Members MX DRUMMER Posted February 5, 2012 Members Share Posted February 5, 2012 Hi everyone! I just recently got back into drumming. I started when I was 9 and played until i was about 20 on a Tama Rockstar Custom when they were still birch. I had one of the Phil Collins signature series 21" inch HH rides from Sabian and an array of other great cymbals including an Istanbul HH crash! I just bought a PDP MX maple kit thats emerald green to black fade with a Sabian Xs20 super pack with hats, ride, three crashes, and a splash. My question is on heads though. I ran Remo pinstripes for years until switching to Evans Hydraulics on my Tama. I have been told that on a maple kit however, they do not compliment the wood like they do on a birch kit. I would like input on what everyone reccomends! So far I have been told and am leaning towards Black Remo Emperors for the batters and Remo Ambassadors for the resos. Any info or advice on this would be appreciated! Thanks all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rdrummer322 Posted February 5, 2012 Members Share Posted February 5, 2012 Welcome to harmony central! You have opened a can of worms with head choice, everyone has their own opinion, Remo, Evans, Aquarian, even Attack. It depends entirely on the sound you are after I guess. I would check with Carmine, Big Daddy, Melvinspeed, Whiplash Band, Race 81, Twosticks. I've played their sets, all the toms sounded great..but I guess it is a matter of good tuning as well. Personally I want heads with lots of ring, which is pretty much opposite what most guys are looking for, and I use Ambassadors top and bottom. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MX DRUMMER Posted February 5, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2012 I like the sound that system of a down gets on their tons but not quite that dead. I like a solid thud with about 2 seconds of decay time. If that helps. Thanks for being my first responder to lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BeakerArk Posted February 5, 2012 Members Share Posted February 5, 2012 Just a suggestion. Remo Emperors are a good medium between the single ply Ambassadors and the Pin Stripes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RumStik Posted February 6, 2012 Members Share Posted February 6, 2012 My favorite combinations put the same weight and tension top & bottom, and I've come to favor single-ply heads, (wouldn't put 2-ply heads on the reso side). There's no telling which heads a given set of shells will "like," and we have no way of knowing whether you'll need brightness or otherwise from the head choice. Bright and ringy? Clear Ambassadors. Less bright and ringy? Coated Ambassadors. Warm, full sustain? Evans G-Plus coated. More prog/rock-style response and sustain? G-Plus clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MX DRUMMER Posted February 6, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2012 Everyone knows sound is the most important but a lot of us like looks too! I asked him the same question an since I like blak heads he said to try Evans Onyx heads. He said they were good for achieving the sound I want. What do you all think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MX DRUMMER Posted February 6, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2012 Also while we are all here, does anyone know where I can find or at least look for a Sabian HH 21" RBDR that was one of the Phil Collins signatures? Wish I had never let mine go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carminemw Posted February 6, 2012 Members Share Posted February 6, 2012 Well I use PDP CX Maples...I use clear Ambassadors on my bottom tom heads, coated Emporers/Ambassadors on the tops of the toms, a coated Aquarian Focus-X on my snare and a clear single ply head on my kick with a Danmar Rock Pad (not the metal pad) for more tick in the high end. If you like the Pinstripes and Hydraulics, may I suggest the Aquarian Studio-X and Focus-X series. They kill the unwanted overtones yet really help the maples resonate well...just a thought...and welcome to the asylum! Here's the way I tune my toms... the heads aren't in the best shape but I think you'll get the essence of where I was going... These are my 2nd set, Pearl Export poplars...[video=youtube;8ftXqYqS388] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MX DRUMMER Posted February 6, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2012 Ok cool thanks. Yeah I'm gonna check them out. Do you by chance know about the Evans Onyx heads and the Remo Black Dot snare heads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carminemw Posted February 6, 2012 Members Share Posted February 6, 2012 I've seen the Onyx...Mikey plays all Evans so I think he would know them better. I have used the black dots and Silver dots (do they make them any more). To me it's just a catchy piece of plastic to add support for heavier playing. I've been playing all coated heads for a while now...sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MX DRUMMER Posted February 6, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2012 I'm not a heavy hitter. I think it's easier on the wallet to have finesse and only look and sound as if you're slammin the skins and pies. I'm just looking for heads