New heads on a really bad drumkit

[Celereon]

Hello guys
I have a question and hoped you would help.
A little about my kit...
I have a (generic) Megatone drumkit. It's really sad...and the heads are really...bongy. They resonate to no end but after I put some Remo O-rings on them they're better. Now they have no volume at all and give my ears aches...kind of like feedback on a microphone but softer and higher.
I'm saving up for a Yamaha Stage Custom...or maybe a Mapex M-Birch...which I will hopefully get in about 9 months.

In the meantime I was contemplating buying new heads. I can only afford batter heads, and they won't carry on to my new drumkit because I have 12, 13 and 16 toms and I want fusion sizes for my next kit. This would set me back about $100 and about two months on my new kit.

The question is,
Should I?
And what brand?
I can get: (this gets me batter heads for 12, 13 and 16 toms)
Evans EC2 Coated for AUS$99
Remo Pinstripe for $99
Remo Emperor Clear for $75

But I'd rather the coated because a) my resonant is coated
b) The drums are cracked and the bolts are rusting...oh well you get what you pay for

Ooh long post, sorry...
Thanks very very much for your help. :D
Celereon

[bobie2000]

i would go with the pinstripes,

i have a sonic drive drumkit and got the attack equivalent to the pinstipes and there great

and ive played alot of beginner kits with the pinstripes on them and they sound alot better than the stock heads on beginner kits

[Celereon]

Whoa thanks for the quick reply...
Just one thing, will it matter that I have a clear head on the top and coated head for the resonant?

[bobie2000]

I dont think it will matter that much, i had stock coated heads for the resos on my kit for almost a year with the attack heads as the batter, didnt sound too bad but when you can i suggest you upgrade the resos.

I upgraded to some sonor heads that were remo UX or something for the resos, and you defaniatly notice the difference, but i think you should be fine if your getting a new kit in less than a year.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

If you are talking 100.00 over two months I would save my money and get the new kit quicker. Maybe try tuning the bottom heads and get rid of some resonance. I guess the long range goal would tell me that I could get a new set 2 months earlier, I would make do for now.

[justJon]

I second gruntersdad's recommendation. If I were looking at paying that much for heads I knew I wouldn't be using for very long, and knew that I could get into a new kit quicker by saving that cash, well...

My caveat would be that, at this point you're only playing for yourself. If you're gigging, recording, or even jamming seriously, you need to do what you need to do to get the sound from inside your head to outside your ears. If that is the case, I'd go with the Pinstripes, they've saved quite a few "bad" drums over the years.

[konaboy]

I'd have to agree with justjon and guntersdad, save the cash for your new kit and really play with the tuning on your heads. Take the drum off the stand put it on a carpeted area and then tune it that way you aren't getting the resonance from the other head affecting the tuning. You want each lug to have the same pitch, take your drum key and just inside the edge of the rim maybe 1/2" tap each lug to make sure they sound the same if not tighten or loosen as necessary to get the same tone. If the drum is ringing too much decrease the tension on the reso. Here's a good tuning video by dave weckl you have to get past the first few minute with the interview http://youtube.com/watch?v=lhf64s87GWc&search=weckl

Also check out http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/id5.html the drum tuning bible great info that will help you.


You might try taking your heads off putting them back on and starting the tuning from scratch.

[Celereon]

You might try taking your heads off putting them back on and starting the tuning from scratch.

I've already done that, just sounds as bad.
BTW thanks for the replies guys.
It's just that without the dampening plastic ring things...they literally go bong, as if there was no tension on it, but it's as tight as I can get it with a drum key. It might be because the drum hoops aren't perfectly circular.
With the dampening rings, they have no resonance whatsoever and the high pitches hurt my ear after a while. As a result I don't do many fills on the toms.

On the upside though, I absolutely LOVE my snare, the crack that I want with the pitch just perfect. My bass drum is fine as well, but again the hoops are elliptical. If the wood isn't cracking and the bolts rusting I'd keep this over the Yamaha SCA snare.

In conclusion, I don't think that I'd mind too much keeping my kit an extra two months. In fact the only things stopping me from keeping my kit are: the horrible toms and the rusting metal.

Any thoughts?

(Sorry for the long post again)
Celereon

[PreppieNerd]

Just one thing, will it matter that I have a clear head on the top and coated head for the resonant?

No, and being a generic kit, I'm quite sure that they're not even coated, they're just white.

