How often should I replace drum heads?

When you absolutely have to (meaning if it breaks or it's just so flat and toneless), and if you can scrape up the extra money before tours or something and recording seshes, it always helps.
 
This is a good question. Well, I'll premise this question by saying the average price of a drum head is $14-$16 dollars EACH, times how many (double headed) drums one has, so it can add up, to say the least.

On my 5 piece kit, which will be almost 27 years old in March, I've never changed the resonant (bottom) head-on any of my toms. The plastic may have degraded to a certain extent, but not anywhere near a batter head would degrade. I've changed my bass drum batter head only once. The front (resonant) bass drum head I've never changed, since it has a logo on it (and my drums aren't made anymore *Corders*)

My snare bottom head I've never changed. I estimated that I had my last set of Batter (top) heads on all my drums in my kit for at least 15 years. When I changed all the batter heads about 4-5 years ago, those fresh heads made my drums come alive, so yes indeed, fresh heads will definitely make your drums come alive and sound like new. But for me, the bottom line is cost, where I can't afford to put fresh heads on my kit as regularly as I'd like.

As always, I'm supportive of my fellow drummers and look forward to reading what other drummers do. Thanks for reading. B RVA
 
Ultimately, a head will let you know when it needs to be changed. It's either going to fart-out sonically, tear, dent, or get so cosmetically ugly that you'll find it unsightly.

When I got my last kit, I grabbed 4 sets of tops (Amb CO/CL and Emp CO/CL). I rotate them once every month or two just so my ears stay fresh/familiar and I know what's what. I don't throw them out, mind you, just rotate. My expectation is that I'll get 3-5 years out of the order, while playing about 1h/day.

I'll let you know how well this works in ~4 more years. Note, overall, I picked up about $500 in heads, including several BD heads. I realize this might be a stretch for some.
 
I never have had to replace resonant heads, unless I am buying new drums, and I do not like the heads that are on it. As for batter heads, I buy coated, and there seems to be no established timeline - I simply replace them when the coating starts to wear off and/or the tone starts to lose its "oomph" factor.
 
Some wild advice in here. Look at how often guitar players change their strings, sure, they tune up fine but after a while they start to sound really dull. just like drum heads.

I do it about 2 times a year, mainly because I can't afford to do it more often. Touring drummers sometimes do it every few gigs. So keep that in mind, but they also are not paying for it.

The issue is that it happens slowly when they wear out so you don't really notice it, until you change them. Then it is night and day.

The bottom or reso heads matter just as much as the top, maybe even more. I see guys who just keep changing the tops and wonder why their drums sound dead.

A good rule of thumb is if they are dented, change em. If they sound dead, try tuning them, if it is not working, change em. If it has been a long time and they don't sound good, try and tune them, if it isn't working, change them. If your bored and want something to do, change em.

But at the same time if they sound good, just leave them.


2 times I change mine are right before I go into a studio to record, and when I want to switch from coated to clear, single to dual ply etc. I usually take off my old heads and put em on my second practice kit as they still work.

I also change my snare WAY more than my toms, every month or so as it gets hit probibly 50x as much.
 
I change them when they start sounding bad-- easily five or more years, maybe sooner with a snare drum I use a lot. Or when I want a different sound. Once I've changed a bottom head to a Remo Ambassador, I basically never change it again. I never wear out or break bass drum heads-- I only change them for a different sound.
 
Just change them when they start to sound bad and can't be tuned. I'm going through heads right now about every 6 mo. Kick batters...about 1/yr.

This if you're hitting the studio a lot. Not so much if you're just a casual player or gig where they use mics.
I've played at shows where the front of house guy put a dead headed drum through his board and made it sound great.
Studios can play with it too, but like the natural sound your kit puts out better. Thus, having good heads is vital.

Sometimes I change heads just because I want to try something new on my kit or I get a good deal. Then pull them off and start over.
 
depends on how hard you hit. Re-tuning should be done regularly, starting from slack. You'll see clearly dents and wrinkles in the centre which will kill the tone, but otherwise, if there is no visible damage, no need to replace them I reckon.

Just look at Bill Stewart's drums at the MD Festival 1997...

Head manufacturers and endorsers would of course recommend changing them every week!
 
I don't change them on regular basis, but I take appart my drum kit to clean it about once in a year. If the head is very concave once detuned, it means to me that the head is tired and needs replacement.
It's very true for the snare, which is tuned high, once out of the hoop/ shell, if it's very concave, I don't take the risk.

Heads are quite expensive, I would really like to change regularly - to try out new type of heads, new sound, but unfortunately, it means a lot of money.
You often find on the second hand market, drumkits with the original drumheads, 20/25 years old - it's scaring :)
 
You know, I've been playing for awhile and I'm kinda wondering the same thing. I would say, based on experience, it all depends on the miles you put on them. It's like asking, how often should I change the tires on my car.
 
Tires show tread wear or dry rot on the side walls. Drum heads are a little more subtle. As they wear we get used to the sound, so they don't sound maybe as bad as they have become. Coated heads when they begin to get smooth and then lose their tone, reso heads maybe every other time. Snare heads more often because of more use, snare side heads are very thin and usually very tight which will cause loss of tension and tone ability. All subjective, but if you play a lot I would do them yearly at the longest. I am surprised when I see heads, tom or snare that are almost black with dirt and wonder how could they sound decent after all of that play.
 
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