or worn strainer and missing chassis parts. Brass tarnishes too, which is only cosmetic.
Buying guide
We'd buy the 14 x 6.5 titled with die-cast hoops and 10 lugs at $550 delivered with free shipping from a 100% seller, the bottom of the $550–700 delivered band. There are at least 14 for sale, nearly all from dealers in Japan, with 14 x 6.5 drums asking $550–700 delivered and the 3.5-inch B-9114D piccolos $748–880. The same boxed-drum photo shows up on listings from at least three different sellers, and some titles are copied word for word, so ask for a fresh photo of the drum before you pay. On any of them, ask for the shell badge, which should read Brass Shell, and a short video of the S-011 strainer flipping on and off.
$550.00delivered
The lowest delivered Free Floating brass here, a 14 x 6.5 titled with die-cast hoops and 10 lugs, with free shipping from Japan. The card photo shows only the top head, so ask for the shell, badge and strainer.
Pearl Free Floating Brass Snare Drum 14x6.5 Die-Cast Hoops 10 Lug Used
$550.00delivered
The vintage spec as titled, chrome die-cast hoops and ten lugs, from a 100% seller at the bottom of the band. Free shipping means the $550 is what you pay.
Pearl Free Floating Brass Snare Drum 14x6.5 Die-Cast Hoops 10 Lug Used
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 12, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 12, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$550.00delivered
$550.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$550.00
Good buy
14 x 6.5, die-cast hoops, 10 lugs. Photo shows only the top head. Free shipping from Japan.
Seller: nihon-treasures
100% positive
$618.60est. delivered
$468.60 + $150.00 shipping
Buy It Now$468.60
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled rare early type, 14-inch. No depth given and no photo on the card, so ask for both.
Seller: japanproduct
100% positive
Used$698.00est. delivered
$598.00 + $100.00 shipping
Buy It Now$598.00
Our take
Titled 1980s first generation with hex lugs, 14 x 6.5. Same seller as a shared-photo listing, so ask for fresh photos.
Seller: asterisk_llc
99.6% positive
Used$821.50est. delivered
$728.00 + $93.50 shipping
Buy It Now$728.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
B-9114D piccolo, 14 x 3.5, titled 1990s. Pearl's 1984 brass piccolo was the B-914P, so ask what the badge says.
Seller: shujibb
100% positive
Used$574.08est. delivered
$489.08 + $85.00 shipping
Buy It Now$489.08
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Same title as another seller's listing. Seller feedback 97.8%.
Seller: tgmstore
97.8% positive
Used$574.60est. delivered
$554.60 + $20.00 shipping
Buy It Now$554.60
Check the seller
Photo is the same boxed drum shown on other sellers' listings, so ask for a fresh photo.
Seller: zambrano23
99.1% positive
$595.50est. delivered
$445.50 + $150.00 shipping
Buy It Now$445.50
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Same title as another seller's listing, and no photo on the card.
Seller: japanproduct
100% positive
Used$648.00est. delivered
$598.00 + $50.00 shipping
Buy It Now$598.00
Check the seller
Same title as another seller's listing, and the photo is the same boxed drum other sellers use.
Seller: asterisk_llc
99.6% positive
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