Coated or Clear????

piperdoog

Silver Member
Would like to hear who uses coated or clear Remo Emperors for batters?
And why?
I have a birch kit and was curious about which heads would be better, I understand it comes down to personal preference however wanted to hear some thoughts before I go spend!
Cheers
 
For starters it's a clear choice if you wish to use brushes you shouldn't go with the clear choice.
 
Hi there,

Well, I also have an all-birch kit (Mapex Meridian) and use Coated Emperors on everything as batters except on the snares. On the birch snare I use a clear emperor and on the steel snare Coated Ambassador:

Snare: Clear Emperor over Hazy Ambassador
Toms: Coated Emperor over Coated Ambassador
Bass: Coated Emperor over Powerstroke 3

On my previous kit (Pearl Forum) I had Clear Emperors on toms. They sounded fine but on this new kit I decided to try coated for a change and I really like it better. They feel different and have a rather "warmer" tone. (Of course, the drums are better also).

Anyway, I'm not being original, I'm just copying what Bonham used, and I can understand why he did. :)

So, it's coated for me.

Cheers.
 
Snare = Always coated.
Toms = I chop and change between both.
I don't use Emps on my kick....Always PS3's

I like the sound of both....which one I roll with depends on my mood at time of purchase and what I had on previously. Sometimes I want a change purely for the sake of change.....other times I think to myself, if it ain't broke....

My toms currently have coated Emps on them FWIW.
 
clears came on my saturn and i really really like them. bright and full. i think i'll stick with them.
 
I played yamaha recording custom birch kits for years. To me, the clear emps sounded best. I always use a coated head on my snare, but the toms get clears most of the time. I have coated emps on my vintage bonham kit and they sound really nice, and I play clear emps on my DW's now. I thought about trying coated emps on the DW's, but they sound so sweet as is, why change? Maybe someday I'll try them, but the clear heads give me that modern fat tom sound that's perfect for what I play.
 
I have used clear emperors on toms (with clear ambassadors on bottom). They sound terrific. Great blend of full sound and roundness. I have clear pinstripes on top at the moment which are good, but I'm thinking of going back to clear Emps next time I change them, they're just more musical.

I have used coated emperors on metal snares and they sound great too. They focus the sound just enough and take a little of the ring off. I prefer ambassadors/G1 on wooden snares, they just seem more suited to that 'open' sound for me.

Have never done a direct comparison of coated vs clear on toms with the Emps though.

In general I think clear heads give a little more attack than coated heads.
 
Coated Evans G2 for batter, and Clear G1's on resonant side. Classic!
Although I haven't tried Remo's, only for snare. But I'll do it on the new kit, Mapex Saturn, after summer... :)
 
I prefer clears on my toms, but haven't tried it on my snare.
Probably will soon though.
 
I started a thread a few days ago about using an Evans Clear EC2 SST on my snare just to see how it sounded. I had bought a set for my toms and they were a little to muffled for me but I kept them. I tend to change frequently. The 14 inch head sounds great, to me, on the snare. It is loud, dry, a little ring on my Vaughncraft steambent single ply snare. I don't use brushes often so it matters not and I think this is the only consideration for the snare head when choosing clear or coated.
 
I myself go the frosted route. I have an Evans G-Plus on the snare and "coated" EC2s on the toms, but they were the older version, and I ended up removing the foil rings on the underside, and now they have a feel and sound more like G2s.
 
I'm completely sold on the coated Vintage Emps for toms. According to Remo, they're two plies of 7.5 ml film. as opposed to 7.0 on the standard Emp. I wouldn't have thought that would be a huge difference, but from my experience, it seems to be. I don't think they make them in clear.
 
Well it seems I may stay with the coated however changing brands!!
Apparently these new Evans G plus are the way to go. From what I have heard they are one of if not the best coated heads for toms to date (matter of opinion of course) Drums mag gives them a 5 out of 5 rating say they are the best Evans head. Anyone else try them and like them?

Cheers,
I may stick with Remo.... hahaha
 
Remo Ambassador x on the racks
and Vintage Emperor on the floor tom

sometimes I just can't even believe the sound coming from my toms...
crazy good....
 
Back
Top