I would go with what your cheapest option is, because:
-Any after-market head is going to make your kit actually sound like drums
-every dollar you spend that isn't going toward your new kit is, well, another dollar not going toward your new kit.

[maddrummr]

For those "generic drum sets" pinstripes will work fine.
My 2 cents

[konaboy]

..they literally go bong, as if there was no tension on it, but it's as tight as I can get it with a drum key. It might be because the drum hoops aren't perfectly circular.
With the dampening rings, they have no resonance whatsoever and the high pitches hurt my ear after a while. As a result I don't do many fills on the toms.



Any thoughts?

(Sorry for the long post again)
Celereon

Did you by chance watch the video I linked?? If not take 10 minutes and watch it then sit down and seriously read the link for the drum tuning bible. The info is invaluable and may help make sense of your tuning issues. If your heads on your toms are that tight then you've got a problem (not to mention you'll end up stripping the lugs) Have you really sat down and spent time trying the tuning on the reso side, if you want less ring tune the reso side to a lower pitch than your batter. And take the tuning on your batter way, way down, to the point that the head gets tight just past the wrinkle stage. I'm honestly surprised you haven't ripped a head if you have them as tight as you say.

[harryconway]

Try running a strip of felt underneath a rack tom head. Experiment with duct tape. Many ways to get some controlled muffling on those heads for cheap. You're gonna buy a new kit so avoid spending big money on new heads.

[matt rodriguez]

i was about to post a similar thread when i saw this... im curious on what you guys think are the best heads for a cheap/low-grade/entry level kit?

[Fat Elvis]

the heads that can make any kit sound pretty good (in my opinion) are the Aquarian Studio-X (clears and coated). Work wonders -- fat sound -- no overtones.

[Celereon]

Thanks Konaboy, I looked at that video and it was very useful.
Did all they said.
Still goes bong. Literally that is the sound. BONGGGGGGG...going for...3-4 seconds.

Well I guess in the end I want my new kit more than new heads...and I'm not that sure that new heads would actually make much of a difference: it sounds fine on the couch with the bottom head muted by the couch. Play it unmuted and free-hanging and BONGGGGGGGG....you get my drift.
I've got the bottom heads slightly lower than the top heads, but i've tried everything from about one note below to one note higher...just BONGGGGGG.

So...Looks like I'll have to bear with the completely muted tone of those rings for the next 6 months or so.

But thanks everyone for your help...and keep posting your thoughts I'll be reading. Might be useful for others too.
Celereon

[XJ99]

the heads that can make any kit sound pretty good (in my opinion) are the Aquarian Studio-X (clears and coated). Work wonders -- fat sound -- no overtones.



I just bought the Aquarian Performance II heads for my cheap Rockwood set, and they made a huge difference! I just need to get the Super Kick II for the bass drum, and some new bottom heads. Even with the cheap bottom heads, the Performance II's sound excellent! http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/Tekgino/Jokes/thumbs.gif

[Fat Elvis]

I just bought the Aquarian Performance II heads for my cheap Rockwood set, and they made a huge difference! I just need to get the Super Kick II for the bass drum, and some new bottom heads. Even with the cheap bottom heads, the Performance II's sound excellent! http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/Tekgino/Jokes/thumbs.gif

good call -- the SKII is, in my opinion, the best there is -- i am also a huge fan of both the SKI's and SKIII's as well.

[XJ99]

good call -- the SKII is, in my opinion, the best there is -- i am also a huge fan of both the SKI's and SKIII's as well.



The price wasn't too bad either. I paid about $50 for the 12" 13" and 16" at Guitar Center.

[Hasselhoff]

Caleroen,

Do you plan to sell your current kit after you buy a new one. Or would you keep it and just muck around on it.

If you plan to keep it i suggest to upgrade heads, but if your going to sell it don't waste your money.

[konaboy]

The price wasn't too bad either. I paid about $50 for the 12" 13" and 16" at Guitar Center.


Problem is if he's dropping a $100 towards heads by the time he replaces his tom batters and bass head and he's really wanting a new kit , I think that kind of cash would be allot more useful going towards the new kit especially if his current kit is in the condition he says it is in the first post.

Guess the big question is are you looking at plying out between now and when you think you can get your new kit?

[XJ99]

Problem is if he's dropping a $100 towards heads by the time he replaces his tom batters and bass head and he's really wanting a new kit , I think that kind of cash would be allot more useful going towards the new kit especially if his current kit is in the condition he says it is in the first post.

