Hydraulics or Pinstripes

**michiganice91** · 03-28-2007, 03:35 PM

If i want a really dampened studio sound should i buy remo pinstripes...or evans hydraulic heads. I also would like to know if any of u have used the hydraulics and if they are worth putting on an expensive kit? I am considering buying them.

**32ndHeartBeat** · 03-28-2007, 03:48 PM

I've got Remo Pinstripes and trust me they dampened almost more then I wanted to. If you're studio is small and you're getting too much unwanted resonance, I would suggest going with those.

-32

**Musicnut74** · 03-28-2007, 03:48 PM

Well there is a few things to consider... First off what type of music will you be playing? What kind of kit do you have ? The Hydraulics are awesome two ply heads with a layer of oil between the two plys. They definitely are great dampeners. I used them on an old Ludwig Octaplus kit I had and were great for the concert toms. Great for hard rock/classic rock playing. If you want a "fat wet" sound go with the hydraulics as your batters, as for resonant heads, there are alot of choices, but I would stick to a single ply evans. Just my opinion..

Ok now that I saw your kit (SWEET), go with the hydraulics

**michiganice91** · 03-28-2007, 09:30 PM

thanks..yeah i like playing classic rock and 80's metal (gnr type stuff)..but yeah i got ludwig classic maples..thanks musicnut and 32..for resonants..i just have the original ludwig single ply clear standard heads..i dont think ill change em

**32ndHeartBeat** · 03-28-2007, 09:44 PM

No problem bro

**funkymcstain** · 03-29-2007, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by Musicnut74

Well there is a few things to consider... First off what type of music will you be playing? What kind of kit do you have ? The Hydraulics are awesome two ply heads with a layer of oil between the two plys. They definitely are great dampeners. I used them on an old Ludwig Octaplus kit I had and were great for the concert toms. Great for hard rock/classic rock playing. If you want a "fat wet" sound go with the hydraulics as your batters, as for resonant heads, there are alot of choices, but I would stick to a single ply evans. Just my opinion..

Ok now that I saw your kit (SWEET), go with the hydraulics

octaplus....nice. i used to use pinstripes back in the day and personally dont know how i ever dealt with that dead sound. now when i hear it i go eww.
i myself dont like aything thicker than an emperor or evans g2. i think a 2 ply coated would be nice on classic maples. if you want that bonham classic maple sound, go with oldschool black dots.

**michiganice91** · 03-29-2007, 03:47 PM

wuts old school black dots?..i currently do have 2 ply emporor coateds..and ya they sound great..but i may experiment with pinstripes..maybe hydro's will be too dampened :(

**Musicnut74** · 03-29-2007, 04:45 PM

even better Funky, If you really want that "Bonham Sound" Remo coated emperor for the batters, coated ambassadors for ze resonants. Exactly what Bonham used. I use this set up on my classic maples now and loves the sound!!

But I have used the Hydraulics in the past, and was happy with the sound.. (at least it worked for the type of music I was playing at the time)

**funkymcstain** · 03-29-2007, 04:58 PM

hmm, every pic i see of him he has the black dots.

**Musicnut74** · 03-29-2007, 05:01 PM

yup you are right on that one... but in the studio he used coated remos

**michiganice91** · 03-29-2007, 05:05 PM

ahhh...wuts a black dot lol

**vinnysimmo** · 03-30-2007, 05:18 AM

.

That is a black dot up ther. (Dont get too close!)

**Candlelight Chaos** · 03-30-2007, 08:14 AM

I have a Pinstripe head on my snare and it sounds great!
I want to get pinstripes for my my toms and then get a Remo Powerstroke head for my kick.

**funkymcstain** · 03-30-2007, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by michiganice91

ahhh...wuts a black dot lol

remo control sound heads with the black dot in the middle.

**michiganice91** · 03-30-2007, 07:25 PM

thanx...thats what i thought it was...but wont those be really overtoned...?

**davewilson** · 10-28-2009, 10:36 AM

I realize this is an ancient thread but perhaps someone will actually read it and gain something from it. I've experimented quite a bit with hydraulics and found that many of the "conventional" schools of thought regarding thicker or "tone controlled" resonant heads when used with heavy batters are not always correct.
Steve Gadd and many others did similar experiments and found some of the same things I did... I mean it wasn't long ago that we all thought a thick, tone controlled resonant head would totally choke a drum, and now Evans 10mil EC reso heads are proving that wrong as well. I've also noticed a large number of drummers have discovered the magic of using G2's or Emperors on both ends of their floor toms ( I am one of those).
Running into this thread reminded me of some of the fun I used to have with hydraulics so I dug through my junk and came up with a ten year old 12" hydraulic... mounted it up on my Gretsch Renown tom with a G1 on reso... and then with a G2... Surprise! I got a VERY noticeable increase in both sustain and tone ( although much deeper) with the G2 underneath. And the harder I hit it, the better it sounds. I tuned both heads to the first clear highly resonant note.
I've been using G2's over G1's (or Emperors over Ambassadors) for so long I had forgotten what a trip these heads were... I got so excited about it I immediately ordered a set of Hydraulics for my Gretsch kit. I'll post an update as soon as everything is mounted up and tuned.
Keep in mind... we're talking about highly resonant maple shells here, so I can't speak for mahogany, ash, basswood, etc.
__________________

Imperialstar · 10-28-2009, 11:15 AM

My kit had some blue hydros on it when I bought it. The problem is, a 1980's imperialstar was already built for the sound du jour. That is, punchy, warm but without a lot of bright overtones. Putting hydros on them didn't choke them per se, but it made them incredibly staccato and mute. In my case, they were just too thuddy. Pinstripes, OTOH gave me a deep punch and powerful warmth. They were much more of a compliment overall. I am moving to clear two ply for my 6/8/10 toms because they are meant to have more "bark" and not be pre-muted. So unless you have a really bright, resonant shell that you want to tame down I would steer clear of hydros. And incidentally, pinstripes (except for ebony) are thinner and less muting than back in the 80's. ps/3's and ec1's are darker and more muting than pins.

**Russ** · 10-31-2009, 11:40 PM

remo cs over ambassador FTW

Imperialstar · 11-01-2009, 07:12 AM

They hydros are far most "studio" now than pins are. (oddly hydros have better stick response). For super-duper deep/focused and ZERO overtones the aquarian performance 2 are far more studio.

**Northern Redneck** · 11-01-2009, 10:20 AM

MY advice would be to use an Emporer and some studio rings. You can always dampen down a head but you cant open up a pre-dampened head.

Imperialstar · 11-01-2009, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Northern Redneck

MY advice would be to use an Emporer and some studio rings. You can always dampen down a head but you cant open up a pre-dampened head.

Yup, because overdamped can get old, reaaal fast.

**Russ** · 11-02-2009, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Imperialstar

They hydros are far most "studio" now than pins are. (oddly hydros have better stick response). For super-duper deep/focused and ZERO overtones the aquarian performance 2 are far more studio.

i KNEW there was a place in your heart for these heads

Imperialstar · 11-02-2009, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by Russ

i KNEW there was a place in your heart for these heads

Yeah...when I get sick of sustain, volume and tone, I'll use them

**Russ** · 11-02-2009, 10:03 PM

ill bet they would be good for drum mutes a la drum conversion projects?

**rsshortstack22** · 11-02-2009, 10:13 PM

My main fear when using the hydraulics, is them popping and getting the oil on my drums.

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