The Head Thread

[peeder]

OK time to make some noise about what drum heads you prefer, and slam the ones you dislike. Please include your favorite genre, so we know metal from jazz...

Myself I play mostly funk/fusion sorts of styles for fun, and usually fairly straightforward AOR/acoustic things for clients. I've been bouncing between Remo and Evans since the 70's, back when the hydraulic blues came out, and I've also been turned on to Aquarian which I've played for much of this decade. I have Aquarian's Studio X on the DW toms, with the Super Kick II/Resonator on the 20" DW Kick. I have a set of Modern Vintage for that kit I'm going to try sometime. On the Gretsch I recently added it's Evans G2 on the toms and Emad for the 22" Kick. I have mic holes in both front heads. On snares I have lots of odds and ends, Remo Ambassador and Emperor, Aquarian Satin Finish, Evans EC2, Attack, and I'm also going to put some Aquarian Vintages on my vintage snares to see what that does.

Another bone of contention for me is whether you can move heads once they're on a drum. A lot of the drum gurus claim once a head is seated you cannot take it off and re-apply it to the same drum or another drum and still have it sound good. This has not been my experience actually. In fact I can often get a drum sounding very good moving a head from another drum. Now is it as good as possible? Maybe not...but as long as the diameters and bearing edges are more or less compatible, and the head was properly seated to begin with, I don't find anything wrong with economizing (and saving natural resources) and letting yourself try out different combinations.

And similarly I am not one who thinks heads are only good for a few hours of play. In fact I think heads need some time to break in and become fully pliable and resonant. A snare top should be good for 50 and maybe 100 hours of play or more, and tom tops may last a year if not hit often. Resonant heads can last twice as long or more. Kick heads can last somewhere between snare and toms, longer if you use the kickpad protector things.

Which come to think of it, I have been...but I'm not sure I actually like them. I'm using the Aquarian double kickpad but I also got the Danmar metal one to try if I want something really clicky. I think I like the rounder tone of a wood beater on the head itself, even though the kick head will last far less time doing so. I don't think these can be peeled off safely...can they?

OK your turn!

[aroth]

I`m surprised to see so many votes for aquarian. In Norway, most people tend to go for Remo and Evans.... Both wich I like very much. Maybe remo for lighter music and evans for the heavier stuff.

[aroth]

The durability question is individual. My experience as a diverse drummer is that snare heads last longer than tom heads in heavy metal and beyond, while playing rock/pop and lighter demand a fresher snare head in my opinion.

I`m currently rehearsing the debut album for my thrash/black band, and Im experiencing extreme wearing on my tom heads. They lose a lot of the sound after few hours of playing. (evans G2 mostly) Snare sounds fine though..... (remo emperor and CS batter.)

My other kit that I use for all other than heavy sounds fine one year into the remo ambassadors on toms.

-Neze-

[drastic]

Used them all, but always come back to remo in the end. thumbsup

[phaqu]

Remo coated power-stroke 3 for toms top Evans genera bottom
Aquarian ( cant remember ) for snare top on the 14x5 metal snare, but also Evans genera hd dry on the 14x8 coliseum,
Evans genera reso snare bottoms.
Remo clear power-stroke kik batter, Evans EMAD resonant.

Thats what Im using right now, but that could change any time soon.

I really dont have a favorite.

[chrisso]

The answers so far bear out my experience that the head construction is more important than the name printed on it.
For snare drum I prefer a single-ply coated. Evans, Remo and Aquarian all make good alternatives.
On toms I like a single-ply coated or a 2 ply.
Again, most manufacturers sell good ones.
I usually use Evans for everything though.

[PyroDano]

I use a mix of heads for hard rock/metal.
Snare Remo coated reverse dot/Ambassador bottom.
Bass Drum superkick II/ Evans EQII on the front.
Toms Evans G2/Ambassador bottoms
I used to be a diehard pinstripe guy until i played on other peoples kit with different heads,For me i had to tighten them way to tight for the response i need,and with that i would lose the tone i like.
With the mix of these heads i get the response and the tonality i like,Especially the kick.I get tons of comments on my kicks.The EQII is just killer.

[Robert Randolph]

Aquarian. The customer service is unbelievable. They really stand behind their products.

[joeq]

Originally Posted by drastic

Used them all, but always come back to remo in the end. thumbsup

""

[Nu-tra]

I use the new Aquarian Z-100 coated heads on my birch kit and they sound really nice in the studio. Another thing about the Aquarians are the fact that they tune up really easy and the last a little longer than remo Ambassadors. I never liked the tone of evans heads. That's all subjective though.

[ORGANIK]

WHATS UP.
I Use to be hardcore Remo, I think they make great heads but.....the last year or so every remo i bought was not sitting right, or not glued in well, the hoop out of round etc. So i started using evans......

My current set up right now is a custom maple kit........after much trial and error
I am using evans g1's on the reso side of toms and 8-10 " toms get clear evans g plus heads (great heads like ambassadors but a lil stronger) . My 12 and 14 toms get g plus coated.

Kick is A coated Emad on the batter side, with a remo power stroke 3 in front
snare is old school remo ambassadors both sides. Used to have a diplomat on the underside but was way 2 sensitive for recording..

[joeq]

Originally Posted by peeder

OK time to make some noise about what drum heads you prefer, and slam the ones you dislike.

I just re-read this sentence and started to thing about slamming the ones I dislike and realize I don't recall ever 'disliking' a head. Preferring one over the other, all the time, but the only head that ever made me say yuck was one of those Kevlar unbreakables and I don't think that even counts because it wasn't exactly a 'skin' it was more like a 'cloth'.


I would be interested to hear more about disliked heads from anyone. Slam away.

[peeder]

Originally Posted by joeq

I just re-read this sentence and started to thing about slamming the ones I dislike and realize I don't recall ever 'disliking' a head. Preferring one over the other, all the time, but the only head that ever made me say yuck was one of those Kevlar unbreakables and I don't think that even counts because it wasn't exactly a 'skin' it was more like a 'cloth'.


I would be interested to hear more about disliked heads from anyone. Slam away.

One of the great achievements of my childhood was breaking a kevlar snare head!

[joeq]

Originally Posted by peeder

One of the great achievements of my childhood was breaking a kevlar snare head!

wow

I plunged a hot soldering iron through my Kevlar head just because I wanted to. It burned a hole but did not break and kept on playing for years.

How did you manage to break it? by playing??

[peeder]

Originally Posted by joeq

wow

I plunged a hot soldering iron through my Kevlar head just because I wanted to. It burned a hole but did not break and kept on playing for years.

How did you manage to break it? by playing??

Some famous FOH engineers told me years ago I was bar none the hardest hitter they had ever heard. Faders all the way down!

It started to fray and then popped.