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Thread: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

  1. #1

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    Default Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    I am frustrated with tuning this kit so much.

    I use
    Coated Ambassadors(top)
    Clear Ambassadors (bottom)
    for everything

    I am getting horrible overtones out of my 14" floor tom and cant find any sweet spot for tuning it. The 12" is ok, but I'm not really happy.

    I like the tone of the heads, but the tom is giving me overtones stronger than the fundamental pitch.(the pitch of only the top head mostly it seems)
    I have tried tuning the Bottom head a P8, P5, P4, M3 and M2 above, and in unison(bottom a little lower sometimes). I have tried all different tuning ranges with both heads. They are semi new and not too stretched out, What is causing this? I have tried half a dozen heads on them

    I love a warm open sound. I hate rings, powerstrokes, pinstripes, just not my cup of tea.

    Here are some of my ideas:
    Diecast hoops for the bottom head
    clear emperors on bottom or coated emperors top(already tried the suede emperors top)


    I have tuned my brothers Tama Rockstar, my friends DW's Ludwigs, Yamy Stage Customs to sound beautiful. I have a good ear for pitch, and I understand tuning. I hope I'm not crazy


    What could I be doing wrong?
    Gretsch Catalina Jazz
    PDP Woody
    Zildjian A customs

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    try a small piece of moongel

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    I have a Evans G2 Genera on the batter and a Remo clear Ambassador on the bottom of my 14" Catalina Jazz floor tom with the Batter just a little lower than the reso and mine sounds fine. I have it tuned up a little and not just above wrinkle. Not to much ring or overtone with the reso a little tighter than the batter. and I like my drums to ring out some but the Catalina Jazz are really warm sounding drums. My Sonor Safari floor tom sings like the fat lady and I just put a little piece of putty on the side of the batter head to tame it down a little. I think a little piece of moon gel would work for you if the tuneing suggestion doesn't. I wish they still made drums with mufflers in them, even if I did use it, it would be just barely in this type case. I hate muffled sounding drums.
    Ludwig Classic Maple vintage 1980 Silver Sparkle
    Ludwig Classic Maple vintage 1960 Gold Sparkle
    Ludwig Classic Maple vintage 1968 Champagne Sparkle
    Premier Resonators vintage 70's Polychromatic Red
    Slingerland 60's Vintage. Vintage Sky Blue Pearl
    Slingerland 1972 "Avante" Red
    Camco Chanute vintage. 1973 Silver Sparkle
    Gretsch Catalina Jazz. Blue Pearl
    Sonor Safari. Black Galaxy
    Rogers Londoner V vintage. 1977 Silver Mist
    Rogers Script Badge 9/72 1972 Black Nitro
    Beverley of England 4 piece vintage. Red
    Stewart 1966 Black Diamond Pearl MIJ
    Vintage Paiste 2002
    Vintage Avedis Zildjian

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    Its not your heads (dude you've tried many). Did you check if the drum is in-round, or the hoop(s) are flat and OK? New kit, or older and used?

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    I bought it new for a killer deal a year ago. I have moongels, it doesnt really make me happy. I'm gonna check my hoops and shells to see if they are ok.

    I did notice less bad overtones with my black emperors.

    I love a open sound with nice sustain, I just can't take when I have the overtones sustain and the fundamental pitch die. Its not like wobbly poorly tuned overtones, its just like a second pitch ringing louder once the attack dies.
    Gretsch Catalina Jazz
    PDP Woody
    Zildjian A customs

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    hmmm...don't all drums sort of have that?

    all the best...

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    Are you sure it is not your 12" tom resonating also when you hit your 14" ?
    Put your hand on each side of your 12" to muffle it when you hit your 14" ?
    Did you try my tuneing suggestion? The lower your reso head is than the batter head the more it is going to have a overtone.
    Maybe what you consider to much ring is quite acceptable to others?
    I don't know. I do remember my floor tom being a little harder to get sounding good than the others but not problematic. It was that I had to tune up my reso head up some to get rid of the excess ringing/overtones.
    Ludwig Classic Maple vintage 1980 Silver Sparkle
    Ludwig Classic Maple vintage 1960 Gold Sparkle
    Ludwig Classic Maple vintage 1968 Champagne Sparkle
    Premier Resonators vintage 70's Polychromatic Red
    Slingerland 60's Vintage. Vintage Sky Blue Pearl
    Slingerland 1972 "Avante" Red
    Camco Chanute vintage. 1973 Silver Sparkle
    Gretsch Catalina Jazz. Blue Pearl
    Sonor Safari. Black Galaxy
    Rogers Londoner V vintage. 1977 Silver Mist
    Rogers Script Badge 9/72 1972 Black Nitro
    Beverley of England 4 piece vintage. Red
    Stewart 1966 Black Diamond Pearl MIJ
    Vintage Paiste 2002
    Vintage Avedis Zildjian

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    I have this kit as well, and the FT is the least satisfying part, though they sound awesome overall!

    I, like you, love a wide open sound. I arrived at a sound on this FT that I like much better now. When it was time to change heads, I took the Evans Coated G1 off the top and put it on the reso, and replaced the batter with an Evans Coated G2. They are tuned at about 66 - 68 batter / 70 reso on the Drum Dial. The sound has plenty of warm sustain and more thud, and is much more "Floor-tommy."
    And the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw. . .

