Simon's new main snare, which he appropriately christened "The Monarch", produces regal, never-heard-before tones thanks to its unique construction and equally unique rims. The Monarch features an 8ply maple/bubinga/maple composite shell fitted with special "Customized Triple Flanged" hoops that offer slightly sharper attack than regular flanged Brass Mighty Hoops. The inspired combination of these original design ideas provides a remarkable combination of rich, warm controlled sound with a sharp and bright cut. His second main snare, "The Gladiator", combines a 5.5"x 14" size with a black nickel-plated bronze shell. His "The Pageant" model with its die-cast hoops and maple shell perfectly complements the Gladiator and Simon often uses it as the main snare on some tracks.
