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Thread: My experience with new Evans EC2 SST 360

  1. #1

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    Default My experience with new Evans EC2 SST 360

    Thought I would post my experiences with these new Evans "360" design EC2 heads and see if others had similar experiences.
    First, I'm a novice when it comes to drum tuning, but I have tuned several sets of heads. Im also somewhat of a perfectionist. For me, just good is not good enough. I want to get a $1500 Maple sound from a $500 Mahogany/Birch drum kit.....which ain't gonna happen. My Premier XPK set is far from new or perfect. The bearing edges are in very nice shape, but there are a few minor imperfections. Also, the shells are not perfect, but they are within .005" of being flat and within 1/16" of being round. All-in-all, I'd say my experience and drum set exemplifies the "average Joe Drummer" with the typical mid-level kit in used but good condition. So.....

    I left the new Ambassador reso heads on my drums and just removed the 2 month old clear Pinstripe batter heads. I wiped the bearing edges and under side of the new Ec2 heads to make sure they were clean. I installed all the lugs finger tight and went through the whole pre-stretch routine. I tightened them up in 1/4 turn increments to the same approximate tension as the old head was. I have my toms tuned in 3rds and 5ths, so I replaced only 1 head at a time. That way, I still had the other 3 toms to use as a reference.
    Compared to the Pinstripes, I actually found these new EC2 360 heads HARDER to tune. The SST edge control does work....so well that I had a much harder time listening to the overtones while trying to tune match each individual lug. I finally figured out that if I tap the head directly on the EC ring at the edge ( as opposed to 1 or 2 inches away from the edge) I was able to differentiate the tones much easier. I also found these new heads much more sensitive to very minor lug adjustments than the Pinstripes. I was able to get the same basic tone and sound, at the same approximate tension, as the Pinstripes.....it just 3x as much time to get them there.
    As for the sound, they do have a VERY similar sound to the Pinstripes, with the exception of a much more controlled sustain and less overtones. They sound almost identical to the Pinstripes with one slice of Moongel, LOL. I really like the sound and I'm very pleased with the results. I got lots of complements Saturday night on how great my drums sounded. But....WOW, it took a lot of work to get them dialed in. I think they are great sounding heads, the best I've had, but I have also developed new fondness for the old school Pinstripes....especially with the invention of Moongel.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  2. #2

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    Default Re: My experience with new Evans EC2 SST 360

    I use the Evans EC2 heads for all my toms and I found that using a Tune-Bot helps a great deal. I have all my settings pre-programmed into it and I can seat and tune a new head within a couple minutes.

  3. #3
    Larrysperf Guest

    Default Re: My experience with new Evans EC2 SST 360

    Ive used Ec2 for couple years now and Have never had a problem with them Tune very easy and love them. IMHO 1 of the best heads I have ever used. My snare I use a Ludwig Med head.Bas I use Emad. Nuff said

  4. #4

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    Default Re: My experience with new Evans EC2 SST 360

    I too switched to Evans 360's. Tuned up real nice. Then, I saw that I had put the heads on upside down. :(
    "The chances of being attacked and killed by a terrorist are less than the chances of being attacked and killed by your own heart"
    Carrying the message to Garcia. Today and everyday.
    Temple Beth Snare Buzz-Head Rabbi

  5. #5

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    Default Re: My experience with new Evans EC2 SST 360

    Nice write up N2Bluz. I use both the clear Pins/clear Ambass reso and EC2 clear SST/clear G1 reso on two separate kits. I found that the EC2 had more sustain than the clear Pins and the EC2 heads felt like it had more rebound than the clear Pins. Did you find that the EC2 had more 'life' or rebound? Thanks!

  6. #6

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    Default Re: My experience with new Evans EC2 SST 360

    Quote Originally Posted by Larrysperf View Post
    Ive used Ec2 for couple years now and Have never had a problem with them Tune very easy and love them. IMHO 1 of the best heads I have ever used. My snare I use a Ludwig Med head.Bas I use Emad. Nuff said
    I'm guessing you probably have much better shells than I have and a lot more experience with tuning. I think my biggest issue was trying to target the exact pitch to fit in with the other drums. I'll get better the more I do it (hopefully).

    Quote Originally Posted by late8 View Post
    Nice write up N2Bluz. I use both the clear Pins/clear Ambass reso and EC2 clear SST/clear G1 reso on two separate kits. I found that the EC2 had more sustain than the clear Pins and the EC2 heads felt like it had more rebound than the clear Pins. Did you find that the EC2 had more 'life' or rebound? Thanks!
    Actually, just the opposite, LOL. I like the heads cranked fairly tight for lively stick action. When I had the Pins, they had a ton of sustain and a very deep, mellow ring. I have the EC2's tuned to the exact same pitch that the Pinstripes were and the sustain is greatly reduced. Like I said, they sound almost identical to the Pins when they (the Pins) had one slice of Moongel on each head. The stick action feels about the same between the two.
    When you compared the Pins and EC2's, were they on the same depth shells?
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  7. #7

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    Default Re: My experience with new Evans EC2 SST 360

    Quote Originally Posted by N2Bluz View Post
    When you compared the Pins and EC2's, were they on the same depth shells?
    Come to think of it, no. The Pins are on 9x12" 9x13" 15x16" floor toms. The clear EC2s are on 9x10" 9x12" 16x16" floor tom. Good point!
    Last edited by late8; 08-28-2013 at 02:09 PM.

  8. #8
    Larrysperf Guest

    Default Re: My experience with new Evans EC2 SST 360

    Totally agree tuning takes practice and we all hear different . I tune my Heads just up from wrinkle if you press on them with your hand they will wrinkle . I like low sounding drums and tune that way. Its all in what you like

  9. #9

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    Default Re: My experience with new Evans EC2 SST 360

    I like 'em fairly tight. If I push in center of the drum, I can only get about 1/16" to 3/32" deflection. I tried tuning the reso heads tighter than the batters, but just like the Pinstripes, it sounded terrible and I could not find a sweet spot. It seems if I tune the reso heads just slightly looser than the batter, I can eliminate all the nasty overtones and the ring of the sustain remains true to the pitch. Not sure if its just these old XPK shells or my lack of experience. Regardless, they are sounding awesome now with the EC2 heads...and I don't have to use any Moongel.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

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