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    I also have this kit, my ft sounds decent. My small tom I removed the reso, tuned it and like it. I have Evans EC2 batters and a hazy reso on the ft and snare. As you already know this is a small jazz kit and you can only milk/expect so much from it. Hope this helps.

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    Quote Originally Posted by VIbes View Post
    I have a Evans G2 Genera on the batter and a Remo clear Ambassador on the bottom of my 14" Catalina Jazz floor tom with the Batter just a little lower than the reso and mine sounds fine. I have it tuned up a little and not just above wrinkle. Not to much ring or overtone with the reso a little tighter than the batter. and I like my drums to ring out some but the Catalina Jazz are really warm sounding drums. My Sonor Safari floor tom sings like the fat lady and I just put a little piece of putty on the side of the batter head to tame it down a little. I think a little piece of moon gel would work for you if the tuneing suggestion doesn't. I wish they still made drums with mufflers in them, even if I did use it, it would be just barely in this type case. I hate muffled sounding drums.
    I hate muffled drums. I don't like moon gels, but I do use them. I like remo's a little better, but I will try that with emperors top instead of the G2. With the 2ply coated over the 1ply clear

    I tried the tuning, it sounds deadish, but its better than what it was.

    Quote Originally Posted by kyle102565 View Post
    try a small piece of moongel
    I't helps a little, but not much of a difference

    Quote Originally Posted by kay-gee View Post
    hmmm...don't all drums sort of have that?

    Yes, I love overtones, but these ring super loud and the fundamental pitch dies, which makes it quite ugly

    all the best...
    Quote Originally Posted by VIbes View Post
    Are you sure it is not your 12" tom resonating also when you hit your 14" ?
    Put your hand on each side of your 12" to muffle it when you hit your 14" ?
    Did you try my tuneing suggestion? The lower your reso head is than the batter head the more it is going to have a overtone.
    Maybe what you consider to much ring is quite acceptable to others?
    I don't know. I do remember my floor tom being a little harder to get sounding good than the others but not problematic. It was that I had to tune up my reso head up some to get rid of the excess ringing/overtones.
    I tried it. Its definitely all the 14". Its not amount of ring, its all dead ring, even my non drummer friends make faces at it. I have had several friends try to tune it

    Quote Originally Posted by =^-..-^= View Post
    I have this kit as well, and the FT is the least satisfying part, though they sound awesome overall!

    I, like you, love a wide open sound. I arrived at a sound on this FT that I like much better now. When it was time to change heads, I took the Evans Coated G1 off the top and put it on the reso, and replaced the batter with an Evans Coated G2. They are tuned at about 66 - 68 batter / 70 reso on the Drum Dial. The sound has plenty of warm sustain and more thud, and is much more "Floor-tommy."
    I'm considering a drum dial. People say its good only if you can't tune cause your ear isn't good, but I think it would be nice to just have some confirmation that there is equal tension. Do you think this will help?

    So you have coated top and bottom?

    Quote Originally Posted by isurf View Post
    I also have this kit, my ft sounds decent. My small tom I removed the reso, tuned it and like it. I have Evans EC2 batters and a hazy reso on the ft and snare. As you already know this is a small jazz kit and you can only milk/expect so much from it. Hope this helps.
    Yeah, I can't get a happy jazz tuning though. I love the kick, the snare is decent, and the rack tom is ok, but the floor is just killing me
    Gretsch Catalina Jazz
    PDP Woody
    Zildjian A customs

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    Oh boy, I shouldn't have mentioned the Drum Dial - that's a whole different debate / thread. I take a middle road: I am good at tuning, but there have been drums that confounded me, and the DD helped to tame those bad boys. I don't use it all the time, but when I need it, it is indispensible.

    Yes, coated heads on top and bottom btw.
    And the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw. . .

  12. #12

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    Quote Originally Posted by =^-..-^= View Post
    Oh boy, I shouldn't have mentioned the Drum Dial - that's a whole different debate / thread. I take a middle road: I am good at tuning, but there have been drums that confounded me, and the DD helped to tame those bad boys. I don't use it all the time, but when I need it, it is indispensible.

    Yes, coated heads on top and bottom btw.
    Haha, I wont get into that debate. I'm good with most tuning, so I wont rely on it, but I'm gonna try to pick one up soon and see what the magic reading is for the floor tom.

    I'll try the coated/coated. Seems weird to me, but its worth a shot
    Gretsch Catalina Jazz
    PDP Woody
    Zildjian A customs

  13. #13

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    Is your vent plugged up? You said its dead and ringy....
    Also, are you on carpet or hard floor? My ft's sound like poo when on hard floor. In fact dead and ringy is exactly how they sound on hard floor.
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  14. #14

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    Default Re: Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Overtone/tuning problem

    Dampen it. In most cases go buy some new heads. The epoxy that holds the head in can crack or loosen over time or when you might have possibly over-tightened. One time I bought a kevlar marching snare head for about 75 dollars and broke it this way.

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