Snare Heads & Resonant Tom Heads

[RobertM]

I'm looking for a good snare head to use for jazz. I've used Remo Coated Ambassadors for years, but I'm interesting in trying Aquarian's Modern Vintage Coated heads. I've also heard some people talk about Aquarian's Focus X Coated head is great for sensitive snare use and controlling ringiness.

For toms, I usually use Remo Clear Ambassadors or Evans G1 Clear on the bottom side, resonant side of the drum. However, I've heard some use Remo Clear Diplomat heads instead--something about them being a bit thinner and providing better tom sound.

Any thoughts?

[veggo32]

Ambassador clears over Amb. clears are pretty much standard...I don't think you will neccesarily get a better sound with diplomat resos, but you will definitely get a different sound....more open with more overtones to deal with.

[lewisn27]

snare:
evans j1 (batter) is designed for jazz and for the resonant head hazy 300, that will give you a nice warm tone, hopefully.
toms:
again the j1 batter and res glass

[drumtechdad]

I'm looking for a good snare head to use for jazz. I've used Remo Coated Ambassadors for years, but I'm interesting in trying Aquarian's Modern Vintage Coated heads. I've also heard some people talk about Aquarian's Focus X Coated head is great for sensitive snare use and controlling ringiness.

For toms, I usually use Remo Clear Ambassadors or Evans G1 Clear on the bottom side, resonant side of the drum. However, I've heard some use Remo Clear Diplomat heads instead--something about them being a bit thinner and providing better tom sound.

Any thoughts?

Not "better," just different. Diplomat resos are a tad brighter and they reduce sustain, and some jazz guys like that.

[Joe P]

Have you ever heard a tom with no bottom head? Well think of a diplomat as sounding a bit more like that than ambassadors. Im not saying it'll sound like a "concert tom", but it will sound a bit more open like the concert toms do.

[Les Ismore]

I've heard some use Remo Clear Diplomat heads instead--something about them being a bit thinner and providing better tom sound.

You'll get a shorter sound and unless you really dampen the batters, tone length will be noticeably 'uneven'.

If you play light jazz with small sticks, Diplomat reso's may work, the harder you hit the less body you get out of them and the batter then becomes too dominant.

[Wavelength]

I've used clear Diplomats as resonant heads (coupled with coated Ambassador batters) on my kit for a year, and they've worked very well in all situations I've put my kit through. Anything from jazz and pop to rock and electro-prog works with this combination. I haven't had any issues with having too little low-end, volume or punch -- in fact, when I tried using Ambassador resonants, I seemed to get less resonance, response and volume from my drums. Of course, my kit's shells are comparably thin and light, so that might be a factor in this -- not to mention the wood hoops...