Two-ply reso heads?

paravil

Senior Member
I recently changed all of the heads, top and bottom, on my Yamaha Beech Custom kit. I'd played them for years with coated G2s and the factory resos, and had to do a little research before choosing reso heads. I decided on buying G2 clears for top and bottom. I'd read that, while conventional wisdom says to use one-ply resos, using two-ply could help eliminate overtones and negate the need for any other muffling (moon gels, rings, etc.).

Since putting these new heads on, they've been dead. I've gotten decent tone out of 14" and 16" toms, but nothing like before. The 10" and 12" have been giving me fits. Even when I get the tone of the drum near-right, it's still choked out and flat sounding. I have never before had a problem getting these drums to sound good. Back when I traveled with a band, they spent most of their time in a trailer and I rarely had to do any significant re-tuning when setting up.

So, before I spend the money to go back to one-ply resos and coated G2s, is there anything specific I should try? Does anyone else successfully use two-ply resos?
 
Sorry your drums are dead, but that's what two ply reso heads will do. Using single-ply reso heads isn't so much conventional wisdom as it is tried and true recommended practice. Reso heads need to resonate to get a full sound, hence the name. So the head you choose should be open with no muffling.

Before you go out and get all new heads again, Go out and just get clear G1 resos and try it out. If you can continue using the clear G2s on top, you have an extra head for every drum..
 
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Right now I'm using a two-ply on the bottom of one of my 16" floor toms, but it isn't a trick I'd try on smaller toms, for the reasons you're finding out; it can make toms sound choked and lifeless. You could try a few different tuning combinations (significantly higher OR lower could give you a usable sound) but in the end I think you'll be happier with a one-ply head on the bottom.

I think the reason most people use a one-ply head on the bottom is it works well. I'd take off the G2's from the bottom and keep them for a spare set of batter heads and put a one-ply one the bottom. I think both the EC Resonant and the G12 make great bottom heads if you want a little control while keeping an open tone.
 
Using single-ply reso heads isn't so much conventional wisdom as it is tried and true recommended practice.

Point taken. I'll call it a failed experiment, and get me some new resos. Thanks for the feedback.
 
overtones are tuning related not thickness of ply. A 2 ply reso head gives a lower pitch all other factors the same. I find it hard to believe they are THAT much deader with a 2ply but I guess so. Before you go buy another set of heads I would try tuning resos up higher.
 
I am using an Emperor clear on my 16" floor tom and it sounds fantastic. Dead or choked is the last description you would hear about my floor tom, but your drums will tell you what they like.

I second the suggestion that you try a G1 or g12 reso on one drum and see if that is to your liking with the G2 batter. If so, then you have your next set of batters already.
 
If I may also suggest giving the single-ply Evans EC Resos? They have the "SST" ring around their edge, to help eliminate overtones. Worth looking into, perhaps.
 
if you want more tone and sustain but less overtone you shoul try evans gplus, they are one ply but 12mil, g1 and ambassador are 10mil. that 20% extra really makes a diference. I`ve been playing pinstripe on top and gplus on bottom for a year and I'm really happy with that combo
 
I use two-ply resos. Either I have G2's top and bottom, or Emperors top and bottom. And my kit sounds great (it's a six-ply Ludwig maple from 1979-80). In fact, just this past week I put black dots on top and left the resos in place. So I have single-ply with a dot on top and 2-ply on the bottoms, and they still sound pretty good.

I admit, I do have drums that do NOT sound good with thick 2-ply heads, so maybe your situation is true, but I would think what you have would be fine with anything. My 1978 Slingerlands might be a bit out-of-round, meaning I have to tension a bit higher to get past that, so they won't tune low. But they sing with single ply heads and go dead with 2-ply heads.
 
My suggestion is to try a G1 coated on the bottom. It will be a compromise between G1 and G2 clear heads.
 
Right now I'm using a two-ply on the bottom of one of my 16" floor toms, but it isn't a trick I'd try on smaller toms, for the reasons you're finding out; it can make toms sound choked and lifeless. You could try a few different tuning combinations (significantly higher OR lower could give you a usable sound) but in the end I think you'll be happier with a one-ply head on the bottom.

I think the reason most people use a one-ply head on the bottom is it works well. I'd take off the G2's from the bottom and keep them for a spare set of batter heads and put a one-ply one the bottom. I think both the EC Resonant and the G12 make great bottom heads if you want a little control while keeping an open tone.

I'm glad you mentioned the Fl. tom. I've got a 14x14 that sounds great, but resonates for ever. That just might be what it needs. Right now I've got a Ambassador X on top, and Amb. on bottom.
 
Thanks for all the input. I didn't mean to overstate the problem in my post. The drums weren't totally dead, but there was a significant difference from what I'm used to hearing. They didn't sing like they usually do. I messed around with them a little bit more last night and have the 16" sounding pretty sweet with the two-ply bottom. The ten and twelve were giving me the most fits, so I'm still playing around with them.
 
I like Coated Ambs on top, clear on the bottom, and a coated Emperor on the batter side of my 16" floor tom. Works great for me.
 
I'm glad you mentioned the Fl. tom. I've got a 14x14 that sounds great, but resonates for ever. That just might be what it needs. Right now I've got a Ambassador X on top, and Amb. on bottom.

I have a 16" floor tom on one of my kits that rings for days. Well, it did... I put an Aquarian Focus-X head on the reso and it tamed it just enough.

This may not work on every drum though.
 
It is best to think of the reso head as part of the snare system, not just an opposing head to the batter. I still recommend single ply resos because in most cases, they compliment and allow the snares to respond as they should.
 
if you want more tone and sustain but less overtone you shoul try evans gplus, they are one ply but 12mil, g1 and ambassador are 10mil. that 20% extra really makes a diference. I`ve been playing pinstripe on top and gplus on bottom for a year and I'm really happy with that combo

Just FYI, the G Plus is now the G12 series (to fit in line with the G14 being a 14mil single-ply head). Cheers!
 
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