Sonor · Teardrop snare D421 · about 1953–1971 (D421 Super Extra)
Sonor Teardrop Wood Snare
Most wood Sonor teardrop snares you'll see are the D421 Super Extra, the snare that came with Sonor's kits from the mid-1950s into the early 1970s. Sonor's 1964 UK catalog lists it at 14 x 5 inches with 16 tension rods, an internal damper and a parallel strainer. By the 1971 UK catalog it was 14 x 5.5, described as a wooden shell with a highly sensitive parallel on-off snare action. The collector behind vintagesonor.com has D421s from 1953 to 1971, in finishes from red sparkle and blue strata to tiger and ruby pearl, and he dates them by logo. Around them sit the deeper D422, the 13-inch D471 with a simpler strainer, and the 2.5-inch D472 pancake. In the mid-1960s some got a center row of lugs. The parallel action is the part to worry about. It has more moving parts than a simple side throw-off, so a worn or incomplete one leaves the drum half working. Ask for a video of the throw-off working before you buy, and treat a D421 missing its original strainer parts as a project.
D422 Super Extra (deeper wood shell)D471 (13 x 6 inches, simple strainer, about 1963–1969)D472 pancake snare (14 x 2.5 inches, wood shell)Middle-lug D421 and D471 (mid to late 1960s)D426 (metal shell, 12 individually adjustable snares)
Spec at a glance
- Brand
- Sonor
- Model
- Teardrop snare D421
- Family
- Teardrop
- Type
- Snare
- Years covered
- about 1953–1971 (D421 Super Extra)
- Made in
- West Germany (Aue, Westphalia)
- Sizes
- 14 x 5 or 14 x 5.5 inches (D421)
- Era
- 1950s
Inside the shellTeardrop snare D421
- Shell
- Multi-ply
- Construction
- Wood (Sonor's catalogs say only wooden shell)
- Hardware
- Teardrop-shaped lugs, 16 tension rods, internal damper
- Strainer
- Parallel on-off snare action
- Finishes
- Multi Brilliant White, Red Sparkle, Ruby Pearl, Tiger finish, White Strata, Blue Strata, Champagne Sparkle, Kristall Schwarz
How to date one
The logo dates it. A metal script logo fits the mid to late 1950s, a logo of two beaters the early 1960s, and a square badge from about 1963. Versions with a center row of lugs, which the collector at vintagesonor.com calls middle lugs, date from the mid to late 1960s.
What to check before you buy
The parallel strainer is the weak point, with worn or missing linkage parts and bent snare frames. Some drums have had a strainer from another model fitted, and old shells can go out of round.
- 01Model number: Ask the seller for a photo of any model stamp or label inside the shell. D421 is the standard wood snare, and D426 means a metal shell.
- 02Logo: Look at the logo or badge in the photos. A metal script logo fits the 1950s, and a square badge fits about 1963 on.
- 03Parallel strainer: Ask for a short video of the throw-off working. Both ends of the snare unit should lift and drop together, smoothly and quietly.
- 04Original parts: Compare the strainer and lugs to catalog photos of the same model. Mismatched parts mean repairs, so look for a drum with its own strainer.
- 05Shell: Ask for photos inside the shell and of both edges with the heads off. The shell should be round and uncracked, with smooth edges and even snare beds.
- 06Finish seam: Look along the seam of the covering in the photos. It should be tight and flat, with no lifting or extra holes.
- 07Packing: Ask the seller to double-box the snare with padding round the strainer. A bent snare frame is hard to replace.
Find one on eBay
We haven’t been through this drum’s listings yet. Search eBay for the exact model and run every listing through the checklist above. Ask for clear photos of the badge, the inside of each shell, the bearing edges and every lug, and ask how it will be packed. Pass on any listing that won’t show them.
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