New Jazz kit, need help with heads

scoreking81

Senior Member
Hey everyone, today my dad suprised me with a new gretsch catalina ash kit (its gonna take a few days to arrive) but it is really awesome, he got it for me cuz im graduating 8th grade and im learning a lot more jazz drumming, the kit comes with an 8" 10" and 12" toms, and it comes with shitty stock heads so i need to order some new ones. Any advice? Im really a newbie at jazz and especially jazz gear. Thanks a lot
 
I'd go with coated Remo Ambassadors, top and bottom, for the toms. Crank 'em up, now!

Keep the front bass drum logo head and get a Remo Pinstripe for the batter, and crank that, too. DO NOT cut a hole on the front head. You want your drums to resonate for jazz.

Anyway that's what I'd do.

Congratulations on your new kit!
 
I would also try Aquarian Modern Vintage heads, medium or thin, coated heads for the tops of the toms. Get Classic Clear heads for the bottom of the toms.

For the bass drum, J is right: do NOT port a hole at all on the front head. For the batter side, either a Remo Pinstripe 3 clear is good or Aquarian Superkick 1 clear is great.

Have fun with your drums. Tune 'em high.
 
ok thanks, also on my main kit i have clear remo pinstripes which i LOVE, do u think coated pinstripes on the batters and clear ambassadors on the resos would be good?
 
ok thanks, also on my main kit i have clear remo pinstripes which i LOVE, do u think coated pinstripes on the batters and clear ambassadors on the resos would be good?

I do not recommend Remo Pinstripe heads at all for toms if jazz is your goal. Pinstripe heads, especially the clear ones, are better suited for rock or some kinds of fusion: they produce a deeper, thuddier sound. Jazz playing usually requires a nice high note and plenty of resonance. Pinstripe heads or Evans G2 or EC heads and the like dampen out the resonance and focus the sound too much.

For jazz playing, I would stick to Evans G1 coated, Remo coated Ambassador, or Aquarian Modern Vintage or Satin Coated heads for the toms. G1 clears, Ambassador or Diplomat clears, or Aquarian classic clears for the bottom of the toms. There are other style heads you can try--for example, Evan J1 etched for batter side, Remo's new skyntone heads or Renaissance heads for batter side, etc.; but Coated Ambassadors, G1 Coated, or Modern Vintage or Satin Coated are pretty standard.

For rock and other styles, I think Remo Clear Emperors or Evans G2 Clears sound great. I tend to avoid the pinstripes again because I usually don't like the way they dampen resonance.

Your best guide is your ear, though: experiment and use what you like.
 
Congrats on the Gretsch Cat Jazz kit!

Thanks man, i got it for $375 and it was the ash version that just had (for toms) 8, 10, and 12 so they were discounting it, but it worked really well for jazz cuz a 12" floor tom sounds pretty sweet. i was gonna go with a custom classic kit but this was such a steal and my dad was willing to get it for me for graduation so i jumped on it
 
Thanks man, i got it for $375 and it was the ash version that just had (for toms) 8, 10, and 12 so they were discounting it, but it worked really well for jazz cuz a 12" floor tom sounds pretty sweet. i was gonna go with a custom classic kit but this was such a steal and my dad was willing to get it for me for graduation so i jumped on it

Awesome brother! That sounds like a great kit...
 
Awesome brother! That sounds like a great kit...

thanks, but actually i was reconsidering this morning (my dad wasnt going to order it until tonite) and thinking a custom classic birch jazz kit would be better, i mean the gretsch doesnt have any hardware, and the sizes really only work for jazz, where as the cc could be used for rock if i wanted to, whaddya think?
 
thanks, but actually i was reconsidering this morning (my dad wasnt going to order it until tonite) and thinking a custom classic birch jazz kit would be better, i mean the gretsch doesnt have any hardware, and the sizes really only work for jazz, where as the cc could be used for rock if i wanted to, whaddya think?

I use my CCs for rock! I swear by them man! PM sent.
 
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