Mapex Design Lab Cherry Bomb & HeartBreaker Snare Drums

94
| NOVEMBER 2017 WWW.MUSICRADAR.COM/RHYTHM
GEAR REVIEW
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T
h e Black Panther series is Mapex’s
fl agship snare drum line, offering
up a host of individual and
characterful drums ranging from
the more delicate Velvetone and Retrosonic to
the outright heavy-duty Blaster and
Sledgehammer models. Following on from the
success of these snares, there’s even been a
line of full kits bearing the Black Panther name,
including the Black Widow, Blaster, Velvetone
and limited edition Retrosonic. Now, Mapex has
decided to up its game once more with the
release of three new Design Lab snare models:
The Equinox, Cherry Bomb and Heartbreaker.
Having been impressed by the Equinox last
issue, we’re excited to get our hands on its
counterparts for review.
Build
The Cherry Bomb, aptly named for its 8-ply
(9mm) cherry wood shell, is available in two
sizes (14"x6" and 13"x5½") while it’s more of a
one-size-fi ts-all situation for the 14"x6" 8-ply
(8mm) mahogany Heartbreaker. The latter also
features 4mm mahogany reinforcement rings
which, in addition to offering extra stability,
according to Mapex “blend historic snare drum
tone with modern snare design”. Both snare
drums are dressed with Sonic Saver hoops,
Puresound Custom Series 16-strand wires,
Black Panther cylinder-drive strainer and
butt-end adjuster and Remo Ambassador X
batter/clear Ambassador snare-side heads.
The Cherry Bomb features 10 vintage-style
dual tube lugs with all hardware fi nished in a
high-gloss chrome while the Heartbreaker
sports 20 classic Black Panther single lugs
with all hardware fi nished in a slightly cooler
brushed black chrome. Both snares also share
the same 45° SONIClear bearing edges (with
From £443.99 Mapex adds new ‘ultra-premium’
snares to the Black Panther collection
MAPEX DESIGN
LAB CHERRY BOMB
& HEARTBREAKER
SNARE DRUMS
WORDS: TOM BRADLEY
AS ADVERTISED, THE HEARTBREAKER
FEELS RIGHT AT HOME IN A ROCK
SETTING, BLASTING THROUGH HEAVY
GUITARS AND DELIVERING A
BEAUTIFULLY BALANCED BACKBEAT
IN A MEDIUM-LOW TUNING
1
MAPEX DESIGN
LAB EQUINOX
SNARE
We say: “Mixes tradition
with modernity in terms
of both looks and sound.
A stunning drum.”
2
LIBERTY ELM
BURR
We say: “ Provides a
great working platform
for anything from tight
backbeats to delicate
ghosted notes – simply
put, this is a highly
desirable snare. ”
3/8" rounded back cuts),
2.7mm deep, 5½" wide
tapered snare beds and
Mapex’s new Natural Satin
SAS fi nish. Short for
SONIClear Attenuation
System, the SAS fi nish is
applied to offer maximum
shell resonance, unlike some
thicker lacquers and wraps. It
leaves the shells with a minimalist
look, and helps to show off the natural
grain of the wood.
Utilising many years of drum building
knowledge, Mapex has designed each Design
Lab drum using a ‘Concept Hybrid’ approach
to shell design, shell composition and drum
construction. This means that everything
from shell material selection to bearing
edges, snare beds and counter-hoops have
been taken into careful consideration in order
to craft each instrument. Mapex tells us that
“each drum has been designed to combine
‘Sound Concepts’ to create unique and
personal instruments for the demanding
player”. The Concept Hybrid profi le of the
Cherry Bomb is described as vintage,
controlled and precise, while the
Heartbreaker is dark, rustic and throaty. Each
SIZES
The Cherry Bomb is the only
Design Lab snare available in
two sizes, 14"x6" and 13"x5½"
Design Lab snare also comes complete with a
protective Black Panther drawstring bag.
Hands On
With both review snare drums sharing
identical 14"x6" dimensions and the same
natural satin fi nish, it’s clear that they belong
to the same family. The Heartbreaker’s
slightly darker mahogany shell is enhanced
RHY274.gear_mapex.indd 94 06/10/2017 10:58