new heads for Catalina

So i picked up a gretsch Catalina maple last month and i am going to start the process of new skins. I am looking to the experts to guide me towards a versitile head. I have looked at coated Remo Ambassadors that looks like a good choice or no, any other recomondations are appreciated. Also if someone could explain the differnce between Emporers and Ambassadors. Thanks I am really new to this skin thing.

The difference between Emperors and Ambassador are that the Emperors are 2 ply and the Ambassador are 1 ply.
I would say the 2 plies give you more punch while the 1 ply give you more tone on the toms.
For snares I would recommend the Ambassador.

I've been happy with emps over ambs on the same kit. On the kick I'm using PS3's on batter and reso. I don't use the snare, but I have an emp over a snare side amb fwiw.

I think Coated Ambassador heads sound great as batters for high-end drums, for everything else, it seems thicker heads give you a more consistent tone. Gretsch Classics might sound great with Coated Ambassadors all the way around, but for a Catalina the Emperors will help you out. I have Coated Ambassadors/Clear on my Catalina Rock and there is frequent retuning involved here

Batter side, I have coated Emperors on the floor toms, coated G-2s on the mounted toms, and a coated Ambassador on the snare. Resonant side, clear Ambassador on the snare and clear G-Pluses on the rest. I keep the tension cranked up very high, with the resonant sides a good full turn to a turn and a half tighter than the batters. Bass drum is an EMAD batter side with the stock logo head reso side. My set sounds very similar to Bonham, Baker, Mitchell, Seraphine and those rock drummers that used to know how to tune their drums, before rockers started tuning their toms to sound like toneless flat tires.

If you go with Remos, just remember you have to re-tighten them constantly for a few weeks before they will hold their tune. They have seating issues that Evans don't. But I like the tone of Remos better, myself, maybe I'm just old fashioned.

I use Evans coated G2's over clear G1's and the sound with the maple shells is warm and full. If your a Remo guy you will get the same effect by using Emperors over Ambassadors.

Cymbalrider said:

I think Coated Ambassador heads sound great as batters for high-end drums, for everything else, it seems thicker heads give you a more consistent tone. Gretsch Classics might sound great with Coated Ambassadors all the way around, but for a Catalina the Emperors will help you out. I have Coated Ambassadors/Clear on my Catalina Rock and there is frequent retuning involved here

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I don't know...If the drums are responsible for the tuning issues I don't see how emperors would make that better.

Thanks for the help ive heard some emporer sample's they sound real nice, i figure i will give them a whirl and see. As well Benny Greb uses these heads in his DVD and they sound killer, or maybe thats just his SQ2's.
Cheers,

The thicker two-ply heads stay in tune better and aren't quite as sensitive to small inconsistencies like Ambassadors. Now if these were GMS, C&C, vintage Radio Kings, Canopus, etc. the story would change. There's an ongoing debate on whether Evans or Remo heads stay in tune longer as well. I think G1 Coated heads are more focused, but lack the personality of Ambassadors and certainly aren't as great for brushes.

Cymbalrider said:

The thicker two-ply heads stay in tune better and aren't quite as sensitive to small inconsistencies like Ambassadors. Now if these were GMS, C&C, vintage Radio Kings, Canopus, etc. the story would change. There's an ongoing debate on whether Evans or Remo heads stay in tune longer as well. I think G1 Coated heads are more focused, but lack the personality of Ambassadors and certainly aren't as great for brushes.

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Thicker heads are easier to tune because they take out the highs. Those highs sound incredible on a properly tuned drum. Gretch Catalina's have true enough of edges to handle singe ply heads. Personally, I destroy single ply heads and especially Ambassadors, so two ply heads work best for me. I've used both G2's and EC2's and prefer the EC2's. I whack my rack toms pretty hard and knock them out of tune, so something like an EC2 really helps me stay lazy. If I was playing softer though, I would definitely use coated G1's over G1's.