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Thread: Head suggestions?

  1. #1

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    Default Head suggestions?

    I bought a used Mapex armory a few months ago. It came with Remo UT heads which I decided to play until they're worn out. Well, the time has come and I need new heads.

    I have 9x10 and 10x12 inch toms, 14x14 and 16x16 floor toms, a 22 kick and a 14x5 snare. Also, I would prefer getting Evans heads because I'm signed up for their rewards program but that's not set in stone.

    Thanks!
    I don't put a face on God. So he would probably look like Jimi Hendrix.
    - Chad Smith
    Everyone's screwed up in their own special way.
    Joey Ramone

  2. #2

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    I've been messing around with different heads for the last couple of years. Right now I have Remo Ebony Ambassadors over Evans G1's. They sound fine. When my "experimenting" with different heads is over, I'm going back to Evans G1's over G2's or Evans EC2 Frosted over either G1's or G2's. All of them have a wide tuning range, so you should be able to get the sound you want.

  3. #3

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    I use G2 clears on my toms with G1 clears on the resonant side and have used both the Heavyweight and the HD Dry for the snare. The G2s are a pretty common standard for rock, tune up well and sound good with no additional muffling. The Heavyweight snare head is a decent head but thick, so you lose a lot of tone and nuance. If you aren't a particularly heavy hitter I would recommend a G2 coated for the snare.

    Edit: Forgot about the kick. I use EMAD II batter and EQ3 reso.
    Last edited by SuperFortress; 05-24-2017 at 06:48 AM.

  4. #4

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    Coated G2's over EC Resonants work really well for me. Snare-EC1 Reverse Dot. Kick-EMAD Clear. It's an expensive proposition but you should experiment and see what works best for you.

  5. #5

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    My heads are clear EC2's / EC resos and love the sound on my toms. My snare is EC with reverse dot/ Hazy 300.

  6. #6

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    I have G2'S on most my kits. It's my pretty much go to head to start off with. So much range.

  7. #7

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    I agree with you Zack it is a pretty norm set of heads to use. Most new kits come with 1 ply over 1 ply and from there you experiment with different heads. Which normally comes to 2 ply over 1 ply. No matter which manufacturer you use which is your choice mine has always been Evans.

  8. #8

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    I have EC2's over G1 on my toms, Genera Coated over Genera resonate on my snare, and EMAD on my kick.
    Six Piece Mapex Saturn V, Five Piece DW Performance Series, NOS Slingerland Snares, Centent Ardor and Emperor Cymbals


  9. #9

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    A 2-ply batter and a single ply reso is the choice of most drummers here and most drummers I know.
    Remo, Evans and Aquarian all provide these options in quality form.
    The preference here appears to be Evans, which I have not used since the 80s so clearly I'm not well-informed with that line.
    Over the most recent five years I have used both Remo and Aquarian.

    Last weekend I spent 6 hours cleaning shells inside and out...........and putting on new heads.
    I chose the Aquarian Super 2 for the batter and the Classic Clear for the reso on the toms.
    My bass got a new Super Kick 10 for the batter..........................Aquarian is my current preference.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  10. #10

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    Clear G2's are a fantastic and versatile head. IMO, probably the best choice (in Evans) for a gigging drummer that's subject to changing situations. Loose, tight, wide open, muffled with rings or gel......you can always adapt and get them to fit the situation.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  11. #11

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    Depends a little on the style of music you play. Jazzier focus I'd go with Ambassador or G1 over clear Amb or G1. Rock and general playing, go with G2 or Emperor over G1 or Amb. Those will get you a little longer useful life as well. Clear or coated? Coated give a little less stick attack so sound a bit warmer if that's the sound you want.

