22 vs 20

[Budiesel]

Sorry if this is a repeated question. I'm debating on whether to go for a 20x20 kick or a 22x18. Ive never played a 20" bass drum and none of the drum shops around here let you play any sets.

[bojangleman]

the 20 will have a punchy'er sound and more of a response. 22 will have more of a deeper(not really deep.) but deeper then the 20, and not as punchy.(unless you crank the head down). what kind of music do you play? and thats stupid that they wont let you play the kits...how they expect you to decide..haha

Sorry if this is a repeated question. I'm debating on whether to go for a 20x20 kick or a 22x18. Ive never played a 20" bass drum and none of the drum shops around here let you play any sets.

Alex

[Frankierocker]

20x20 is a good combination of punch and depth, although the 22 will sound a bit larger (less focused is probably a better description) assuming we are comparing apples to apples here as far as drum quality is concerned. It all depends on the type of music you play and the sound you are going for. And do yourself a favor and never purchase a drum set you haven't had a chance to play. My local drum shop sets up the drums, and even changes the heads multiple times in order to properly audition a kit. It would be worth traveling to a good drum shop if you are serious about a purchase. Hope this helps.

[joshuacreamer97]

I am just going for a 20" on my next set because it will be easier to carry around, but I think you can tune both to sound very similar.

[aydee]

Here's how I look at it.

If you play many styles excluding jazz, DnB: 22"
If you play many styles including jazz, DnB: 20"
If you prefer the sound of one over the other.

[danander11]

I have been watching for a 22 for my kit for almost a year now.. with no luck. So I began thinking about building one.. and I remember a Gretsch 18 x 20 that I played on last year.. It was absolutely killer! So I think I'll go for a 20 instead..

I would venture to say that if you go for a smaller diameter, get a longer shell so that it still has some body...

Peace!

[ZDrums24]

The real trick is what size venues you play as well as what music you play. I have a 22"x18" birch bass drum, which is great for me because I have the hardest time getting my bass drum heard and with a bigger drum, you can get a bigger, louder sound (involves some tuning experiments to get there how ever).

A friend (jazz drum performance major) just explained something to me beautifully the other day: with smaller drums, you don't have to worry as much about over playing, so you can really wail on the thing if you want, which gets the full sound of the drum compared to feathering a behemouth.

What makes the decision harder in my mind is the increased depth of the 20" I don't see very many basses deeper than 18" around here. it adds to the depth and you lose a little clarity, so you gain clarity and punch with the diameter, but loose some in the length...

We could sit here and philosophize all day, though. Your ears are really what matter, so bring a friend (to play while you listen from a distance) and 'audition' kits. Any good shop will let you test the kit with different tunings and often different heads. It is good manners to let them know ahead of time that you will be coming in to test drums and see if you can find a quiet time of the week to go in. I hate testing stuff out in a crowded shop.

Political Plug: SHOP LOCAL!!! (guitar center sales reps are idiots more often than not anyways. trust me, I know some personally.)

[Steady Freddy]

I have a 22 X 18, and a 20 X 18 DW kick that were both built within a few months of one another.

I think the 20 is just as loud as the 22, but it produces a shorter sound. More punch and less boom. Both drums are set up with similar heads and tuning. I think the 22 is a better all around drum, but the 20s are great if you want more articulation.

[mkelley]

I like my 20 more than my 22. The only difference in muffling is that I'm using none, other than the response 2 and coated batter on my 20 and with the 22, I'm using a towel. I can get it to go low and handle what I throw at it musically. I'm playing everything from Hendrix and Zeppelin to Alice In Chains type of rock with originals.

[bfdrum86]

I have a 22 X 18, and a 20 X 18 DW kick that were both built within a few months of one another.

I think the 20 is just as loud as the 22, but it produces a shorter sound. More punch and less boom. Both drums are set up with similar heads and tuning. I think the 22 is a better all around drum, but the 20s are great if you want more articulation.

im actually looking to do a set up with a 20 and a 22. anyway you can post a picture of your kit? i would really like to see it
thanks

[Steady Freddy]

im actually looking to do a set up with a 20 and a 22. anyway you can post a picture of your kit? i would really like to see it
thanks

I don't play double kick. My thoughts were to have a smaller bass drum when I don't need the boom of the 22. That in itself is bizzare, since I ran a 26 in my younger days, My everyday set up is 10, 12, 14, 16, snare and kick. Sometimes I run a 8 inch tom also. I have a pedal set up for the 20 so it's ready to go if I need it.

Anyway, here's the kit with the 20. After a couple of weeks or so I got over it and went back to the 22. I posted pictures of this kit many times. For those of you who've seen it, sorry to bore you with it again. The snare is a 13 X 5.5 Craviotto.

I've thought about messing around with a double kick set up just for fun, but just haven't gotten around to it. Maybe one of these days. I played double kick back in the day. Everyone was trying to be Ginger Baker.

[bfdrum86]

I don't play double kick. My thoughts were to have a smaller bass drum when I don't need the boom of the 22. That in itself is bizzare, since I ran a 26 in my younger days, My everyday set up is 10, 12, 14, 16, snare and kick. Sometimes I run a 8 inch tom also. I have a pedal set up for the 20 so it's ready to go if I need it.

Anyway, here's the kit with the 20. After a couple of weeks or so I got over it and went back to the 22. I posted pictures of this kit many times. For those of you who've seen it, sorry to bore you with it again. The snare is a 13 X 5.5 Craviotto.

I've thought about messing around with a double kick set up just for fun, but just haven't gotten around to it. Maybe one of these days. I played double kick back in the day. Everyone was trying to be Ginger Baker.

thank you, you should try the dbl bass kit sometime. I only played it once at guitarcenter while working ther and it was fantastic , just felt like it was more natural to move around , but that may just be me.

thanks again

[OldSpice]

Personally, I'd go with the 22, but that's because it's a better fit for the music I play (hardcore, punk, metal) I currently have a 24 inch bass, but I'm ready to go back to the 22. I love the sound of the 24, but I'm forced to mount my toms higher than I'd prefer.

[rendezvous_drummer]

I'm looking to get a 20x17 Yamaha Oak Bass Drum.......hopefully it's good enough for funk, rock, jazz and blues.....it should be.