Guess the big question is are you looking at plying out between now and when you think you can get your new kit?



True..

If he's going to keep the current set, I think he would be happy with the Aquarian heads I mentioned. I too had the awful bong sound he's talking about with the cheap heads. I guess if he's close to buying the new kit, put the money towards that. If he's going to have this one for a while, I'd upgrade the heads just to keep from going nuts.

[Celereon]

Lol talk about reviving an old thread...
Hm...moving on...onto the topic

I'm actually going to get my new kit in (hopefully) 5-6 months. If I were to buy new heads it would set me back another 4-5 weeks.
I'm actually quite pleased with my toms sound after placing muffling rings on them. They have no projection and slow response, but you get what you pay for...and I certainly didn't pay much for this.

I'm not entirely sure as to whether I'm going to sell this kit when I get my new one. I doubt I'd get $50 for it, and the metal is rusting and wood cracking etc. If I keep it, I'd have nowhere to put the bass drum and toms, so I'd likely just keep the snare and cymbal stands. In either case it wouldn't be worth getting new heads.
Cel

[XJ99]

Lol talk about reviving an old thread...
Hm...moving on...onto the topic

I'm actually going to get my new kit in (hopefully) 5-6 months. If I were to buy new heads it would set me back another 4-5 weeks.
I'm actually quite pleased with my toms sound after placing muffling rings on them. They have no projection and slow response, but you get what you pay for...and I certainly didn't pay much for this.

I'm not entirely sure as to whether I'm going to sell this kit when I get my new one. I doubt I'd get $50 for it, and the metal is rusting and wood cracking etc. If I keep it, I'd have nowhere to put the bass drum and toms, so I'd likely just keep the snare and cymbal stands. In either case it wouldn't be worth getting new heads.
Cel




Ouch, I didn't realize it was in that bad of shape.. LOL

[konaboy]

Sell what you can, whatever you can get for it is more than it just sitting around collecting dust. Cause let's face it if you get a Yamaha or Mapex kit as you mentioned you'll never look at your current kit again.!

[jollymosher]

evans g2.. give that a shot. the have a fairly medium tone. you can go high and low with them. pin stripes will also work, but they are not taken very seriously as a "good" drum head.

[sgt.pepper1986]

If you want new heads for a sub- par kit, then I'd agree with anyone that said Remo Pinstripes. They should help, but getting a new kit eventually is pretty awesome too! The Mapex M Birch is really nice, so good luck!

[Skitch]

Hello guys
I have a question and hoped you would help.
A little about my kit...
I have a (generic) Megatone drumkit. It's really sad...and the heads are really...bongy. They resonate to no end but after I put some Remo O-rings on them they're better. Now they have no volume at all and give my ears aches...kind of like feedback on a microphone but softer and higher.
I'm saving up for a Yamaha Stage Custom...or maybe a Mapex M-Birch...which I will hopefully get in about 9 months.

In the meantime I was contemplating buying new heads. I can only afford batter heads, and they won't carry on to my new drumkit because I have 12, 13 and 16 toms and I want fusion sizes for my next kit. This would set me back about $100 and about two months on my new kit.

The question is,
Should I?
And what brand?
I can get: (this gets me batter heads for 12, 13 and 16 toms)
Evans EC2 Coated for AUS$99
Remo Pinstripe for $99
Remo Emperor Clear for $75

But I'd rather the coated because a) my resonant is coated
b) The drums are cracked and the bolts are rusting...oh well you get what you pay for

Ooh long post, sorry...
Thanks very very much for your help. :D
Celereon

Out of what you have listed the Pinstripes would be worth considering. However, I might try the Remo Powerstroke 3 on one of your toms and see what you think!


Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

[Nofinerk9r]

cascio/interstate music remohead pro packs are 32.48 plus shipping for coated ambassadors or 36.98 for pinstripes either pack u get a 12 13 16 and a coated p3 or ambassador. id go with pins, they are easy to tune and durable. Right around 45 bux gets u hooked up. i have done a lot of shopping and no one comes close to interstate. nice people and the cheapest prices anywhere for heads. although musicians friend has attack heads really cheap rite now. 14.99 for 12 13 16 and a 14 coated or 29.99 for the same with a 22 but i would still go with the pins. good luck with whatever u choose interstatemusic.com and the phone is 1 800 in a band