My Gretsch Blackhawk

[Johnny from the block]

I know it's a basic kit, but i just got to show u my new heads :p I'm proud of them, so here you go...

(For updated pics - new cymbals - scroll down)

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/4258/1006076jp2.th.jpg (http://img157.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006076jp2.jpg)

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/6278/1006077rj7.th.jpg (http://img209.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006077rj7.jpg)

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/6021/1006078hc1.th.jpg (http://img77.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006078hc1.jpg)

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/6982/1006079wh9.th.jpg (http://img209.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006079wh9.jpg)

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/3572/1006080wj2.th.jpg (http://img77.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006080wj2.jpg)

[TopCat]

Looks nice and comfy. Glad those heads worked out.

[beatsMcGee]

good stuff, what heads are they.. i cant tell from here

[Brent W]

I'm going to test my knowledge of heads here...

Snare: Coated Ambassador
Kick: Clear Pinstripe
Toms: Aquarian Texture Coated

From the looks of it you still have the factory Gretsch heads on the resonant side, which you may consider changing. My teacher always told me that 80% of the sound being produced from the drum comes from the resonant side. I realize that from your perspective behind the kit, it seems like it is the other way around. But just keep in mind which heads are actually facing out towards people. Never neglect the bottom heads, they are important. I've learned this the hard way through recording. When double miking toms...be sure to check what kind of sound is coming out the other end.

But nice choice on the toms. My friend swears by Aquarian and they are an awesome choice of model. Those heads are too rich for my blood though, so I stick with the familiar Remo. But the cost is probably definitely worth the tone.

Nice set up too man. Nice logical placement. Looks comfortable.

-Brent

[d.c.drummer]

Looks solid.

R those regular b8 or b8 pro?

[Johnny from the block]

Looks solid.

R those regular b8 or b8 pro?

tnx,

Just regular B8's by the way, they where included in the kit when I bought it, they don't satisfy me anymore but i'm going to by a new ride pretty soon, when i figured out wich one.
and after it more will follow ;)

[Johnny from the block]

Looks nice and comfy. Glad those heads worked out.

indeed, they're sweet
I finally got my snare to sound good too, although now I'm not pleased with my toms anymore but I'm working on it:p

appreciate it: "Looks nice and comfy"
==> I will post some pics that show you it wasn't always so, I used to site very low and my toms were pretty low too.

here you can see that the toms were in a pretty weired position, but it worked out for me at the time:
http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/8633/1006038pq7.th.jpg (http://img93.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006038pq7.jpg)

And here you can see that I sat pretty low:
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8790/1006040oi0.th.jpg (http://img117.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006040oi0.jpg)

Don't forget the totally smashed heads that sounded like crap:
http://img423.imageshack.us/img423/5329/1006039ol5.th.jpg (http://img423.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006039ol5.jpg)

[Johnny from the block]

I'm going to test my knowledge of heads here...

Snare: Coated Ambassador
Kick: Clear Pinstripe
Toms: Aquarian Texture Coated

From the looks of it you still have the factory Gretsch heads on the resonant side, which you may consider changing. My teacher always told me that 80% of the sound being produced from the drum comes from the resonant side. I realize that from your perspective behind the kit, it seems like it is the other way around. But just keep in mind which heads are actually facing out towards people. Never neglect the bottom heads, they are important. I've learned this the hard way through recording. When double miking toms...be sure to check what kind of sound is coming out the other end.

But nice choice on the toms. My friend swears by Aquarian and they are an awesome choice of model. Those heads are too rich for my blood though, so I stick with the familiar Remo. But the cost is probably definitely worth the tone.

Nice set up too man. Nice logical placement. Looks comfortable.

-Brent


Thanx for the advice on the resonant heads, I will definently look out for some appropriate heads, but the thing is I already spent 60-70 euros on the batter heads so I'm not really ready to spend another 50 or so. Anyway will see, any advice is always welcome

By the way nice guessing;) You were right about the snare (coated ambassador) and the toms (Aquarian Texture Coated with satin finish:p) but the bassdrum batterhead is a Remo Powerstroke III, that's a sweet head too, don't know about the clear pinstripe, never played it.

