I got my first drum set a Pearl Sound check, I wanted to get a new head for my snare, should i also get a new bottom head or can i still use the stock bottoms and still get a decent sound from it. Thanks for any input.
I got my first drum set a Pearl Sound check, I wanted to get a new head for my snare, should i also get a new bottom head or can i still use the stock bottoms and still get a decent sound from it. Thanks for any input.
My opinion is yes. I used a stock bottom for quite a while, and it was fine. It is really going to depend on the condition though. If it is in good shape, I say you are fine. Of course, if you can afford a new one, go for it.
Kit: Pacific LX 8-Ply - Maple shells in deep blue lacquer * DDrum 13 X 6.5" Golf Ball Snare
Cymbals: 21" AAX Raw Bell Dry Ride * 20" Paragon Crash * Zildjian 20" Custom Ozone Crash * 18" XS20 Medium Thin Crash * 14" AAX-Celerator Hi-Hats * 10" AAX Splash
Misc: Vater 2-4-5-1 Hickory Sticks * DW 7000 Pedal * Evans Heads * SP Cymbal Stands * PDP 900 Hi-Hat and Snare Stand * Gibralter Throne
+1. If the drums is a few years old and you've never changed either of the heads, then I would say change both. If it's not that old and you just want to get a better sound, then you can get away with just changing the batter head. Don't forget about the resonant head, though. You'll definitely want to go back and change that at some point.
Cymbals
14" AA Fusion Hats | 8" Max Splash | 10" HHX Evolution Splash | 16" AA Bright Crash | 21" AA Raw Bell Dry Ride | 18" APX Crash | 14" Wuhan China
Tama Hyperdrive 5 Piece Kit
Ludwig Black Galaxy Acrolite 5x14" Snare
Tama Iron Cobra Jr. single bass pedal
Four Of Spades Facebook Page
Want advice on upgrading your cymbals?
Click here!
Thanks for the input, the snare drum is brand new the stock head doesn't sound good to me i will get the batter head first and see how thats sounds.
The batter head is by far the most important of the 2 heads as you already know. The reso side has a minimal total affect on sound. There is a difference, but unless you have dog ears, you won't be able to detect much of a difference.
Custom Classic Pro Maple 6
8",10",12",13" Mounted Toms
(2)14",16" Floor Toms
22" x 18" Kick
6",8",10" Roto Toms
14" x 6.5" Mapex Black Panther Snare
13" x 3" Pearl Piccolo Snare
Sabian: 13" Paragon Hats
14" HH X Hats
22" Paragon Ride
(2) 16" Paragon Crashes
20" Paragon Crash
18" Paragon Crash
20" Paragon Small Flange China
19" Paragon China
Wuhan:20"with gingles
8",10" Splash
Roc N Soc Lunar
DW 8002B Pedals
Tambourine
Cowbell
Sabian Squad
C C Militia
Hey man welcome to DC! We have the same kit as well! If i may chime in, i use a Remo Emperor X on the stock snare, tuned medium high, and i love the sound.
Pearl-Zildjian-Evans-Vater
I go to my local drum shop and purchase my sticks. I like to touch them before I buy them ;-)
-TxDrummer
My parents just get mad when i crash the ride. Thats true for cars and cymbals
-jordison515
My Band:
http://www.facebook.com/ArviaMusic
Record for Most Users Online
http://www.drumchat.com/showthread.p...ers-12079.html
"A man can NEVER have too many cymbals"
Proudly Playing
Sonor Force 3007 Stage One Piano Black 22X17.5 kick, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 16" toms
Pork Pie Big Black Snare
Vater Sticks/Brushes
Remo Vintage Emperor, Emperor X, and Powerstroke Pro Heads
Paiste Twenty/2002/Signature Cymbals
Sonor/DW/Gibraltar Hardware
Its always late in the game before this gets posted, but...... unless you are going to buy a DIFFERENT head than the one you have, its not going to change anything.
Who makes the head? What is it?
Many makers use Remo Coated Ambassador as a batter. It will be stamped Pearl or Sonor or whatever random drum company built the snare. It might not identify itself as a REMO. But if you go buy a Remo whatever, you got the same head. It is still the same sound, the same everything.
And if you do have a real drumhead on that snare....... changing it isnt going to make it sound good, unless you can make it sound good.
'Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out in your drumming'
MAPEX: Meridian Maple >YAMAHA: rock tour >Pearl Chad smith signature snare >Sabian-Zildjian-Paiste
Yes welcome to the forum, and as stated the stock reso should work for now. If able to in the future get a new reso to is will improve the sound. Jmo.
I found a snare head Aquarian Focus-X Snare Drumhead I was told by a friend that Aquarian makes good head. Any thoughts?
How much playing time is on the original head.
How and who tuned the drum out of the box.
What tuning has been done with it since you started.
How exactly is it tuned now.
How about we try to make it sound good first?
Loosen all the lugs.
Now, facing the drum.... Sit the drum flat on a table, with the strainer throw off facing you, and start at one of the lugs 90degrees away from your strainer, tighten it with your fingers till the lug top just touches the hoop. Go directly across teh drum, tighten that one. Just finger tight, no more. Now, working to the right, do the next lug, up to finger tight, then go directly across the drum and do that one. Go to the right again, and do that lug.... across the drum to the next, then to the right, and across the drum again. Do this until you have all eight lugs finger tight. Take a look at your drum...... you should see the hoop sitting relatively level with the top bearing edge under the head. That space between the head and the top of the hoop,... should look to be the same all the way around the drum. This means the head is level with the bearing edge.
Now, same starting point, at the strainer throw off lug....Make one half turn with your drum key and stop. Go directly across the drum, make one half turn and stop. Go to the first lug on the right, make one half turn and stop. Go directly across the drum, and repreat this criss crossing process till you have completed three trips around the drum. This will have put One and a half full turns on top. Try the drum, without the snares engaged. You may need to make another trip around the lugs with your drum key, only this time do 1/4 turn, keeping to the same pattern to get around teh drum. If thats not tight enough, do one more. That would complete two full turns above finger tight.
Try the drum out.
Repeat this whole process with the resonant side, with the snare throw off disengaged so the snares are loose. Do two and a half full turns above finger tight in 1/2 turn increments.
Try the drum.
Loosen tension on the snares with the adjustment knob, then Engage the snares, using the lever. With the lever engaged bring snare tension up with the adjustment knob until you have contact with the bottom head. Adjust to sound. Check your lever tension, it shouldnt need force to engage.
Enjoy.
Last edited by ThePloughman; 02-06-2011 at 05:34 PM.
Bookmarks