Help with drum heads and snare.

britonk · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 3:00 am Post subject: Help with drum heads and snare.

Hi All,

I have a fairly old 5 piece drum kit. It's a bit worse for wear but the drums themselves are in pretty good nick.

Firstly I want to replace the heads on the 1st and 2nd tom. Can anyone recommend some good ones? I mainly play with silencers on and I suspect this will make the heads last longer so I don't mind spending a bit.

I am still learning so I don't play live at all.

My second question is about my snare. It sounds a bit tinny. I want to reduce this and have more of a punchy kind of sound from it (sorry it's difficult to explain in witting). Is this something I could achieve using a different snare head or different wires?

This will make you laugh but I have improved it a little by putting a thin piece of tissue paper between the wires and the snare head. This stops it being quite so rattley.

If anyone can provide and advice or tips I would be most grateful.

Many thanks in advance,

Brian

5-0 · Growing Guppy Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 41 Location: UK

If you're going to be replacing heads, it's best to try and change the heads on ALL the toms, for an equal sound, otherwise the third tom will sound different to the others. Asking about a good head is a difficult question, really, it depends what sound qualities you're looking for. I personally favour Remo Amabassador's or Pinstripes.

As for the snare, well I'm afraid that issue is a common one with starter kits. (I read your previous post. They're just not very good. However, buying new snare wires and changing the head will certainly improve the sound. The rattling could also be because the wires are loose. Try tightening them up .

I was stuck with a snare like that for two years but now I have a really nice all maple one and the difference is huge. If you think you're really serious about drumming, I would suggest buying a better snare drum at some point in the future.

Hope this helped and didn't sound too patronising Confused

britonk · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:27 am Post subject:

Hi - thanks for your reply - not patronising at all! Smile

As I play with silencers 95% of the time would you say it is worth me replacing all the heads? They are very old and battered I am just wondering if I am going to get much sound difference with the silencers on?

I see what you mean about what sound qualities I am after. I guess I am not going to know until I have had a play with a few.

Think I will try replacing the heads and wires on the snare for now. I may well get a whole new one at some point but I don't think the finances will stretch to it yet. What I meant was should I go for any particular type of heads and wires to attempt to reduce it? I have seen "Hazy" heads and wonder if the surface is different? Also you can get

My seat is Maple so at least it's a start! LOL

Many thanks,

Brian

5-0 · Growing Guppy Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 41 Location: UK

Aaah right...

No I guess with silencers there wouldn't be much difference. I HATE playing with silencers on, except on the bass drum, since that doesn't sound too bad. I managed to just stretch my parents to let me play the snare unsilenced.

"Hazy" heads are basically the heads that go on the resonant side, the side that you don't hit. They are very thin, and responsive. A thicker head (2-ply) would probably reduce ring, and yes, getting better quality snare wires will certainly sound better. I've only ever used Remo Ambassadors, so I can't really help you about specific head choices on the snare. I'm sure someone else here could though.
_________________
Drumming for three years

CB drums kit

CB drums and Mapex hardware, Mapex pedal, Gibraltar 5600 hi-hat stand.

Sonor 3005 14"x5.5" Maple Snare

Cymbals, all Sabian:
XS20 hi-hats, XS20 Rock ride, AAXplosion 16" crash.

Next purchase: 18" AAXplosion crash

britonk · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:26 am Post subject:

I think I have decided on getting Remo heads either ambassador or emperor. I am a bit struck between the two though. I understand the 2ply emperor will provide a deeper sound with less ring? But I read somewhere that they aren't as good as single ply unless you are using amplification. Any truth in that?

Whichever I choose am I OK using the same heads for both the batter head and the resonance head?

Thanks for your help and sorry for the annoying noob questions! Smile

random white person · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:38 am Post subject:

britonk · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:54 am Post subject:

OK your advice on the toms sounds good. I think I will go for the emperor on top and ambassador on the bottom then as I mainly do rock drumming and I read the 2ply makes a better rock noise.

Regarding the snare the nasty rattling noise is definetly something to do with the wires not the drum itself. I've tried tightening them up but they still seem too tinny against the snare head. Maybe I do need to replace them. The snare is made of wood not metal.

Thanks for your reply.

Brian

5-0 · Growing Guppy Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 41 Location: UK

I was getting a nasty buzzing on my snare too, and I always assumed it was the wires, but then I messed around with the batter head a bit and tightened it up a bit, and it went completely. So yeah, try messing with the tuning.
_________________
Drumming for three years

CB drums kit

CB drums and Mapex hardware, Mapex pedal, Gibraltar 5600 hi-hat stand.

Sonor 3005 14"x5.5" Maple Snare

Cymbals, all Sabian:
XS20 hi-hats, XS20 Rock ride, AAXplosion 16" crash.

Next purchase: 18" AAXplosion crash

random white person · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:09 am Post subject:

sbowman128675 · Lion King Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 1072

ive been searching for the best heads for me. and i find Remo pinstripes on the toms, and and Evans Genera on snare.
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MY CURRENT SET UP, SONOR FORCE 3007 IN BLACK MIDNIGHT FADE LIMITED EDITION
SABIAn Cymbals- 17,19" aaxplosion crashes
16" AAX stage crash
16" AA medium crash
14" AAX stage hats
22" AAX metal ride

tylerdrummer · Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 8:58 pm Post subject:

ughh silencers Sad

i used to have to do them on the weekends, and even though i hate them, they do make the heads last sooo much longer.
a good resonant head i seems is cool is having Evans G1's on bottom and G2's on top. i dont know if its like taboo but it sounds pretty fricking good.
snare wires could be the angle of the wires going into the strainer, and makes it sound bad too so id look into that

shiloh · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 2:17 am Post subject:

For what it`s worth, if I was swapping out heads, evans reso`s on the tom btms and evans EQ`s or remo pin stripes batter side. As for the snare evan a metal shelled, you could try Fat cat wires, remo hazy btm or evans 300, and for a nice fat sound evans control/power center or a G2 vented.(both tend to help with that tinny ringing sound)
You will almost always get some unwanted buzzing, that seems to be the nature of the beast, interfering frequancies from one or more of the other drums.
Cheers, Rick
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out in the loft