4 Piece Kit Tom Sizes

theuntitleddrummer

Senior Member
If you had to go four-piece, what would your tom sizes be? (give depth and diameter) Also, please explain why.
My dad wanted to build some drums from drum foundry but we are debating on sizing of the toms. Also for the tom sizes can you state a good bass drum size to go with it.
Thanks in Advance.
 
Somewhere around...

12" Diameter by 10" depth

and

16" Diameter by 16" depth

good luck with the project =]

EDIT: I'd go with those sizes 'cause they're common head sizes. And for a bass, not sure on depth, but anywhere from 18" to 20" would be decent in diameter.
 
Thanks for the reply I was thinking about the 12 and 16 idea but i forgot to mention this but i like a 14 inch floor tom because I hope IF i get into jazz band ill be using this kit so yeah.
Anyways thanks for the reply!
 
im still debating on the sizes i would want, but so far im thinking 10x8 and 14x14

pretty much becaause those are the sizes jojo mayer uses and i think they sound amazing. love the tone of those sizes

it depends what sound you want if your going to be using it

the ussual choice will be 12 and 16
 
If you're doing jazz, 10" or 12" rack, 14" or 15" floor, and 18" or 20" bass.

For rock, 12" or 13" rack, 16" floor, 22" or 24" bass.
 
If you had to go four-piece, what would your tom sizes be? (give depth and diameter) Also, please explain why.
My dad wanted to build some drums from drum foundry but we are debating on sizing of the toms. Also for the tom sizes can you state a good bass drum size to go with it.
Thanks in Advance.

I have four toms 10 12 14 16 but I only use two. Usually that's 10 & 14. The 16 is too clumsy and I can tune the 14 real low. The 10 is a bit thin and I consider switching to the 12. There's not a lot of separation between 12 - 14 but if you tune the former high and the latter low, it should be OK. That's after all what jazz players use.

Depth isn't such a concern as diameter but I'd always pick deeper sized models to get a full tone: 10x9, 12x10, 14x14...

Buy whatever the shop offers you, there's no ideal size. I'm happy with 10-14 and 12-14. I might be even happier with 12-15 but anything bigger is too clumsy for me. I really don't like 16 floor toms: too boomy, not enough defition and small tuning range.

The kick size also matters if you want the floor tom to blend between the rack tom and kick. Bigger toms go well with bigger kick and vice versa. I'd get a 20 kick no matter what I play. It's versatile, more focused than 22 and has more body than 18.

If it were me, I'd try 12x10 rack, 15x14 floor, 20x18 kick and 13x5,5 snare. For a look at my drums, check the signature.
 
I have a 10x8, 12x19, 14x12, 16x14, 20x17 set up. Im using only the 10, 12, 16 and 20.

The 14'' cant give me enough low, so I mounted the 16'' on floortom Gauger rims and it's the best ive ever heard. Really stunning.

I used to have 22'' kicks but as im not that tall at all 20'' servers better. And since it's an Oak it has a load of projection, sub and tone so that's also plus.

I wouldnt go deeper than 9'' and as for the 12'' not shallower than 8'' ( It hink I would prefer 10x8 and 12x8) as for the 10'' not shallower than 8'', otherwise it will be very hard to tune (especially if you're bearing edges aren't optima forma) as for kicks. DO NOT GO DEEPER THAN 18'' !!! 20'' depth is really to much, to long to fit in some doors, to clumsy to.. to everything... No serious. 20'' depth is a distance to far when it comes to playabillty (offcourse everything is learnable, but it doesn't feel good still) not to mention that the distance will let you loose some serious booom when we talk about 20 or 22 diameters.

I also own a ''jazzier'' Genista (full birch) since friday, and that kit has prefect sizes icm with the birch: 12x8, 14x14 and 18x14. Lot's of fun.
 
I have two 4-piece kits, which can be combined into a larger kit if needed. Sizes:
'
Kit #1 = 8x12, 14x14, and 14 x 20 with a 5x14 snare for jazz and acoutic sets
Kit #2 = 9x13, 16x16 and 14 x 22 with a 6.5 x 14 snare fer rock'n roll

Or one big kit of 8x12, 14x14, 16x16 and 14 x22 (one up/two down)
 
If I were to go to a custom shop right now and order a 4-piece kit...

12x8 Tom
16x15 Floor Tom (14" depth doesn't have enough oomph and 16" depth is hard to control)
22x20 Kick
14x7.5 Snare

But you say you're going to be playing jazz?

In that case, I'd recommend

10x7 Tom
14x13 Floor Tom
20x16 Kick
14x5 Snare
 
12X8
14X12 or 14X14
13X6,5
20X14 or 22X14


The best 4 pieces setup for me.
 
