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Wrinkles on resonant side of my snare


rim

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Hello drummers,

 

I'm a guitarist who is getting into drums. I have a 5-piece standard Pearl Export kit for about a couple of years now. I'd been experimenting with tuning the drums and finally decided to make the leap and actually change the heads on them - starting with the resonant heads.

 

The problem I have is with the snare (the toms seems to be right and sounds good). I see some wrinkles on the reso head right near the gap where the snares go (on both sides). The snare drum sounds good to me but I wonder if there isn't supposed to be wrinkles at all (none of the toms do). But I like how it sounds as is. I've tried tightening the reso head more but it doesn't seem to completely take the wrinkles out and I'm afraid of doing some damage if I over tighten. I'm using Evans reso heads, if that helps.

 

I've searched YouTube videos and I'm basically following some of the more respected drummers' videos on how to change heads.

 

So is this one of those things where if it sounds right, it is right? Or am I doing something wrong? If so, what should I be doing differently?

 

Rim

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Overtighting won't hurt it very much. I guess if you tighten it too much it would put a little unwanted pressure on the shell (not a problem for steel snares), but if you've had those same heads on it for a couple years, its definatly time to change the heads.

 

Just for a little tip, I say you should change the batter heads on the toms every 3-6 months. Change the resonant heads every 6-12 months. I usually replace my snare batter every 3 months, but I've heard others saying to replace it every 3 weeks. It just depends how hard you play, I guess.

 

Heads shouldn't have wrinkles in them.

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lol, I like your name.

 

 

Heh. True. Fits a drummer more than a guitarist. Actually, I originally wanted to be a drummer in elementary school but got turned down cuz they already had enough drummers.

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Heads shouldn't have wrinkles in them.

 

 

Ok, I wasn't sure. I was just reluctant to tighten more because I'm liking where the tone is at now. Tightening the reso more will require tightening the batter head more (so it's tuned higher) which will make the tone higher.

 

The snare is metal so I guess I wasn't worried about breaking the snare but somehow ripping the reso head.

 

I'll put the old reso head back on to make sure I can do it without wrinkles because it didn't have any before. If the old one also has wrinkles then I'll know my procedure for putting it on is messed up.

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I can tell you that if your snare has a substaintial "snare bed" that is built into the shell, the wrinkles are just there and the only way to get them out is to crank it down...........if it does'nt hinder the sound, don,t worry about it....My pearl master maple snare is the same way as I just put a new evans hazy300 resonant on it, and I cranked it down farther than I usually like, to remove the wrinkles.

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Heh. True. Fits a drummer more than a guitarist. Actually' date=' I originally wanted to be a drummer in elementary school but got turned down cuz they already had enough drummers.[/QUOTE']

 

same thing happened to me. they offered me trombone, or some shit, and i told them sukkaz to blow, and i picked up some private lessons. i don't think any of those people even play music anymore.

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Tightening the reso more will require tightening the batter head more (so it's tuned higher) which will make the tone higher.

 

 

No. You can tune them independently, and should.

 

 

The snare is metal so I guess I wasn't worried about breaking the snare but somehow ripping the reso head.

 

 

You'd be amazed how tight you can get a thin snare reso before it breaks. You did get a snare reso head, right?

 

 

I'll put the old reso head back on to make sure I can do it without wrinkles because it didn't have any before. If the old one also has wrinkles then I'll know my procedure for putting it on is messed up.

 

 

I recommend you do not do that. Once a snare reso has been put on and cranked it "forms" to the drum and it's snare beds. If you don't get it on exactly the same way when you put it back you may never get it right again.

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Since you're experimenting anyway. Try this.. Works every time on mine, and can swap heads and get a quick tune in under 10 min..

Around 3 full turns in a star pattern every lug.. Tap each lug for same pitch. If all is good, give the 2 lugs on either side of the snare wires an extra full turn or two.

Works every time, I use the thinnest head I can find, usually Ludwig brand cause they're under 9 bucks local.

Right way.. I dunno, but works, makes my snares sound nice and crunchy, and after ringy is in tune with top head usually, if not I'll tune the top head to ring in tune with the bottom head if that makes sense. Nothings worse than a metal snare ringing 2 different pitches IMO..

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same thing happened to me. they offered me trombone, or some {censored}, and i told them sukkaz to blow, and i picked up some private lessons. i don't think any of those people even play music anymore.

 

 

Too funny. They suggested trumpet for me. When I told my dad, he forbade me to play it cuz he was afraid my cheeks would get too puffed out. I guess pics of Dizzy Gillespie left a bad impression on my dad.

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I recommend you do not do that. Once a snare reso has been put on and cranked it "forms" to the drum and it's snare beds. If you don't get it on
exactly
the same way when you put it back you may never get it right again.

 

 

Good to know. Thanks!

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I figured out my problem was the reso head was too loose (kinda obvious after the fact :p ). I have a Drum Dial and measured the reso head and it was 70 or so. The DD manual suggested reso head for a snare in the 80-85 range so I tightened it to around the 80 range and lo and behold, the wrinkles went away. I then tuned the heads by tapping by the lug nuts with the rubber eraser end of a mechanical pencil (read that tip somewhere).

 

Anyway, my reso heads are all installed and the kit is sounding good. Thanks all for the assist!

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