Do coated heads have more rebound than clear, or vice-versa?

[Dipschmidt]

Before I buy new drums heads for my new set, I was wondering if there's a difference in the rebound of the stick when hitting a coated head or a clear head. For christmas I got this beautiful new ludwig kit with the custom supraphonic snare I ordered, I'll post pictures tomorrow :) Thanks!

[alparrott]

I've never noticed a difference that can't be more accurately attributed to tuning. I would say that coated heads will affect the sound more than the feel. I am sure that to some people there is a feel difference, but after 25 years playing both I have not ever picked up on it personally.

[DrumEatDrum]

I can't say I've ever heard of anyone discussing a difference, or noticed a difference myself, in the rebound of coated vs clear heads.

[Dipschmidt]

Yeah, that's what I thought, but I've never played on a set with coated heads before. Coated heads give opposed to clear heads give a warmer sound, right?

[thtst]

Hmm... geek hat now in the ON position.

Given the same tension between the two identical heads and one with and one without coating the coated head might be ever so slightly less or more rebound due to the density DIFFERENCE of the coating versus the raw head.

A higher density coating would mean more rebound due to it being a harder substance.

A less dense (softer) coating would absorb more so that would equate to less rebound.

In the real word... frankly my drear it does not give a damn. Virtually non-existent diffference as the level is too small to be detectable by mankind while playing as no coating is thick enough nor of the variety that is a dramatic enough change in density to be detactable.

[Pocket-full-of-gold]

I've never noticed a difference that can't be more accurately attributed to tuning. I would say that coated heads will affect the sound more than the feel. I am sure that to some people there is a feel difference, but after 25 years playing both I have not ever picked up on it personally.

Agreed. IMO the tension of the head will will have more baring on rebound than the coating.

[Cymbalrider]

I think G1 Coated heads have less rebound than Coated Ambassadors. Aquarians have a soft feel too. The coating is also thicker than Remos, but Remo coating is more textured, which I think works better for brushes.

[konaboy]

Never noticed any difference in rebound only the sound the head produces

[Derek]

No real difference in rebound on a clear vs. coated head but a single ply head will have more rebound than a two ply.

[MikeM]

Hmm... geek hat now in the ON position.
Oh no! I feel it coming on again...

Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure I can detect a slight difference between the tip of my sticks sliding across a smooth head and across a coated one. Look at the stick marks on your heads and notice the smearing going on. I think there's probably less of that on a rougher, more sandpaper-like surface. There's a rotational torque on your stick if you strike the head at an angle caused by the friction between stick tip and head surface. This is bound to affect at least the way the drums feels as your playing it.

Okay, forget it - tension is all there is (mostly!).

[mind_drummer]

IMO, I find coated heads offer less rebound than clear ones.

[Dipschmidt]

Alright, thanks everyone for the replies.

[bobdadruma]

I feel that coated tends to dampen rebound . It may be physiological. I just tuned equal sized drums to the same tension with a drum dial. One was coated, one was not. Ambs on both. I felt that the coated had slightly less bounce. Still not sure if it was my mind!

[Pocket-full-of-gold]

This thread prompted me to experiment.........It's all opinion, so make of it what you will, but I spent much of the day yesterday putting new batter and reso heads on all my drums and tuning them up. I swapped coated emp batters for the same....but I did have a spare clear emp lying around for my 12" tom. I tried both at the same tunings (well, I'm guessing almost....I don't use a drum dial so I can't be precise, but I tend to tune all my drums to a specific tension and the fine tune from there....so I'm guessing I was close). Again......I saw no notable difference in the two (a slight difference in tone, yes....but not rebound). Double strokes appeared to rebound about the same. If there's a diff. then I'm not trained well enough to discern it.

[bobdadruma]

I guess that if there is a difference it is so small, that people that have been playing for years can't say for sure.
I suppose that a more scientific "Mythbusters test" would be in order
My logical mind tells me that the coating will make the head thicker and decrease the reaction of the head. The coating will also absorb some of the shock of the stick when it hits the head.

[Pocket-full-of-gold]

I guess that if there is a difference it is so small, that people that have been playing for years can't say for sure.
I suppose that a more scientific "Mythbusters test" would be in order
My logical mind tells me that the coating will make the head thicker and decrease the reaction of the head. The coating will also absorb some of the shock of the stick when it hits the head.

On some scale Bob, you may well be right and I'd never doubt your logical mind mate, it's too....well.....logical. But I'd reckon your first sentance probably covers it. I'm intrigued now though. I have no interest in Jamie or Adam, but can we commission Carrie to run a few tests on our behalf?

[Skulmoski]

For christmas I got this beautiful new ludwig kit with the custom supraphonic snare I ordered, I'll post pictures tomorrow :) Thanks!

You must have been good last year - a SUPRA for Chirstmas!

GJS

p.s. The shape of the drumstick tip makes a difference too: http://www.musicresourcesusa.com/drum_percussion_resources/archives/mz_001.htm

[Pollyanna]

Interesting article, Skulmoski. Thanks.

Casting my memory back to when I switched from coated Ambassadors to pinstripes on the toms I noticed, not so much less bounce, but less clarity at low volumes with the same tuning, especially with loosely bounced ruffs. I felt like they "wanted" to be hit a bit harder.