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Thread: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

  1. #1

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    Question How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    my ambassador snare head is about a month old maybe a month and 1/2. it has alot of markings and the coating is barely coming off in the very center. i crank my snare batter pretty far. that adds to the wear and tear too. everytime i tune low though, i get this weird uneven sound when fully in tune. i hit fairly hard also. its time for a change right? im planing on an emperor x for the durablility and ability to be tuned high. any of you guys like me that crank your snares? if so, what heads are you using? thanks guys.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    A month old? Don't even think about it brother.
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  3. #3

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    I use the Emperor X and i love it tuned up high. Also, i change heads whenever my coated heads become clear, if i hear a significant lack of tone, or just if i wanna try a different knda head out. But i agree that if the head is a month old, you can get at least another couple months out of it.
    Last edited by tah821; 04-01-2011 at 10:58 PM.
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  4. #4

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    When you cannot get them into tune. If you take it off the drum and it's got a huge pocket in the middle from wear, it's time to switch. Chances are you aren't even close.

  5. #5
    ThePloughman Guest

    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Ive got a pre pie Remo Ambassador coated on a 1963 Rogers Powertone......... that was there when I got the drum in 03. I wouldnt even begin to THINK about changing it. This drum gets a lot of play. Both with sticks and brushes, and is one of my favorite drums to pound. I think it is at least ten years old.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Take the head off the drum. If it's distended in any big area, it's time. If it's just pitted, but flat, you can wait. I always have a brand new head in the wings in case of emergency. You can split a head or pull it from the collar a lot easier than you can wear it out.

  7. #7

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Cool new avatar Shane!

    I agree with the others that your head still has life in it, but if you really just want to try something else out, that's OK too.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  8. #8

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    I agree with all it's too early to change heads yet. I have replaced heads frequently because I was looking for that sound. Now that I have found it with 2 plies it will stay on the drums for at least a year or more depending on how fast they wear out. I play basically solo in my studio and I had the original Ambassador heads for 4 years before I changed them and then I gave them away to a newbie drummer 1 year ago and he is still playing on them. So it hard to say when to change the heads. Each drummer is different.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    Cool new avatar Shane!
    It's the picture that accompanies the first use of the word "nerd". Dr. Suess in 1950.

  10. #10

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    A month seems too early to be worn out...but it could be. How often do you play? You said you hit hard so that will wear it out too. If you can't get it in tune low than it's probably too worn out for that tuning after being tuned so high.

    If you need to tune lower I'd get a new head. If you're going to keep it tuned high then keep this head.

    I'm getting into a cycle of replacing tom batter heads every six month and reso heads once a year. Snare head I'm replacing every few months.

    New heads sound good.

  11. #11

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    when it sounds dry and dull @ about 30-40 hours of play time for me

  12. #12

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    i crank my snare head pretty tight, i use a remo black suede. it give the snare a lot darker tone, it loses a littttttle bit of sensativity, but if ur a hard hitter you wont notice, still cuts thru really well. and yea, usually when the coat starts coming off its time to replace, imo
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  13. #13

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Honestly, as long as the head can hold its tuning fairly well it is still worth using. Unless you are touring and playing huge venues, its not worth the cost of replacing heads every month. Also, luglocks can help with heads detuning, maybe prolong the life of them even a little bit?
    Gretsch - Tama - Pearl - Sabian - Zildjian - Stagg - Evans - Vater - Gibraltar

  14. #14

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    Talking Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    When they go pith,pith like a paper bag.Or when you are contemplating marriage.
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  15. #15

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    I recently started trying out a coated powerstroke 3 with a clear topside dot. You can crank it and bring it back down with the built in underlay which helps to combat overtones. Ambassadors have worked for me in the past, as have Controlled Sound (still probably my favorite snare head to be honest). All of those heads should be able to be cranked. If you're having problems with weird noises. I'd say it's probably something to do with the reso head. I'd play around with that.

    The only two constants I have are DW and Zildjian.

  16. #16

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Reso head should last the life of the drum. Change the batter when a) broken or b) when just really dead and uninspiring sounding.

    all the best...

  17. #17

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Quote Originally Posted by kay-gee View Post
    Reso head should last the life of the drum. Change the batter when a) broken or b) when just really dead and uninspiring sounding.

    all the best...
    Never. Replace the reso at least every 3rd or 4th time you change the batter. Reso heads wear out from the vibration.

  18. #18

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Quote Originally Posted by marko138 View Post
    Never. Replace the reso at least every 3rd or 4th time you change the batter. Reso heads wear out from the vibration.
    Agreed. I replace the resos after 50 or so 4 hour gigs.

  19. #19

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Not to mention if your resos are even mildly tight the long time spent there WILL warp the material.

    Shoulda seen the reso on my snare when I took it off. The thing was so stretched out that getting ANY kind of tone on it meant cranking the hoop so far down it was LOWER than the bearing edge. :P

  20. #20

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    You should definitely be able to get several more months of life out of that head. I've had my coated Evans G2's on my toms for well over a year and the coating is barely beginning to wear. Snares get hit more than toms so they will not last quite as long, but still several months.
    Matt

  21. #21

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    I would switch out my heads once I can no longer get a decent sound out of them, which for me was about 10 months ago so my drums really need some new heads lol...
    - Zack

  22. #22

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Quote Originally Posted by yohin View Post
    You should definitely be able to get several more months of life out of that head. I've had my coated Evans G2's on my toms for well over a year and the coating is barely beginning to wear. Snares get hit more than toms so they will not last quite as long, but still several months.
    Truth be told: all my EC2s got dents in them the first day I got 'em. They haven't gotten worse, but MAN did they get kinda messed up.

  23. #23

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    Quote Originally Posted by SomeGuyDude View Post
    Truth be told: all my EC2s got dents in them the first day I got 'em. They haven't gotten worse, but MAN did they get kinda messed up.
    I've got a couple dimples in mine too...got them at the first gig with them.

  24. #24

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    I'd say don't spend the money until you must. The head will stretch quite a bit, but once you cant tune it then replace it. Bottom heads dont have to replaced that often, just when you feel the need to.

    Another rule of thumb is replace it if it breaks I recently split my genera dry and could not get it tuned even though it was a small tear. So I currently have a 14" Evans hydrualic tom head on my snare. just have to experiment sometimes. sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt.
    -Steven

  25. #25

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    Default Re: How do you know when your heads need replaced?

    I'd say don't replace the snare head unless you can't do a decent press roll or the outer edges lose sensitivity where they used to have it.

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