Drums: Identical Top And Bottom Heads?

[microchip13]

I just put a new floor tom head on, top head. Needless to say it sounds very nice(I had some very very crappy ones on before). How much of a gain would I net if I went with identical top and bottom?


BTW, Remo Pinstripes.
I'll probably be stopping by our drum store to pick up 2 more heads for my rack toms.

[Cap'n Rusty]

Pinstripes on top and bottom?!?!?


IMO, it's overkill. You're losing a lot of the drum's resonance by using such heavy-duty heads.

Remember...drums sound waaaay different in a live performance situation than they do in your house. Many of my drum students want that no-overtone sound, but it really doesn't help you when you play live. The overtones (especially the high overtones that you're cutting out by using Pinstripes) will help your sound cut better.

Anyway, use Pinstripes if you like the sound but, personally, I wouldn't use anything thicker than an Ambassador on bottom. Hope this helps some.

(p.s. I use different head combinations on different kits depending on what I want each particular kit to sound like)

[microchip13]

I was thinking something similar.

I'll see what's around as I'd probably stick with single ply also for the sake of expenses.

[Dennis S]

It seems I remember playing with drummers who didn't have heads on the bottom of their toms.

[microchip13]

I was thinking about that too.


I'll give it a try tomorrow and see how it sounds.

[Cap'n Rusty]

That'll really kill the resonance.

[Fritz]

Just spent the last three weeks recording my very old Sonor jazz kit.
We found that for what we were recording (Americana RnR) Ambassador top and bottom worked best for sound and the drummers playability. Once in a while we had an Emperor os the top of the Snare.
Not much of a fan of pinstripes, hydraulics and all that other stuff. We also found a very old Fibre skin. feh!

[Cap'n Rusty]

What make of Sonors are they, Fritz? I've always wanted a set of Sonor Phonics from the 70's (drool). I played a gig on a set of 60's Sonors and they sounded fantastic.

[Kraniac]

One thing to remember when tuning your drums, whatever you should decide to do, it is very helpful to have someone sitting at the kit hitting the drums. show them how hard you want em hitting, make them hit the snare leaving the stick on it and pulling it away after the impact.

Listen to em from the audience side of things. Sitting behind a drum kit and listening to how they sound from drivers seat is not the place to be. You can't hear the real air being moved, fairly decieving.

[Fritz]

the main part of the kit is early 60's in psychodelicish aqua marine green swirl.
4" snare, 13" tom, 16" flr, 20" kick.
I also have a early to mid 70's Rosewood 4.5" snare that is awesome!
then another 6 or so snares of various makes and vints. Including a 40's (I think) 7" WFL.