Powerstroke 3 for kick - coating & reso questions

EricT43

Senior Member
Hi everyone. I need to finally replace the original Premier kick drum head that came on my XPK kit that I bought back in the 90's!

After reading a lot of threads and reviews, it seems that most people are happy with the PS3's as a batter head, so I think I want to try that. My toms have coated Evans G2 batters and G1 resos, and I really like the tone I get from those. A "warm" attack with good sustain and tonality. I'd like my bass drum tone to be complimentary.

I prefer to not have to deal with any muffling add-ons, felt strips, etc. I'll be playing mostly rock music.

So my questions are, what is suggested for a reso head? I've read that PS3 reso's are a good match, but will I need extra muffling with that setup?

And, should I go coated or uncoated? I was thinking coated to blend better with my tom sound, and control resonance, but most of the feedback threads I've read have been about the clears. Any thoughts?
 
i am running a smooth white PS3s on my 22" (yamaha) and 20" (custom) and love it. i feel the 20" is maybe the best combo. NO HOLE on the PS3 smooth white reso and wide open w/ coated EMAD coated (single ply) & small ring. insane tone & PUNCH.
 
I use a Ps4 batter with a ps3 ported reso. Go with the ps3 batter. ps4s sound good but the foam ring is intrusive and muffles a tad too much for me. I have nothing else inside.
 
i am running a smooth white PS3s on my 22" (yamaha) and 20" (custom) and love it. i feel the 20" is maybe the best combo. NO HOLE on the PS3 smooth white reso and wide open w/ coated EMAD coated (single ply) & small ring. insane tone & PUNCH.

I run PS3 coated batter, PS3 smooth white reso on my 20", its a killer combo. I'd like to try the Fiberskyn PS3 batter/reso as well though.

If the PS3 coated didn't have those idiotic blue circles, I'd be running that on both sides.. Why REMO? WHY!?!?
 
Thanks guys, I'll probably try the PS3 coated batter and smooth white on the reso side.

Ugh, now I have to decide whether to port it or not...
 
For rock, I'd really recommend more than just the built-in muffling in the PS3. I have an Evans pillow that barely touches the front head, but even just sitting in the drum not touching either head, the sound is better than with it removed completely. I went to one gig without the pillow and ended up stuffing a towel from the place inside the kick out of necessity. (i have a clear PS3 with a Falam Slam and a smooth white, center-ported PS3 reso).

The coated should do nicely for you, especially if you like coatings on your tom heads.

You know, Aquarian makes a similar head (the Force I) in a coated version without any blue rings on the head :)
 
Coated or clear, the PS3 has become one of my Fav bass heads. I use it for Rock, Country, and Jazz on three different sized bass drums.
The PS4 is also great.
You can do many different things with a PS3 or PS4.
I sometimes put a felt strip under my clear PS4 batter to dampen it even more for Rock and double pedal playing.
Experiment and have fun with these great heads.
 
Coated or clear, the PS3 has become one of my Fav bass heads. I use it for Rock, Country, and Jazz on three different sized bass drums.
The PS4 is also great.
You can do many different things with a PS3 or PS4.

They're certainly more versatile than EMADs, Superkicks, and the like.

BTW, just for the sake of completeness, Evans' most similar head is the EQ4 (or the EQ1 which includes vents around the perimeter). Their resonant heads are, for some reason, reso-specific versions of the EQ3 and EQ1. The EQ1 comes with no port but has the edge vents, the EQ3 comes either with 7.5mil film and a port or with 6.5mil film and no port. Bizarre, I know.
 
Generally, the coated version will have a lower perceived pitch than a clear or smooth white version due to the coating itself - it's adding weight to the head. I love using PS3's in either smooth or coated, and I usually couple it with a regular weight ambassador front reso with a felt strip - or no strip if I really want it ringy.
 
Generally, the coated version will have a lower perceived pitch than a clear or smooth white version due to the coating itself - it's adding weight to the head. I love using PS3's in either smooth or coated, and I usually couple it with a regular weight ambassador front reso with a felt strip - or no strip if I really want it ringy.

How would you describe the difference between Smooth White and Coated? I've been interested for a while in SW heads' application on non-bass-reso areas.
 
How would you describe the difference between Smooth White and Coated? I've been interested for a while in SW heads' application on non-bass-reso areas.

Just as I said, their pitch will be a little higher because there's no sprayed on coating. It would be like using a clear one for a batter head. Just that not all stores stock smooth white heads, they're essentially like ear heads.
 
Oh, durr. I meant to say between a Smooth White and a Clear. Judging by that statement, I'll guess they're pretty similar :)

Remo's website says they are kind of between a clear and coated. Warmer than clear, but not as much as a coated head.

Based on your feedback, I'll pick up some felt strips just in case. I assume they just go on the reso side, right?

It looks like the pre-ported heads only come in black. I wanted to go with white this time, so maybe I'll just cut the port myself.
 
The Smooth Whites I've bought come with a little template/reinforcing ring that you can use to cut the hole. I've done it twice, no problems.

Thanks Porter, good to know. I'm going to GC today to pick them up.

What part of Texas are you in? I'm in El Paso.
 
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