Anybody Here Running Pinstripe Batters ?

[Ricardo]

In my never-ending search for the best batter-head-match for my old shells, I'm now going to try Pinstripes.

Because many heads won't fit the older Jaspers, I've decided to simply give in and always use clear Ambos as resos..................never a bad choice (agreed ?).
But the batters are still an option --

I've tried everything Aquarian, and I'll admit the Vintage American single-ply are very good....................not great, but very good.
I like the clear Super 2s better but they don't fit well -- and I bought the Focus X line and they don't fit at all.

Since I've had very little trouble with Remo products over the years, I'm back to looking at what they offer.
I've used clear Emp batters more than any other head available from any maker, and while I can get a great tone from them, I'm getting what I think is excessive "click" (attack) using nylon tips on clear heads...........................could be something I will just always have to live with.

So the next (and likely final) option is the Pinstripe coated.................maybe the same great Emp tone without the click ?????

Anyone here with the same experience ?

[MDK]

I use wooden tips mostly but I think I have heard that same click you mentionat times with clear heads in the past. I currently use Emperor coated heads on small toms and a emp. coated vintage on the floor tom Maple kit, and on my birch sonor I am currently running EC2 clears on all toms and I do not have any clicking on either kit no matter which stick I use. I was going to buy clear pinstripes but local store was running a special on ec2 sets at the time so I went that way. They sound very good but the stripping is starting to chip after 10 months of 3-4 x a month gigging. Probably change em out soon.20180401_154516.jpg
20180401_154521.jpg

[Ricardo]

OK -- thanks MDK......................

I bought my last Evans head in 1978 or 79..................not opposed, just have not kept up.
I play nylon tips for the fantastic sound on the ride cymbal -- that is the one and only reason.

If I don't like the Pinstripes, I can try coated Emps or live with the click.
I don't know if Evans would fit and I'm tired of spending too many dollars to find out.

When I talk to my band-mates about my preferred sound, they usually reply with................."huh" ?
That is an indication I'm too picky..................they think everything sounds just fine.
If they don't have an opinion, then who would ?

[slinky]

I'm all Aquarian right now but love the pins. They sound good on snares too actually.

[slinglander]

Pins are too “thuddy” for my taste. I like a bit of ring from my toms.

[Pearl MCX Man]

I only use clear EC2 on my toms. Snare I have EC reverse dot great sound.

[G-man]

Appears you haven't tried coated emps? You like the sound of clear emps except for the click. Coated should take care of that issue. I'd try a coated emp first on one tom and see if you like the attack with that.

[N2Bluz]

Pick one drum...the hardest one to fit....and buy a new Evans clear G2. I think you’ll be happy. I have several old shells that are significantly out-of-round; probably way larger in the long direction than your old Jasper shells are due to being over-sized. The new Evans 360 design are the only heads that fit loose enough to spin.

In fact, I may have an extra one I could give you, depending on the size.

[itchie]

only in the 90's

[N2Bluz]

I bet 80% of the drums I see on stage with local bands and all the used kits I see around hear all have clear Pins. Then again, most are kits from the 80s-90s with the deep “power toms” and the bands play Classic Rock. I had clear Pins on my old Premier XPK for a while and they sounded great tuned fairly tight.

[drummerMD]

only in the 90's

That's funny! Yeah, I believe early 90's for me. Sorry, I'm an Evans guy, what can I say!

[kay-gee]

@Ricardo

do you know when they switched from the Jasper shells? I'm curious about my own drums which are circa 1983. Were yours made during or after the Baldwin era?

I've never had any problems fitting heads but 90% of the time I've run Remo's. I find with coated ambo's there is little to none of that click of which you speak but lot's of warmth and tone. For hard hitters they probably won't last as long as double ply. I'm waiting for the day when discipline and maturity allows me to run all coated Diplomats.

Also...Have you ever tried the nylon tip stick in the right hand and a regular stick of same weight and size in the left hand? I did that often in my rock days.

all the best...

[MDK]

Also...Have you ever tried the nylon tip stick in the right hand and a regular stick of same weight and size in the left hand? I did that often in my rock days.

all the best...

Great Idea, I am trying that asap. Thanks

[Ricardo]

Appears you haven't tried coated emps? You like the sound of clear emps except for the click. Coated should take care of that issue. I'd try a coated emp first on one tom and see if you like the attack with that.

I've got coated Emps on a set of Ludwigs but never had them on my Gretsch shells.
As luck would have it, the three Gretsch toms and the four Ludwig toms are all different sizes !!!

