Shallow Floor Toms

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

I've searched the forum and found a few helpful posts but I'm looking for more opinions.

I'm interested in swapping out my tom sizes. Currently I use 13x9 rack and 16x16 floor. I want a 14x10 rack, and an 18" floor (possibly a 16" on the left of hats). With the two floor toms, I'd like to make them shallow. I want them to be a bit more responsive and focussed, but still retain the low pitch. However, I'm wondering what would be considered too shallow. I know 16x14 and 18x16 are used, but what about 16x12 and 18x14? Would these be too shallow? The kick I'll be using soon is 24x14. I was wondering how it would sound if my floor tom was deeper than my kick. I love my large kick because it has such a low punch but isn't over dominating because it is shallow. I'm assuming I can get that same effect by using shallow toms.

[KR3]

What type of music are playing? Going with shallower sizes will give you a faster response but will lose some of the boominess you also desire.

[Ozzy Biz]

Those Ddrum Dominator Ash 'Pocket' kits (the ones with the 20x20" kick snd 13x7 snare) come with really shallow floors; 14x12" and 16x12".

DW's shallow toms pretty extreme; 14x7", 15x8", 16x10" and 18x11".

See if you can play on one of those kits to decide if you like it.

Biz

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

I'm mainly playing rock in my band, but it is a bit progressive. I want clear low punching tones. I could see myself using 16x14 and 18x16 at the most. I already have two 16x16s so I want to try something different.

I'll probably be hitting the music shop up in a couple weeks so I'll definitely see if they have anything close. Most of the store is filled with drum kits so there is a good chance he'll have something similar.

[fusssion]

I've played DW short stack 16" floor tom and it was AMAZING!! Punchy, deep...sounded great to me. What is their 16" short stack...12" deep?

[masonni]

I always used 16" x 16" floor toms and my new kit has a 14" x 16". To be honest I like it better. It tunes easyer and still sounds huge!

[harryconway]

24x14 kick is a standard. No worries there. Will go great with either a 16x16 or 16x14. 16x16 is the traditional floor tom while the 16x14 is the standard hanging tom size. Both sound great. 18x16 is a tried and true size also. Again, the 18x14 is the hanging version. Can't go wrong with that either. Going shallower with floor tom depths, I don't know. 16x12 or 18x12? Never seen one to play one. Certainly should work.

[Antman]

I have an M Birch studio setup, and believe the hanging "floor" toms are 14" x 11" and 16" x 13". They sound great, very punchy and if tuned right you can achieve a decent boom. I think an 18" x 16" is also available (with legs).

Would be a pricey option ordering single drums though, whichever brand you choose. And a long wait. Would be the type of situation where you'd be better off buying a complete kit, taking what you want and ebaying the rest individually.

[n2xlr8n]

I too have 14x11 and 16x13 hanging toms in my Saturn kit.

I absolutely love the sound! I've used Evans EC2/G1 and Aquarian Super-2/Classic clears on them, and they are surprisingly "big" sounding; even compared to my 16x16 and 18x18 old-school Sonors.

Hope this helps!

SRJ

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

Thanks for the replies. I want to try shallow toms out. Based on my budget now I may have to just wait for something to come up on eBay.

[Mendozart]

I just made my 14"x16" hanging tom a floor tom. I ordered the DW kit (legs & mounts) and it looks totally factory. I was so Use to having legs on my previous set that I didn't like the hanging tom. On my 16"x18" tom, I'm going to use a dynamount suspension system because I'm also going to use it as a small bass drum and I don't want to mount legs on it. Both floor toms sound sweet.

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

I'd really like to build my own. I already made a price lists for parts I would need on a five piece kit- 24x16, 14x4, 14x10, 16x12, and 18x14. A bit more than I expected. I figured I could just do a couple pieces at a time, starting with the 14x10 and 18x14. That still may be a bit much for me right now. That's why I may have to just wait for a 14" and 18" to pop up on eBay.

I want to have legs on my floor toms whether it's the standard way or one of those iso cradles. I priced iso mounts for the floor tom and parts for leg mounts. I'd love to have the iso floor tom mounts but they are so expensive. I'd also like die cast hoops. I may just end up building one tom at a time so I can use the best parts I can afford. I want reinforcement hoops as well to match my Slingerlands. I want to start with the 18. Until I get a 14 I could just use my old 13 and 16 I guess as stairways down to the 18.

Hmmm... it may take me 5 years to build that kit but it would probably be awesome... hah!