Deep bass drums

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
I used to be a big fan of 18" deep bass drums.

Now, they just look re-diculous to me. I'm still more than fine with the sound though.

I have a DW exotic kit with a 22 x 20 BD. That looks even more re-diculous.

16" deep is my limit these days, but I'm gravitating more to 14's.
 
Yep.
Even though I own three kits with 18x22 bass drums, the look bothers me. They sound great, though.
When I order a kit, it's always a 14 or 15" deep bd.
 
I still like the look and sound of a 22 x 18 kick (I have two of them).

I'd thought about getting my Ludwig "beer can" 20" x 20" cut down to a 20" x 14".

It doesn't look that bad without the rack tom, but with the rack tom, I think the length looks awkward to me.


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I don't know...the "look" never really bothered me much. No real issue with them aside from carting them around is slightly more of a pain.

I have 14 x 18, 14 x 20 and 18 x 20, 18 x 22 and 14 x 24 bass drums.

There is a low-end "boom" that the 18" deep ones have that the 14s lack.

Also, I find the 18" deep drums produce more sympathetic vibration from the toms that adds to an overall bigger sound from the kit.
 
I'm the other way around - I feel like I have to work much harder to get the air pushing through an 18". I've played 14" deep and 16" deep for most of my life, and an 18" just feels sluggish to me. Add in the extra space it takes up in the car and on the stage and I'll probably never get one.
 
I'm the other way around - I feel like I have to work much harder to get the air pushing through an 18". I've played 14" deep and 16" deep for most of my life, and an 18" just feels sluggish to me. Add in the extra space it takes up in the car and on the stage and I'll probably never get one.

I’m in this camp. From the other, similar recent thread, it does seem like drummers have very different experiences of how kick depth influences tone. I feel (this is a fairly recent discovery for me) that 18” and 20” deep kicks actually have a more attack-heavy sound, compared to shorter ones.
 
There's no mystery (all other things being equal) to the difference depth makes to a drum's tone & response, but as I've been up to my eyes in shellac fumes all day, my explanation might lack clarity - that, & a glass of wine ;)
 
I dunno. I’ve come to like the 18x22, especially after years in the 14” camp. I can make either depth work. What’s weird to me is shallower bass drums. There’s so much marketing about “gigging” kits, we’re starting to see 12” depths and less becoming a thing. As if we can’t possibly be gigging with anything deeper ;)
 
Good marketing will be able to justify any depth. The only test is your ear or an A, B test side by side.
 
The 24 x 18 bass drum on this Legacy Classic kit is not to my liking so I put it up for sale. I have a 24 x 14 on order for my N&C kit . This will satisfy my 24" cravings.
 

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The correct bass drum depth is 14 inches. LOL
It used to be the norm, then became rare, and now is making a comeback.
I've got one 16" deep that I'd prefer to be 14, but I can live with it.
 
I prefer 14, ...but live with 18, or 17 or 17.5 ....or 16...because that whats for sale often, especially in the used market.
Every band I've been in though loves a deep kick. Size matters to these chaps. I don't get it, I think articulation on the BD is lost on my bandmates...... they just want a boom on 1 and 3.
 
I picked up a Gretsch Catalina Jazz bop sized kit earlier this year with an 18x14 kick drum. I put an EMAD on it, and it sounds pretty nice - certainly not the kind of sound you get out of a bigger drum, but certainly respectable and definitely easier to lug around.

When I bought my first two kits, 22x18 was the normal size for most "standard" drum kits, so that's what I still have, so it's really all I know.
 
If you had multiple floor toms. 14 X 12, 16 X 14, 18 X 16. 20 X 18 and 22 X 20 sizes seem to fit right in. I have 5 18 inch deep kicks and they all sound good, I would like to try a 16 inch depth tho. Had all the 14 inch depths back in my youth. That was only 55 years ago. Geeze did they even have drums that long ago???? LOL
 
There’s so much marketing about “gigging” kits, we’re starting to see 12” depths and less becoming a thing. As if we can’t possibly be gigging with anything deeper ;)

I played a "travel" kit by a high-quality drum maker which featured a 20" x 12" kick at a friend's house. The kick doesn't sound that great IMO.

I have to be honest, this was the inspiration for the thread.

Sorry Martin!

No problem Larry! However, if you start bashing my new cymbals, you owe me a snare drum. :)
 
I played a "travel" kit by a high-quality drum maker which featured a 20" x 12" kick at a friend's house. The kick doesn't sound that great IMO.

I'm always impressed by the sound of the 20x12 on my Sonor Player SE (EMAD batter, P3 reso, nothing inside). But of course I have very little expectation from it so I'm easily impressed.

Took a while to dial in the tuning though, had to tune it tighter than I expected. Sure my Ludwig 22x18 is better on all accounts, but with a mic inside at a gig they both work very well!
 
I'm always impressed by the sound of the 20x12 on my Sonor Player SE (EMAD batter, P3 reso, nothing inside). But of course I have very little expectation from it so I'm easily impressed.

Took a while to dial in the tuning though, had to tune it tighter than I expected. Sure my Ludwig 22x18 is better on all accounts, but with a mic inside at a gig they both work very well!

I have a 20 x 12 walnut bass drum. (I gave my Sonor Players kit to my stepson) It's certainly not a 22. But it is just perfect for certain gigs. I get a good tone tuned Motown high or low, but it's not as "heavy" or "weighty" of a bass drum tone, like a 22 has.

Good size for intimate rooms.
 
I used to be a big fan of 18" deep bass drums.

Now, they just look re-diculous to me. I'm still more than fine with the sound though.

I have a DW exotic kit with a 22 x 20 BD. That looks even more re-diculous.

16" deep is my limit these days, but I'm gravitating more to 14's.

I don't care for the feel of the batter on an 18" depth compared with thinner depths. I recently sold my Gretsch New Classics with a 22x18 BD and picked up an older Gretsch USA set with a 22X14. It's much more responsive and sounds fuller/bigger than the 18" did.
 
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