DW Drums Discussion

[MDK]

Welcome Ryno, gorgeous kit

[cabasner]

It's been a long time since I've posted here, so seems appropriate to respond to a new member. Welcome, and beautiful kit! I wouldn't have pictured a simple gloss black kit to be so lovely...but it truly is! Do I see a Black Beauty snare in there?

[slanddad]

14 in. bass? Liking the old school look.

[drummer]

It's been a long time since I've posted here, so seems appropriate to respond to a new member. Welcome, and beautiful kit! I wouldn't have pictured a simple gloss black kit to be so lovely...but it truly is! Do I see a Black Beauty snare in there?

Welcome home my friend. Don't be a stranger.

[Ryno]

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone!

To answer the questions asked of me: The snare drum in that pic is my ‘82 Ludwig hammered bronze, 6.5x14 depth. Best sounding metal-shelled drum I’ve ever played, and inspired me to recently sell off my ‘79 6.5 Black Beauty. The hammered bronze simply works better for me in every situation.

The DW bass drum is indeed 14” deep. As a child of the 70’s, traditional depths were what I saw and came to appreciate. I’ve owned many deeper drums (I own a DW Design kit with an 18” deep bass drum as well), but the traditional depths for bass drum and toms will always be my preference.

[Drummer1966]

Ok, I've got a "weird" thing to discuss. I have a DW Design Series Nickel over Brass 14 X 6.5 Snare. It was purchased Used in 2021 via Reverb. It came with a HD dry Batter head, standard Reso head and Wires in Excellent condition. Played great right out of the Delivery Box - it was Cranked to high Tuning. A few weeks ago , I replaced the Batter head with a New HD Dry head, re-installed and checked the Reso head and Wires. No matter how I try to tune it, I can't duplicate that "sweet Sound". I play only for recreation as a retirement hobby/pleasure about 1 hour a day (I'm 71 YO). Last week, I placed my DW snare on top of my 16 " Floor Tom to get it out of the way. I played the PDP Maple snare 14 X 5.5 a part of my 7 drum PDP Maple kit in this session. While playing a gill, I hit the DW Snare atop of the Tom.. Bingo. That was the sound I was seeking - Ludwig Supraphonic Like - Jon Bonham like. Take it off the Top and it was different? I replaced the PDP snare's batter head with a HD Dry as well. That drum too played better when on top of the Tom? I've posted in many places. One poster said that I was in effect playing 2 Drums in that Manner. Another jokingly said that I may have Invented a New Snare Stand!! Another said that the HD dry was the wrong head for those drums.....get UV1 or a UV2. I tried the UV 1 on the PDP maple snare & didn't like the overtoning / ringing. I sent it bck (Amazon is amazing in this regard). Now I will try a UV2 for the heck of it!! BTW, I placed a clear 16 inch Tom batter head in the snare stand and put the drums atop of that in the stand. It helped but still not like on the Floor Tom? Any Ideas Folks?

[slinky]

I'm not an Evan's user but the difference could just be because the old head was broke in vs the new head which is crisp and not stretched out etc.. just a theory I happen to believe in.

[PDP_Drummer]

That is a remarkable story I'm still trying to wrap my head around why you hit your snare while on top of your floor tom and how it made it noise at all?

Also, I'm a HUGE fan of the HD Dry. I think it's a great snare head.
I would also agree with the head just needs to be broken in and then it'll get to where you want it.

[Drummer1966]

PDP_Drummer, sorry for the delay in response. Yeah, Frustration commanded me to hit the DFW Snare atop of the Floor Tom!! You should try it for the heck of it As un update to an extent. I'm trying a UV2 Batter head today to see what I get. Interestingly, I re-installed a HD Dry on my PDP Maple snare (14 X 5.5), the reso head and wires too. I cleaned the bearing edges as I did this. I cranked both heads High. The sound is much more to my liking. You can experiment as I did: I put a spare EC2 Clear 16" Tom batter head in the snare stand, positioned with a slight Upward tilt, and then put the PDP snare on top of that- That improved the sound with a nice Crack / Snap with justv the right Resonance / Overtone. It must be the effects of the head against the Reso Head and wires of the snare. But doing the same with the DW Brass (Metal) snare Does NOT react the same. The wood vs Metal drums probably has an Interaction as well. Note that I tried what other posters on other forums suggested too: Loosen the Clamps on the snare stand so it is very easily removed and placed in the stand, therefore Not Choking the drum's Rim. That made little matter if any at all. Now, I will try the UV2 on the DW snare - a UV1 was not what I wanted (thank God for Amazon with free returns!!). I stumbled upon a YT Video by a semi-pro Drummer where he explained that when he played his Snare, tuned it, etc. The sound He got was markedly changed when it was Miked Up. The Miking included Equalization / Compression as a Recording engineer does. ( Idon't record / or Mic the drums when I play). The EQed sound was what I was after - that John Bonham Ludwig SS Snare sound. As a Novice to this sort of stuff, the Point Struck Home! Live and Learn - even at 71 YO .

[BobC]

I consider myself quite lucky to be a DW artist endorser, and have been for twenty years. I have two DW sets; 2001 Ultra Oyster White, 10/12/14/16/22," and a brand new 2023 Black Galaxy kit in 13/16/18/22" sizes. That kit is getting it's debut tomorrow night at a gig with a Stones tribute band in New Hope, PA. I have also owned three other DW sets, but these are keepers.

I am on the verge of picking up a new PDP Concept Maple set in 10/12/14/20," for small space gigs. I've chosen the red/black sparkle fade finish.

[drummer]

I consider myself quite lucky to be a DW artist endorser, and have been for twenty years. I have two DW sets; 2001 Ultra Oyster White, 10/12/14/16/22," and a brand new 2023 Black Galaxy kit in 13/16/18/22" sizes. That kit is getting it's debut tomorrow night at a gig with a Stones tribute band in New Hope, PA. I have also owned three other DW sets, but these are keepers.

I am on the verge of picking up a new PDP Concept Maple set in 10/12/14/20," for small space gigs. I've chosen the red/black sparkle fade finish.

Hey Bob and welcome to our drum chat family! That's cool that you're a DW endorser. About those kits though... we have a saying around here that goes, "Pics or it didn't happen", LOL. Seriously, if you can post pictures of your kits at some point, we love to look at them. Some call it drum porn.

Welcome again!

[BobC]

I will post pics, but how do you do that?