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Thread: 18 inch Bass drum Head Choice?

  1. #1

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    Default 18 inch Bass drum Head Choice?

    I just got a Taye Studio Maple 18 inch kick drum, to save a little space at gigs and in lugging around a 22 inch kick. I play mostly rock and R&B, not jazz. Any non-jazz 18 inch users out there? What heads are you using? I know its a smaller drum, but I'd like to get as deep a sound as possible.... any batter head recommendations? It came with a Fiberskyn Batter and stock reso. Thanks.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: 18 inch Bass drum Head Choice?

    put an e-mad w/foam mufflers on my 18 with a kick port on stock reso. WOW! nite & day

  3. #3

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    Default Re: 18 inch Bass drum Head Choice?

    Aquarian super kick II comes to mind

    i just dont think you will get a big rock sound out of a 18" head ...considered triggers?

  4. #4

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    I downsized from a 22 to 20. I had a SKII batter on the 22 and liked it. But I didn't care for it on the 20. Switched to a Remo PS3. Slapped in a KickPort and a SMALL pillow and I am happy with the sound. You might try a PS3 or a SKI for the smaller kick.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: 18 inch Bass drum Head Choice?

    EMAD2 is great. Especially with a bass drum riser. Better for the kick pedal (normal height) and umphhhh. You may have trouble with bass drum spur length though. Also with a riser, you may have trouble with certain pedals too.

    Last edited by Olimpass; 04-30-2011 at 10:09 AM.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: 18 inch Bass drum Head Choice?

    I played an 18" kick for over 25 years, mostly original prog rock and 80's covers. Every sound man always first frowned at my kick, and then raised eyebrows once I started to play. You can get a great , and I mean great, low "thud" out of an 18", just don't expect a more jazzy "boom".
    I used mostly Remo Pinstripes on the batter with a coated or black Ambassador on the reso side with a port for mic'ing. Kick-ports were not out when I had that kick, but I use one now on my 22 and love love love it. I had a very thin dish towel inside with just a slight contact with the batter head, not touching the reso. Didn't throw acoustically the way a bigger drum will, but it always sounded great mic'd, whether in a studio or a club. Very controlled sound with an 18. I miss the feel of the smaller head against the beater, too.
    I am totally going with a 20 on my next kit to get the best of both worlds.
    Good luck and let us know your decision.
    Proudly playing:
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    I think I love to play the drums simply because you get to hit 'em!!!

  7. #7

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    Default Re: 18 inch Bass drum Head Choice?

    Yeah all I play are 20" kicks and occasionally an 18". Just the occasional dampening with a small pillow touching lightly or tight against each head, low in profile.... live and studio engineers love the sound I get out of them. The 20"s use an Evans EQ2 clear batter, with Remo black or Fiberskyn resonant front head, small sound hole cut in. And the 18" has an Evans EQ2 or G2 clear, depending whether I'm tuning it for rock (EQ2) or jazz (G2).
    "...it's the Paradigm Of The Cosmos!" Stewart Copeland on Youtube

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  8. #8

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    Default Re: 18 inch Bass drum Head Choice?

    I ended up going with an Aquarian Performance II batter (it was pretty cheap) and put a Remo Fiberskyn reso. The latter head came with the drum. I also took the spare foam ring from an EMAD I had and attached to inside of the Aquarian, to simulate a Superkick (i.e. focus and just a little batter dampening). Works fine, low, no nasty overtones, and quite resonant. Not sure if I will burn a 4 inch port in the reso.....some people like that to 'move air' ?

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