Thanks for the responses guys! I appreciate them all. I was also thinking about not going with a 16 inch floor tom because of the limited tuning range. If I went with 10, 14, and 20 what would the depth be?
 
Thanks for the responses guys! I appreciate them all. I was also thinking about not going with a 16 inch floor tom because of the limited tuning range. If I went with 10, 14, and 20 what would the depth be?

Are you sure you don't want to go with the 12/14/20 sizes? You can get a great interval of about a 3rd or 4th between them. With a 10 and 14, you're looking at more like a 5th or 6th. It's quite a wide spread. I know because I play a 10/14/18 occasionally, but I usually think to myself, "Why didn't I bring the 12" tom?"
 
As an old guy, and a traditionalist, I'd go with a 20x14 kick, 12x8 rack, and 14x14 floor. To me, those are the sizes the greats played on. Williams, Jones, De Johnette. Two good drummer buds just scored some sweet kits. One, a 60's Rogers kit. 20, 12, 14. The other, a Gretsch 3 ply round badge, 20, 12, 14. To me, those are the Blue Note/Verve sounds.
 
As an old guy, and a traditionalist, I'd go with a 20x14 kick, 12x8 rack, and 14x14 floor. To me, those are the sizes the greats played on. Williams, Jones, De Johnette. Two good drummer buds just scored some sweet kits. One, a 60's Rogers kit. 20, 12, 14. The other, a Gretsch 3 ply round badge, 20, 12, 14. To me, those are the Blue Note/Verve sounds.

Agreed - 100%
 
As an old guy, and a traditionalist, I'd go with a 20x14 kick, 12x8 rack, and 14x14 floor. To me, those are the sizes the greats played on. Williams, Jones, De Johnette. Two good drummer buds just scored some sweet kits. One, a 60's Rogers kit. 20, 12, 14. The other, a Gretsch 3 ply round badge, 20, 12, 14. To me, those are the Blue Note/Verve sounds.

As an old guy too, I probably would have to agree. My only hesitation would be the floor tom. Depending on the manufacturer of the kit, it would either be a 14 or 16. I love the low, punchy sound of 20" bass drums.

Dennis
 
As an old guy, and a traditionalist, I'd go with a 20x14 kick, 12x8 rack, and 14x14 floor. To me, those are the sizes the greats played on. Williams, Jones, De Johnette. Two good drummer buds just scored some sweet kits. One, a 60's Rogers kit. 20, 12, 14. The other, a Gretsch 3 ply round badge, 20, 12, 14. To me, those are the Blue Note/Verve sounds.

Yeah, these are the sizes of my 1970 Ludwig Downbeat. GREAT sizes. Good spread, portable, versatile...

It's a matter of what you're looking for in a kit. Do you want a punchy or boomy kick drum? Do you want your toms to sound closer together in pitch or further apart? Higher or lower in total pitch?

In a nutshell, shallower drums will be more punchy and have more of a "note", and deeper drums will lose that definition and be more boomy. Bigger diameters, obviously, yield lower overall pitch-range. With that said, 12x8, 14x14, 20x14 are VERY versatile. You can tune them for bebop or rock. If you're leaning for more of a jazz sound (and not much else), go with an 18x14 or 18x12 bass drum. If you're looking to play only rock, then 13x9, 16x16, and 22x16 are good sizes (22x14 for more punch, 22x18 for more boom).

Hope this helps...
 
I would have to do a 14x24, 9x13, 16x16. I used to have this kit and I really miss it. Oh yeah, and a 6.5x14 Black Beauty!
 
Thanks for the responses guys! I appreciate them all. I was also thinking about not going with a 16 inch floor tom because of the limited tuning range. If I went with 10, 14, and 20 what would the depth be?

I'd be perfectly happy with those specs. The depth matters less than diameter.

Personally I'd go for the fullest sound: 10x9, 14x14, 20x18. Deeper than this sounds muddy and uncontrolled.

A more classic approach is 10x8, 14x14, 20x16. Both are OK and won't make a huge difference (although I'm tempted towards a deeper kick).

Are you sure you don't want to go with the 12/14/20 sizes? You can get a great interval of about a 3rd or 4th between them. With a 10 and 14, you're looking at more like a 5th or 6th. It's quite a wide spread. I know because I play a 10/14/18 occasionally, but I usually think to myself, "Why didn't I bring the 12" tom?"

I've never heard someone complain of too much separation. Usually people complain of too little spread. Drums have evolved and the classic 12/14 isn't necessary the best choice.
 
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