Black Suede Remo Emps on Gretsch Catalina Floor Toms

TheHeelDrummer

Senior Member
So I threw some Black Suede emps over some Evans clear G1s and I am struggling to get a sound I am happy with.

I have tuned different ways with reso side higher, reso side equal, even reso side lower and I am just not getting what I want. Its slappy and sloppy or boingy in ringy. I have been tuning many years and have not really ran into a few drums that I have felt this frustrated with in a long time.

They are 14 x14 and 14x16 1st gen Gretsch Catalina floor toms. I am begining to wonder if I have some bearing edge problems.\

Anyone have any advice or experience with the Black Suede Emperoros? The easy toms, 10 and 12 tuned up like champs. Like I said the floors are slappy, papery or boingy with me not being able to find any sweet spot. I have been messing with them on and off until my ears cant take it.
 
I had some difficulty with that combo on my BRX 14. I tuned it low enough to produce a tone close to a lower octave of my 10" and put a moon gel on it (which looks killer against the black btw). I finally did get a sound I liked and it worked a heck of a lot better than the G2 coated I had on there before. Good heads.
 
For one of my bands, I practice on a Catalina kit outfitted with Black Suede Emperors, and I absolutely hate the tone. They just sound so dead. Next time we practice, I'm going to take a few minutes to tune them up before we get started to see if I can get some actual tone out of the drums, but every time I've done it before, it has ended the same way. I've heard the heads sound good on other kits, but I just think there's something about the Catalina kits. They just don't seem to work well together.
 
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For one of my bands, I practice on a Catalina kit outfitted with Black Suede Emperors, and I absolutely hate the tone. They just sound so dead. Next time we practice, I'm going to take a few minutes to tune them up before we get started to see if I can get some actual tone out of the drums, but every time I've done it before, it has ended the same way. I've heard the heads sound good on other kits, but I just think there's something about the Catalina kits. They just don't seem to work well together.

I know right? Let me know how you make out. I took the 10 off and put a coated G2 on it and it was a different drum. I know the suede emps arent bad heads... its just like they dont like the Catalinas it seems.
 
I have a Gretsch Catalina 14x14 floor tom, and it has sounded great with every head combo I have used, including the heads that came with it. I have used Ambassador, Control Sound, G1, and G Plus as batter heads, and they all sound great. Peace and goodwill.
 
I ended up getting a good sound, but it took a lot more effort than usual for me.

I still am not in love with it, but a couple drummers I know have heard and played them and told me they sound unbelievable and told me I'm crazy.

Go figure.
 
I ended up getting a good sound, but it took a lot more effort than usual for me.

I still am not in love with it, but a couple drummers I know have heard and played them and told me they sound unbelievable and told me I'm crazy.

Go figure.

Yeah, I tuned it up better last time I was at the practice space. It sounds better. Not great, but better. The whole kit just sounds really dead.
 
I find the difference between the black suede and the white suede pretty significant. I hate the sound of the black suede heads. A rubbery feel and muted, rolled off yet slappy kind of sound.

The white suedes on the other hand seem much more similar to their coated counterparts. I am not sure how the pigment could make that much of a difference but it would seem to my ears that is does.
 
I have Black Suede Emps on my 16" Cat tom and they remind me a bit of the pinstripes, only marginal more projection. I tuned them higher than I normally would and they sound good. But, just because I can, I'm gonna get some coated G1's. I think I just want to be loud and untamed as I get older.
 
I find the difference between the black suede and the white suede pretty significant. I hate the sound of the black suede heads. A rubbery feel and muted, rolled off yet slappy kind of sound.

The white suedes on the other hand seem much more similar to their coated counterparts. I am not sure how the pigment could make that much of a difference but it would seem to my ears that is does.

I liked the White Suedes Emps I had on my old Superstar, but if I were to try it again I'd do Ambassadors on my new kit. They are the nicest feeling drumhead (to my touch, like, with my fingers) I've ever felt, and I'm sure they sound good as well :)
 
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