This snare drum features 9-ply shell with 3-ply reinforcement hoop, with a 3-ply Purpleheart wood core with only one long grain veneer. This means the rest of the shell is short grain, thus putting very little tension on the shell and dramatically lowing the overall pitch of the drum. PurpleCore is a drum technology breakthrough that yields maximum low end response designed to compliment today's music. The Mahogany blend with the 3-ply Purpleheart core offers the lowest possible fundamental pitch that you can get from a DW drum.