that will give me a specific sound. I like a dead thud with just a couple seconds of decay time. The guy who told me about the black dots said they are cool because it's like having two snares, black dot gives you a quick crack and outside the black dot gives you a softer smack with some smooth ring. What are your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members twosticks Posted February 6, 2012 Members Share Posted February 6, 2012 Black dots will most likely "choke" that open thud sound you like. I looked up System of a Down for the tom sound you said you wanted. Are you talking like the toms on the intro to "Chop Suey"?? Did you see his set on that video?? His top heads looked like coated REMO's, most likely Emperors (the thickest single plies) Clear Remo Pintripes would be a little more open than that with either REMO muffler foam rings under the head to dampen it OR get Remo Ebony pinstripes for more a Metallica type sound?? You do know that drums are more boomy and ring some live don't cha?? You want a little of the ring buzz and humm to keep it sounding decent out in front of the kit and for recording, otherwise you can get the same sound from cardboard boxes and pillows. I muffle the crap out of my drums in my practice room but I leave it a little open so as to have that "live" sound. Aquarian drum and snare heads are great as well. For me, I rather have the anti-ring/muffle ring around the edge rather than a head dot that muffles the center of most drum heads. Maybe one the snare center? As far as the Phil Collins Sig Ride. here is a link that may be helpful?? http://www.20-04.com/products/sabian-pc2172n-phil-collins-hh-raw-bell-ride-21-inch . Also way back when Phil first started being a Sabian endorser, he was using a vintage 21" AA "Dry" ride, which is what I have. Also please do us a Big favor and tell us more of the "Sounds" you're looking for rather then what some guy says is cool?? We all want to help, but we are better when we know what YOU want versus what some guy said is best. Also we like to talk about life, beer, food, and other stuff as well. Welcome to the fold!!! I hope you understand where we are coming from?? Relax...tell us about yourself, your backstory and music roots and then you will get more responses moreso than " Hi, I play drums back when, I play again, this guy said this is cool, what you think??" ( I really hope you know I'm not picking on you) Just slow down and tell us about yourself! We LOVE drummers here!! it's all good! Hope this helps!! PS here is the "System" song: (listen from 0:15-0:32 at the start) [video=youtube;CSvFpBOe8eY] PS Where in Fla? I'm in Lake City. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MX DRUMMER Posted February 6, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2012 Fort Walton. I understand what you're saying. As far as sound goes yes on the Chop Suey. Like I said though I don't want it completely dead but just a couple second of decay. My experience with heads are limited since I only used clear pinstripes and hydraulics. I wouldn't say I have specific drummers or styles that I have roots in so to speak. I personally just have a love for drumming and guys that can achieve givin you that feeling that you're listening to something special so to speak rather than just throwing a beat down if you know what I mean. I'm not in to heavy death metal but I do like hard rock, jazz, classical rock, alternative, etc. One of my favorite styles is when you use a lot of bass and Tom work for an almost tribal sound. I like simple but not to simple if that helps. I like a deep solid boom in the toms that give you just enough ring to hear and appreciate the drums without to much ring. I'm not much of a drinker but food I can talk about all day (I should be fat as hell, thank God for genes and metabolism lol) I'm a pretty laid back guy really. I'm in the Army. When I get out I'm going to college for history and philosophy and depending on how good my grades are when I get the bachelor I may go for law school. If not law then teaching in a nice college would be great. I'm married to a great woman. Aside from drumming I LOVE hockey, paintball, reading, have interests in quantum physics, enjoy small get together a with friends, etc. As for the cymbals thanks for the link!! I have thought about the AA but since what I had was the HH that's the route I want to go. Even if I can't get a Phil Collins sig I still would like to get the 21" HH RBDR. I'm an open book guys so ask away. I will try to be more informative in what I am looking for also! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Big Daddy Posted February 6, 2012 Members Share Posted February 6, 2012 I play the Evans Onyx heads. They have been very durable (timewise, they are way past needing to be replaced, conditionwise they are still good) I've been pleased with the tone they produce and they seem to respond well to different tunings. I agree with finding the heads that your drums "like". With my Pearl Masters maple kit, it was Aquarian coated heads. My current kit seems to do well with the Onyx, but I will be putting new heads this month and I am considering going back to Aquarian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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