Swapping heads (Does it damage the head?)

Defender

Silver Member
Hi guys, this might be a silly question, but I'm just curious if pulling a head off and on a drum (especially the top and bottom snare drum heads) is an acceptable practice.. I recently picked up a new snare drum and want to try the heads from my other snare. I just want to make sure it's going to be bad for the heads to be tensioned and un-tensioned and re-tensioned over and over again.

Thanks, Defender
 
If the drums have any difference in bearing edge then you're seating it a second time by putting it on a different drum. You're stretching the head in a different spot than it was before, so it will not necessarily sound the same as putting a fresh head on it. And if you put it back on the first drum it may not sound like it did before, because of having been stretched differently by the other drum. Some would consider that "damage".

That said, I've done it a bunch of times with different heads and had pretty good results. On the other hand, some people never put a head back on (even on the same drum) and consider it "dead" after being removed.

Also I would guess that the thinner the head, the more likely it is that it would be f'ed up by removing/replacing as the thinner the head is, the easier it stretches and deforms. I had a Remo Emperor X that WOULD NOT DIE no matter how many times I took it off or moved it. Also it never ever dished out, dented, or split. It always sounded like it did when it was new...like crap.
 
Swapping heads from drum to drum is common practice and as long as the heads are in good condition there will be no issues.
I frequently change heads between my various drums.
 
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