For compliments on the choice of the heads, you may as well congratulate TopCat, for he gave me some really good advice on this (a nice vid for the choice of the toms) and I liked his snare-sound on his Myspace site so i got those heads too:p
Anyway I'm very pleased they worked out, I will post some detailed pics of some of the heas too...

[Johnny from the block]

good stuff, what heads are they.. i cant tell from here

there you go:

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/6661/1006054ve1.th.jpg (http://img123.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006054ve1.jpg)

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/3074/1006055kv5.th.jpg (http://img116.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006055kv5.jpg)

incase you can't read it:
- Aquarian Texture Coated with satin finish on the toms
- Remo Coated Ambassador

(but I already said that, njah:p...)

[radeq]

looks like a good starter set

[Johnny from the block]

looks like a good starter set

thnx, I guess you're right. Any advice on what I should change first though?
The snare or the cymbals (I heard to start with the ride)

[fijjibo]

Any advice on what I should change first though?
The snare or the cymbals (I heard to start with the ride)
Thats a tricky one, but i would say ride:
It seems as though you should be happy with your snare, because you can change its sound through tuning and heads. The ride, however, is an important cymbal, that you cannot manipulate the sound of so easily. My advice would be to save up as much as you can, and buy the best replacement you can. The choice will definatly pay off. You can then repeate this procces with everything you wish to upgrade, and you will soon end up with your ultimate dream kit

[syaoran05]

indeed, they're sweet
I finally got my snare to sound good too, although now I'm not pleased with my toms anymore but I'm working on it:p

appreciate it: "Looks nice and comfy"
==> I will post some pics that show you it wasn't always so, I used to site very low and my toms were pretty low too.

here you can see that the toms were in a pretty weired position, but it worked out for me at the time:
http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/8633/1006038pq7.th.jpg (http://img93.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006038pq7.jpg)

And here you can see that I sat pretty low:
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8790/1006040oi0.th.jpg (http://img117.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006040oi0.jpg)

Don't forget the totally smashed heads that sounded like crap:
http://img423.imageshack.us/img423/5329/1006039ol5.th.jpg (http://img423.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1006039ol5.jpg)


i dnt see any difference from your tom setup then and now...

[Johnny from the block]

i dnt see any difference from your tom setup then and now...

take a closer look, or come over and play it, you'll notice;)
they where a little further away from eachother and more turned over, but that doesn't mather much so...

[Johnny from the block]

Thats a tricky one, but i would say ride:
It seems as though you should be happy with your snare, because you can change its sound through tuning and heads. The ride, however, is an important cymbal, that you cannot manipulate the sound of so easily. My advice would be to save up as much as you can, and buy the best replacement you can. The choice will definatly pay off. You can then repeate this procces with everything you wish to upgrade, and you will soon end up with your ultimate dream kit

thx very much, willing to turn it in to my ultimate dream kit as you say though, i was wondering: is there a way to figure out wich cymbals from different companies sound similar and are different in price? Because i went through some sites (especially the Sabian one) regularly, and it's hard to compare al the different types because all companies have their own special names (like AA, AAX, K's,...) and noone ever puts on the price:p

[Johnny from the block]

Behold: my updated blackhawk ^^

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/9159/1007069jm9.th.jpg (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1007069jm9.jpg)

and from above:

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/547/1007074cq2.th.jpg (http://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1007074cq2.jpg)

here come the beauties:
- my paiste 2002 14" medium hi-hats:

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/6712/1007075xc1.th.jpg (http://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1007075xc1.jpg)

- my Zildjian Avedis 24" medium ride! (my pride):

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/4235/1007076dt4.th.jpg (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1007076dt4.jpg)

I tried to focus on the logo's too but i guess my camera hasn't got enough pixels, so you 'll just have to take my word :)

[TopCat]

Wow! awesome. I'm tempted like to hell get a 24" 2002 ride. How's that 24" zildjian monster for you?

[Johnny from the block]

Wow! awesome. I'm tempted like to hell get a 24" 2002 ride. How's that 24" zildjian monster for you?

I was looking for a 2002 too, but then I found out that dave grohl used to play with a 24" A with queens, so i checked it out and man, I fell in love! Nice ping, warm sound, amazing bell and if you hit it hard ... man a Bomb!:p