  12. #12

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    I'll throw in my $0.02 and echo what others have said, Evans G2 clear batters over G1 clear resos. I have tried a large variety of other Evans and Remo heads on both my former DW Collectors Maple kit, and my current DW Collectors Cherry kit (10", 12" tom toms, 14", 16" and 18" floor toms), but I keep coming back to the G2s over G1s. The only anomaly I have experienced is that to get the same type of resonance out of the 10" Cherry tom tom as the other toms, I have to use a G1 batter instead the G2, so a G1 over a G1. I've been using Evans EC1 Reverse Dot batter heads (pretty unusual, it seems, not only for sound, but they look really unusual on a snare drum) on my snares (DW SuperSolid Cherry/Red Oak 14"x5" and a DW Sabian Vault Edge 14"x6") with the stock reso heads (I've been using my Ludwig Black Beauty Supersensitive with a mesh head for low volume practice), and on the 22"x16" Cherry bass drum, I'm using a stock DW reso (white coated; I've found the smooth white, while it looks cooler, sounds more 'plastic' ) and an Evans EQ3 clear batter head.
    Last edited by cabasner; 05-26-2017 at 08:08 PM. Reason: I originally wrote EC Reverse Dot heads for my snares, meant EC1, and some general expansion of info.
    Now, just a tiny bit less than an absolute drum newbie
    DW Collectors Cherry kit, Ludwig Black Beauty Snare, DW SuperSolid Oak/Cherry Snare, DW Sabian Vault Edge Snare

  13. #13

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    did my usual thing and didn't read everyone else comments, just have a think about what you want, go from the descriptions of the sounds ..like dry, wet, boomy, focused, open, warm and dark

    go with a sound you like and the feel/responce from the heads never stick to one brand unless they are paying you or you genuinely like the sound ( i use a combination of Remo and Evans heads , i have also in the past used Aquarian heads) i play more than most people so i need to change the heads regularly. I have a good idea what works with my particular playing style and the bands i work with ..this will not be the same for you

    this is one thing i cannot spam enough ...do not go with logos and brands.. go out and play lots of kits and lots of different setups different tunings and then make a decision

  14. #14

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    but if you must know what im using

    Kick Bat : evans E-mad heavyweight
    Kick Res : Remo Ebony powerstroke 3 resonant head
    snare Bat : ambassador coated
    snare Res : evans snare side 300
    toms Bat : remo coated emperors
    toms Res : remo clear ambassadors

    setup on
    Yamaha recording custom - Birch
    Mapex Orion -Maple and Saturn - Maple/Walnut
    Last edited by itchie; 05-24-2017 at 10:15 PM.

  15. #15

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    I think a good point was brought up. There's no rules that say you need to stick with one brand or even one style. (If your OCD, this is not recommended).

    On my 2 small gig kits (10up/13dwn) I use a coated Ambassador batter and clear Ambassador reso on the small "up" tom. However, I use a coated Emp batter and EC reso head. This combo seems to balance out the sound more. It gives me more resonance from the small 10" up tom (which it naturally lacks due to size) and makes the 13" FT sound deeper and punchier....more like a full size FT.
    Even on my full size kits, I use either an EC Reso or a 2ply reso head on the FT.
    I prefer the sound of Remo coated heads over Evans, however, on some of my old shells the Evans 360 design fits and tunes much better.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  16. #16

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    Snare and tom head options have been covered. For kick, a lot will recommend the EMAD system but I'm old school and prefer punch versus boom. This head is what I have used for years now muffled with a DW pillow on my 16x22 Ludwig classic maple kick; it feels great, has great response and it sounds killer through mics.

  17. #17

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    Thanks for all the help! I'll try out the G2s. I agree with not sticking to one brand, but Evans has good rewards program that I'm already signed up with.
    I don't put a face on God. So he would probably look like Jimi Hendrix.
    - Chad Smith
    Everyone's screwed up in their own special way.
    Joey Ramone

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by cabasner View Post
    The only anomaly I have experienced is that to get the same type of resonance out of the 10" Cherry tom tom as the other toms, I have to use a G1 batter instead the G2, so a G1 over a G1.
    Same here. I use G1 over G1 on my 8" and 10".

  19. #19

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    Just replaced the heads on one of my kits with the Evans UV1 coated heads.....................not really digging them yet, but the guys at rehearsal said they sounded fine.

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