Evans Hydraulic Batter Drum Heads

pxavier

Senior Member
Will the Evans Hydraulic Batter Drum Heads get my toms to sound like the drums of the sixties and seventies? I'm going for a psychedelic/garage sound, like that of Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, the Doors etc. If you need a better description, try listening to the genre station under the same name on Pandora Radio.
 
Or for those NOT in America, we can try Spotify because Pandora only works in the US...

No is the answer. All of those players used Remo Ambassadors or Emperor heads most likely. Ringo used calfskin on his snare.
 
No.
I had them on my Vistalites for about a month and could never get the tone or response out of them. I still have one on my Bass drum but am considering a GMAD instead.
I have a set , 12", 13", 14" & 16" slightly used if you want them, come and get them. Between Cleveland and Akron Ohio.
I switched to Evans EC1 and I'm considering going with a less controlled head with more ring and tone. (Personal preference).
I actually played a lot in the 70's and 80's and never used hydraulics. Ludwig silver dots is what I used back then.
 
Coated Ambassadors or Emperors will get you closer to the 60s and 70s sound.

The only thing I think those Hydraulics are good for is for a specific recorded sound or when you play lots of tom heavy music in a not-so-big room and you don't want to overrun everyone else with your sound.
 
I used them on my 70s concert toms. They had a real cool sound on those drums.
I never liked them on drums with reso heads.
They do not have a classic rock sound at all.
They are interesting heads and you should try them once during your lifetime.
 
The only time I heard Evans Hydraulic heads on toms that sounded decent was on a DW Collectors kit and that's because those shell resonant like crazy. I personally wouldn't use them because I like a fairly open sound to my drums and the only thing oil will do is deaden the sound. If that's what you want, all well and good, but that's not the method I would use to get a nostalgic sound.

Dennis
 
hydraulics are more likely to give you that dead 80s sound - like the others have said, coated ambassadors were the norm in the 60s and 70s with black dots probably coming second
 
hydraulics are more likely to give you that dead 80s sound - like the others have said, coated ambassadors were the norm in the 60s and 70s with black dots probably coming second


How are the ambassadors and emperors different?
 
Do not buy Remo Fibreskyns if you want that sound. They advertise them as such but not quite. They are OK heads but not good for the 60's sound. Mine have a little tinny, plastic sound.
 
Do not buy Remo Fibreskyns if you want that sound. They advertise them as such but not quite. They are OK heads but not good for the 60's sound. Mine have a little tinny, plastic sound.

I actually just bought the evan's emperor coated heads. I haven't put em on yet because I'm waiting for my next gig, and i feel kinda wasteful because my original stock heads haven't broken yet, just denty.
 
If they are "denty" then they are stretched and should be replaced. If you wait for them to be "broken" it may be a while.
Emperor are Remo and not Evans.
 
If they are "denty" then they are stretched and should be replaced. If you wait for them to be "broken" it may be a while.
Emperor are Remo and not Evans.

Whoops, yes I meant Remo.

They sound fine to me. Should I change them anyway?
 
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