optimum depth for 18" kick?

hey again everyone. thinking about getting an 18" kick (i've really been diggin on bernard purdie and paul deakin lately) but dont know what depth to go with. seems to me that an 18x18 might not have much tone to it and would be nothing but punch, but too shallow and it would just sound like another floor tom. also, again, looking for a reasonable amount of volume. figured i'd get it straight from those of you who own and have relied on them.

I would get a 14" deep drum.It still gives you some bottom end,and more punch than a deeper drum.

Steve B

While I'm not sure what the optimum is (14" seems about right) what I can say is that I've
built up quite a few different 18" bass drums varying from 16" to the 9" that I have used the
past year. For what I want from a bass drum for small group jazz, 9" was the shallowest
depth I could get by with. It leaves very little room for adjustment of sound but fortunately I
can eak out what I want from it. I believe that 12" x 18" is the shallowest shell commercially
mass produced size but could be mistaken about that. Anyways, consider 9" to be the minimal end of "usable, not optimal". I'd like to know what the max is.

Go with the classic 14x18 format. I have two kits that have that size bass drum and I like that size the best for an 18 inch kick.

14'' definitely! you get sustain and presence if you want it, but you can get awesome rebound and quick response due to the 14'' depth. punch is not a problem either!

What? No love for 16" depth?

j-ronimo said:

hey again everyone. thinking about getting an 18" kick (i've really been diggin on bernard purdie and paul deakin lately) but dont know what depth to go with. seems to me that an 18x18 might not have much tone to it and would be nothing but punch, but too shallow and it would just sound like another floor tom. also, again, looking for a reasonable amount of volume. figured i'd get it straight from those of you who own and have relied on them.

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I play and 18 by 18 kick and it has plenty of tone, lots of punch and great chomp. A 14 would be good for jazz, or a genre where the bass drum should be neither seen nor heard. If you want a drum that has no problem sounding like a drum, go for an 18.

I prefer 16" depth, but that is just me. Peace and goodwill.