The Gavin Harrison "Protean" Signature snare drums
In late 2011, SONOR and Gavin began working on the “Protean” project with the goal to create a snare drum that is as musically versatile as Gavin himself. The name “Protean” comes from Greek mythology meaning “versatile” and “diverse”. Gavin wanted this snare drum to be a daily workhorse instrument that can be quickly altered to suit the musical situation.
“When I had the chance to design this Snare Drum together with SONOR I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve because it is based on my experience of the last 30 years playing professionally. I chose the shell material, the hybrid bearing edges, the dampening rings, the S-Hoop and the 8-strand snare wires because I know they work in all sorts of different situations. We called the drum ‘Protean’ because it’s versatile and you can change the features very quickly to get a sound that will be musically right. I wanted the look of the drum to be able to fit in with any drum set. It has a sleek Art Deco look about it with a classic black satin finish.
It‘s the best of vintage meets modern innovation and to play it is my dream come true.” Gavin Harrison
