Maple is used most often because of its rich warm sound and strength. Next in line is birch, which is harder and gives a brighter sound. The final two factors affecting the overall sound of the snare drum are the height and the diameter. Wood shells have a warmer sound, while metal shells sound brighter with more bite. If possible, buy a drum that has a slightly undersized shell.
Manufacturers make heads and hoops a standard size.
But if you have a slightly smaller shell you can use the same concept that applies to timpani. The head will be free to resonate since the retaining ring of the head won't come in contact with the shell. Bass drum shells are almost always thicker since they often have other drums mounted on them. Assuming that the bass drum should sound low, and we know that thicker shells will project and focus higher frequencies, it's best not to mount anything to the shell. That way you can use a thinner shell and take advantage of the low fundamental tone.