Need drum head recommendations for a Keller shell DW kit. Hard rock music.

[willhaven]

Toms: 8", 10", 12", 15"

Snares: 13" Keller, 14" Edge (newer snare made this year)

Kick: 22"

 

Like most guys playing hard rock, I like the toms and kick to sound thick and full. Resonance on the toms isn't bad, so I don't need crazy muting on those. I figure if the drum is tuned properly, the resonance will sound nice, but I like the kick to be fairly fast and tight. I've got the DW pillow in the kick right now, so I figure I won't need some sort of super muted head for it.

 

I like snares to be fairly high pitched. I like all drums to be very defined and have a nice clear attack to them. I do use a double kick pedal, so clarity is wanted.

 

I'm thinking of getting clear Evans EC2's for the toms. Both for batter and resonant heads. They seem to be known for being a decent mix of attack and thickness.

 

Not sure what to do with the snare batter and resonant, or the kick batter. I'm keeping the DW resonant head on the front of the kick.

 

Any suggestions? The heads on the kit right now (aside from the snare) are clear Remo single ply heads I think. They're well used and they seem to be a bit hard to tune properly.

[drumtechdad]

The EC2s sound like just what you're looking for as tom batters--why do you want to use them as resos, too? That would likely sound very dead. I'd use 1-ply 10mil clears such as the Evans G1. Or you might consider the new Evans ECResos. Have a look at the Bob Gatzen video on resos here.

 

If you like "fairly high-pitched" snare with nice attack, it's hard to go wrong with coated Ambassador (or G1) over Ambassador hazy snare-side (Evans Hazy 300).

 

My preference in kick sounds is quite different than yours, so I'll let others chime in on that.

[willhaven]

FWIW, I know very little about drum heads. I figured I'd just match the resonant head with the batter. No reasoning behind it. It just sounded like a good idea.

 

I'm mostly a guitar player, but I've also played drums for many years. I haven't had a kit for nearly 5 years, so I'm quite rusty. I'll probably buy a set of heads and wait until I've gotten used to the kit before putting them on. No sense in beating the crap out of nice heads while I still suck.

[willhaven]

Oh, I should also add that I really like to do side stick on the snare quite a bit. I know it's not a "hard rock" thing, but I really like that to be loud as well. Not sure how that would factor into snare head selection.

[SirPsychoBuddha]

 

Oh, I should also add that I really like to do side stick on the snare quite a bit. I know it's not a "hard rock" thing, but I really like that to be loud as well. Not sure how that would factor into snare head selection.

 

 

As stated before, a coated ambassador should do just fine. If you wanna go with evans then a coated g1 would be just as good.

[willhaven]

Any recommendations for snare bottom and kick drum heads? Lots of different kick drum heads to choose from. I'll probably stick with all Evans to see how they are.

[drumtechdad]

 

Any recommendations for snare bottom and kick drum heads? Lots of different kick drum heads to choose from. I'll probably stick with all Evans to see how they are.

 

 

As mentioned, hazy Ambassador snare-side or Evans hazy 300. You can go to an even thinner snare side head (hazy Diplomat snare-side or Evans hazy 200), but those tend to be brighter and to dry out the drum. Some snares sound better that way, but most guys use the two snare sides mentioned.

 

Generally speaking, many guys have taken the pillows/blankets/futons out of their bass drums and switched to pre-muffled heads. You often can preserve more tone that way--pillows really suck up tone. There's lots of flavors out there, many guys swear by the Aquarian Superkick models and the Evans Emads. Those heads are not really my style (especially the Aquarians, which I find to be simply too soft unless you're always miked) but many like the combination of an Evans EMAD batter and either the EMAD reso or one of the EQ models. I suggest you stick with a single-ply model until you have enough experience to develop your own preferences as to sound.

[polarnewfie]

Remo Emperors are nice too. I have them all around on my big drums and they sound out nicely with body. My toms I am using now are 12x15, 14x15, 16x16, 16x18 with 16x24 kick. They have made me the happiest so far. The drums are Ludwig 6 ply maple. Just throwing another hat into the ring. But I use an SD dry evans snare batter. On front of the kick I have a powerstroke 3, and on the snare reso I have a diplomat snare. (6.5 supraphonic) Of course your snare will be a different material so another choice may be warranted. (such as a coated ambassador or Evans coated G1) Dont be afraid to mix and match companies for snare, to kick, to toms. (as long as you keep them consistent for each type of drum)

[SkiAz4Free]

 

Any recommendations for snare bottom and kick drum heads? Lots of different kick drum heads to choose from. I'll probably stick with all Evans to see how they are.

 

 

Snare Reso = Evans Hazy 300 (as mentioned a few times)

Kick Batter = Aquarian Super Kick II. Two ply head (more durable, less resonant) with muffling built in.

Kick Reso = Aquarian Regulator (the "matched" reso head for the Super Kicks, it has its own muffling built in as well.) No need for any additional muffling.

 

But, as you stated you already have the DW pillow, so you should be ok with a stock reso head as well. Start with a nice batter head, and go from there.

 

I personally don't like the EMADs, because they sound more "plastic". However, you may like that sound for your applications. If possible, get to a G.C. where most of these heads will be already setup on a floor kit. Hit them all, do your comparrisons. An informed decision will be a happy one.

[willhaven]

Thanks for the direction guys. I'll probably poke around on Musician's Friend and the Evans site tonight to get a better feel for my choice. I will watch the video(s) linked above as well.

 

So the "dry" snare heads. Those are basically the ones with tiny holes around the edge? I assume, like a vented OCDP snare, that they're tighter and more responsive and don't resonate as much?

 

I should have also mentioned that, like the kick, I don't want the snare to resonate all that much.

[turdadactyl]

I have Aquarian Peformance II heads on my DW kit. When I want a little brighter sound I use coated Ambassadors. Those Aquarians are DEFINITELY a big rock sound.

[sirskatealot066]

EC2s sound like a good choice on the toms, but with g1 or ambassador resos. or like drumtechdad suggested, the EC resos, watch the video he linked to.

 

for the kick, i would suggest an aquarian superkick II and the stock reso (or a plain unmuffled reso) and still use the DW pillow.

 

for the snares, id suggest ambassadors or g1s, coated, over ambassador snare side or evans hazy 300

[dajini]

I'd advise you to stay away from any of the coated remos. The coating on my ambassador lasted an hour or so before it began to chip off in the middle. I hit hard but no more worse than any typical drummer, I don't "bury" the stick into the head, and I use good technique. I've had great luck with the coating on Evans heads, don't know about the coating for Aquarians though.

[Jarick]

Clear EC2's over clear G1's on the toms

Clear EMAD over a clear EQ3 on the kick

Coated G1 over Hazy 300 on the 13" snare

Coated Power Center Reverse Dot over Hazy 300 on the 14" snare

 

Unless the DW kick head is fairly new, I'd replace it and stick a DW sticker on the the new head. Old heads are nasty.

[willhaven]

The kit was made in 1998 and I believe the reso head on the kick is original. It is very clean though. It's not vented either. Solid black with the DW logo.

 

Ok... time to watch those videos.

 

[edit] Ok, wow... huge difference in those reso heads. G1s sound like the way to go for sure. [/edit]

[DW_Man_TX]

If you are playing hard rock I would go with 2 ply batters or you will be changing heads every other gig. Try the Evans G2s. I use the G2 coated on my DWs and I love them, I think the non coated will give you a more hard rock sound though. I also personally prefer a med single ply on the reso side. If you kill the drum to much it will never make it out of the mix in a live situation.