@Ricardo........do you know when they switched from the Jasper shells?
I'm curious about my own drums which are circa 1983. Were yours made during or after the Baldwin era?

Gretsch bought shells from the Jasper furniture Company (Indiana, I think) up until around 2002 or 2003.
The Jasper Company created the maple and gum 6-ply shell that became famous and used only American Sugar Maple (very hard) from Wisconsin and Michigan.
My USA shells were built in 1977 in Booneville, Arkansas under the ownership of Baldwin.
(I've actually been to the old building which now is used as an air-conditioner warehouse..................photo below.)

If I recall my history correctly, your shells are Jasper and probably built in the final days of the operation at DeQueen, Arkansas.
The Baldwin bankruptcy happened at about the same time as your shells were assembled.

gretsch-rain1[1].jpg

[kay-gee]

Wow, Thanks for the info

The building looks rather desolate. Nothing else around it or near it? Wonder how they got all the way from Brooklyn NY to Arkansas. Did Baldwin make other products there? I believe Baldwins primary products were piano's and organs.

all the best...

[Ricardo]

Wow, Thanks for the info

The building looks rather desolate. Nothing else around it or near it? Wonder how they got all the way from Brooklyn NY to Arkansas. Did Baldwin make other products there? I believe Baldwins primary products were piano's and organs.

all the best...

Arkansas = no labor unions........................very simple cost savings.
Baldwin already had other facilities (familiarity) in the state for piano assembly.
The Brooklyn employees were offered jobs in Arkansas................only a few made the move.

[drummerMD]

I know a drummer who has a Gretsch set from around mid 70's era and all I could say is those drums sounded awesome! They weren't much for looks but they sure sounded good. I also heard the same set on an outside stage all mic'ed up and sounded great!

[Bish]

At one time I ran pins on top and bottom and it worked great for micing in a live environment. Maple shells, too.

[hippychip]

My Mapex kit had pins on the toms when I bought it---they tuned up pretty good, and I never bothered to change them. These were 12,13,16 power toms---I wouldn't want a pin on a 10", but I liked them on this kit. Sold it to buy a new PA Still wish I had tried a set of Ambassadors to see what they could really do!

[DrumWhipper]

All I use are the Evans EC2's over G1's. You know what all styles of music I play, and they suit them well. I have thought of trying other types of heads, but always talk myself out of it and go back to these.

[TazDrums]

Back in the day I liked the sound of Pinstripes on toms for rock music. They had a sound of their own. A Pin on the snare sounded good too, although I only ever used one, and then went to Black Dots, possibly to save money.

I had blue Evans hydraulics on a kit 30 years ago, they were quite dead. Probably very different from today's Evans skins, but I wouldn't know.

I prefer lively skins today for woodshedding but if today's live sound engineers still poo their pants over "ring" I'd probably go back to Pins to play rock covers.

[gdmoore28]

Ricardo,

If you haven't played Evans heads since the 1990s, you are in for a great surprise. The new Evans heads are nothing like the old ones. I'm a Remo die hard, but I've used single and double ply Evans over the last few years on occasion, and I have to be honest that overall, the Evans sound better than Remos of the same type. The Evans are more rounded and full-bodied with a greater array of pleasant over and undertones (harmonics).

And that begs the question: why do I still use Remo heads? I honestly don't have a rational answer. It's way past time to install new batters and resos on my kit, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the new heads will be Evans.

On the subject of Pinstripes, when I bought my new set of Recording Customs in the nineties, I was working in a music store and could buy my supplies at dealer cost. The RCs came with Pinstripes, and over the years I tried practically everything on offer from Remo, Aquarian, and Evans. Nothing could come close to beating the sound of the Pinstripes on the toms and bass drum. That has not been my experience with my maple sets. Every brand and type of head I've tried on them has had something good to offer, with coated Emperors and coated G2s being my preference. (My resos are still the original 20 year old DW/Remo clear Ambassadors.)

In summary, I think you will find a lot of satisfaction in the Pinstripes on your Gretsches. But, before buying an entire set, do yourself a favor and try an Evans head of the same configuration. You may not hear what I hear in the Evans, but I think there are good reasons that the company has come to dominate the drumhead industry.

GeeDeeEmm

[Ricardo]

GDM...................
I had already ordered the pins before you wrote this advice..................and thank you.
The last pin showed up on my door the other day and I installed them all that night.
Two days later at a gig sound-check, my two guitarists noticed a better tone without me telling anyone I had changed the batters.
The pins sound pretty good and that is what I have on the toms..................for now.
You are correct -- I need to look at the Evans again.