Brands Guides About
Latin Percussion LP5513-S 13
Latin Percussion LP5513-S 13
Latin Percussion LP5513-S 13
Latin Percussion LP5513-S 13
Latin Percussion LP5513-S 13
Latin Percussion LP5513-S 13
Latin Percussion LP5513-S 13
Latin Percussion

Latin Percussion LP5513-S 13" Stainless Steel Snare Drum

★★★★★3.3 (2 reviews)

A razor-bright 13" stainless steel snare built for the cutting rimshots and crackling backbeats of professional salsa and Latin percussion.

$409.99*
Check availability

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jun 04, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

Affiliate Disclosure: Studio Supplies may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. This helps support our editorial team.

Notice a mistake? Let Us Know

Overview

The Latin Percussion LP5513-S is purpose-built for the sonic demands of salsa, Afro-Cuban, and Latin jazz percussion — contexts where the snare needs to cut through a wall of brass, congas, and bass with immediate transient clarity. The stainless steel shell is the defining element here: it produces a hard, fast attack with a tight, bright crack that sits naturally in the upper midrange without needing to be pushed in the mix. This is not a warm, woody snare — it's a precision tool engineered for projection, and every dimension of its design reinforces that character. The 5.5" depth adds enough body that center hits don't feel thin, while the 13" diameter keeps the fundamental pitch elevated and distinct.

The single-flanged timbale hoops are what separate this drum from a standard piccolo snare in the same size class. That reduced flange mass frees the shell to resonate more openly on rimshots, producing the ringing, metallic "paila" articulation that is a rhythmic cornerstone of traditional salsa. In live settings, the drum holds up well under the acoustic pressure of a full band — the stainless shell resists the tuning drift that can affect brass drums in high-humidity environments, and the overall construction feels road-ready. In the studio, a bright-capsule dynamic mic positioned at the hoop captures the full steel character cleanly; careful room treatment and tuning are worth the time investment if you need a more controlled recorded tone.

Key Features

5.5" x 13" Steel Snare Drum with Single-flanged Timbale Hoops - Stainless Steel

Specifications

Shell Diameter
13"
Shell Depth
5.5"
Shell Material
Stainless Steel
Hoops
Single-flanged timbale hoops
Brand
Latin Percussion
Model
LP5513-S

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • The stainless steel shell delivers an exceptionally bright, cutting crack that projects cleanly through dense Latin rhythm section arrangements without EQ assistance.
  • Single-flanged timbale hoops unlock an authentic, resonant rimshot character that standard snare hoops simply cannot replicate.
  • The 13" diameter sits in a higher pitch register than a conventional 14" snare, giving it natural separation in mixed percussion contexts.
  • Stainless steel construction provides strong resistance to humidity and temperature swings common in outdoor festival and club environments.
  • The 5.5" depth gives enough shell volume for a full, punchy body tone without pushing into the boom of a deeper snare.

👎 Cons

  • The bright steel shell character is highly genre-specific — it will feel out of place in rock, jazz, or orchestral contexts where a warmer, darker snare timbre is expected.
  • Single-flanged timbale hoops are less robust than triple-flanged alternatives and can be more susceptible to warping under aggressive playing or hardware stress.
  • The 13" head size limits replacement head availability compared to the widely stocked 14" format — confirm sourcing before touring with this drum.
  • There is no built-in snare strainer throw-off description in the specifications, so buyers should verify hardware quality before committing to it as a primary snare in high-use settings.
  • The specialized salsa/Latin voicing means this drum does not easily double as a general-purpose snare if your gig requires stylistic flexibility in a single kit setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Stainless steel produces a brighter, harder attack than brass, with a faster transient decay that cuts through dense horn and rhythm section arrangements. You'll hear a sharper crack on rimshots and a drier body on center hits — exactly the character salsa and Afro-Cuban music demands.
Single-flanged hoops are thinner and less rigid than standard triple-flanged snare hoops, which lowers the bearing edge contact mass and opens up the drum's resonance. The practical result is a more pronounced, ringing rimshot — the iconic "paila" slap — and a livelier shell response overall.
It performs well in both contexts, but its design is optimized for projection in live settings. In the studio, close-mic placement (an SM57 or similar at the edge) captures the steel shell's brightness cleanly. You may want to tune tightly and apply moderate dampening if the room is live and you need a drier recorded sound.
The LP5513-S uses a standard 13" snare wire configuration. Most 13" replacement wires from manufacturers like Puresound, Remo, or PureSound will fit — 20- or 24-strand options are common choices for tightening or loosening the snare response to taste.
The smaller diameter raises the fundamental pitch, giving you a higher, punchier crack that sits above the mix rather than in the midrange pocket of a 14". In a percussion-heavy salsa ensemble, that extra pitch definition helps the snare articulate through congas, timbales, and bass without fighting for frequency space.

Related Products