Wrinkly Snare Head

[Vixus]

Is it ok for my snare skin to start getting a bit rippled? Maybe I haven't been keeping it tight enough? Is there anything I can do to fix it or will I have to eventually have it replaced?

[jonescrusher]

No, no, no!!

Search on the site for tips on tuning. Rippling on a head means the head is too slack and needs to be tightened. If you've been hitting it when it's been that slack the head's probably going to be in bad shape. You'll be best to replace it and read through some tuning guides befor putting a new one on.

[radiofriendlyunitshifter]

here's a start (http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/)




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[Class A Drummer]

No, no, no!!

Search on the site for tips on tuning. Rippling on a head means the head is too slack and needs to be tightened. If you've been hitting it when it's been that slack the head's probably going to be in bad shape. You'll be best to replace it and read through some tuning guides befor putting a new one on.

Or, the head has gotten wet, and nobody wants that. At the football games my freshman year (last year) before we had a drumline, we would bring out all the drums including the drum set. All the heads started getting wet, and wrinkled and stuff. During class the next day while playing some Disney Medley, i poked right through the head.

[hawk9290]

the first night with new heads on our marching snares (first new heads in over 15 years lol- our band program is terribly underfunded), it pured rain towards the end of the game and the water pooled up on them. Lucky marching heads are fairly resilient so all it did was give it a cool effect when we were playing. And it left a bit of a water stain on my sticks...

*edit*
you should never have heads with any significant wrinkles. Sometimes depending the quality of the bearing edges, you'll get some small ones that you would hardly notice at passing glance. I have to think that must be what you're refering to, because your snare would sound like absolute crap and would be nearly impossible to play if your head was really wrinkled from being too loose. if its getting rippled in the center, then it just means that the head has passed its usable life- after a while, the beating on the heads just wears them to a point where its inevitable that they will get dented and rippled. Solution: get a new head
If you have those very small wrinkles around the edge of head, when you take off the old head, look at the edges of the drum and make sure that the wood is smooth, evenly rounded, and the bearing edges properly cut.

[IDDrummer]

Class A - Mylar drum heads aren't affected by water. Did you have calf heads on the kit?

Anyway, to the original post - are you talking about the resonant side or batter side? It's not uncommon for reso heads to be a bit wrinkled around the snare beds if they are a little loose. You'd probably want to tighten it a bit.

If you are talking about the batter head, I'm with Jonescrusher - it's probably time to replace that bad boy and tune up the new head properly. If you have a two-ply batter, it is possible (though rare) for one of the plies to wrinkle while the other remains tight. I've had this happen, though it was the underside layer that wrinkled. In any case, it is time to replace.

[Class A Drummer]

Class A - Mylar drum heads aren't affected by water. Did you have calf heads on the kit?

Anyway, to the original post - are you talking about the resonant side or batter side? It's not uncommon for reso heads to be a bit wrinkled around the snare beds if they are a little loose. You'd probably want to tighten it a bit.

If you are talking about the batter head, I'm with Jonescrusher - it's probably time to replace that bad boy and tune up the new head properly.

Remo Fiberskin head. Are those weaker than most others? I know almost nothing about head duribilty.

[IDDrummer]

Remo Fiberskin head. Are those weaker than most others? I know almost nothing about head duribilty.

Well, the Fibreskin layer is laminated to the mylar film. I would have expected it to be waterproof as well, but maybe not...

[Wavelength]

Well, the Fibreskin layer is laminated to the mylar film. I would have expected it to be waterproof as well, but maybe not...

The Fiberskyn layer is quite prone to destruction if a generous amount of force is applied time and time again...

[PureRockFury]

Class A - Mylar drum heads aren't affected by water. Did you have calf heads on the kit?

I beg to differ. 2 ply heads are greatly affected by water. I've marched multi-tenors in drum corps for many years and I have seen what rain and 2 ply heads do. The water gets between the plies, causes the drum to sound dead, then eventually one of the two plies breaks. You CANNOT avoid this from happening in the rain. This goes for Remo Crimplock Emperors, Crimplock Suede Emperors, Crimplock Pinstripes, Crimplock Ebony Suedes, Crimplock Ebony Emperors, and even Evans 2 ply multi-tenor heads.

[IDDrummer]

I beg to differ. 2 ply heads are greatly affected by water. I've marched multi-tenors in drum corps for many years and I have seen what rain and 2 ply heads do. The water gets between the plies, causes the drum to sound dead, then eventually one of the two plies breaks. You CANNOT avoid this from happening in the rain. This goes for Remo Crimplock Emperors, Crimplock Suede Emperors, Crimplock Pinstripes, Crimplock Ebony Suedes, Crimplock Ebony Emperors, and even Evans 2 ply multi-tenor heads.


I notice that all the Remo heads you mention use the crimplock (I'm not sure about the Evans) - I wonder if that is where the water gets in? All the heads I've used had simple, glued counterhoops or were single ply with dots. I marched as well (snare drum, back when the Crossmen were from Westchester, PA), often in rain, and never had a problem like you describe. Sounds like head construction can be an issue, rather than the mylar itself. So I guess I should have said Mylar is unaffected by rain.

In any case, I wish the original poster would tell us more about his specific problem. We don't even know if he has a two ply head, much less if it has been in the rain.

[Vixus]

The head isn't lose, and it still makes a fine noise and is still affected by tuning. The wrinkles are only apparent where the white coating has come off. Maybe I'll need t obudget for a new one anyway. Thanks for all the help.

[hawk9290]

yep, that just means you've beaten the crap out of your head and its time for a new one. Most people recommend to get new ones every 6 months- but in reality, most people stretch them longer. Mine right now are going on about 1 year and they still sound fine (albeit, I do use my electric set more than acoustic, so my acoustic only sees a few hours a week of playing)

[Cymbalrider]

The head is probably coming loose from the hoop thing. If its two ply then the plies separated.