Head choice for Jungle Kit (JAZZ)

FunkyJazzer

Senior Member
Ok. Sonor Force 3007 Jungle Kit in Red Maple is on it's way. It is going to be used almost exclusively as a jazz kit and I need some help deciding on drum heads for it.

For the two toms I was thinking Remo Vintage A's for the batter sides and Remo Fibreskyn Ambassadors for the reso sides. I think this is a good choice, though I'm still tempted by the trusty ol' Coated Ambassadors for the batter...Open to suggestions...

The bass drum I'm finding much trickier. It's only a 16" bass drum remember, so the conventional open bass drum sound is already going to be slightly hindered. I'm playing a bit of modern jazz so I don't want a stupidly resonant bass drum, but still, quite boomy and toneful. I was thinking a Fibreskyn Ambassador for the resonant (cliché I know!) and for the batter side I'm stuck between a Vintage A and an Emperor. I'm worried that an Emperor would go a bit overkill on the deadening of the already small bass drum and I won't be able to get that lovely round open sound and general nice feeling I get playing those kinds of bass drums. Again, I'm open to suggestions but I'm pretty settled on Remo coated heads.

Cheers in advance,
Lloyd.
 
I would recommend not to put Fiberskyn heads on the resonant side. They're more muffled than normal heads, and if anything, I'd probably reverse those two. But for the toms, I'd probably go coated over clear or coated over coated, either Ambassadors or Vintage As.

I think Steve Smith uses Ambassadors on the tops and bottoms of his Jungle toms, and on his kick, I know he uses a clear Emperor on the batter and the stock reso, with felt strips for muffling. But I've also heard that the Vintage As are warmer than clear Emps, so I think either would be a good choice.
 
I was on my way to tell you that you should put fiberskyns over coated ambassadors on, them and I still think you should. The fiberskyns are fantastic batters, and the combo with those over coated ambassadors is fantastic!

But, it is all up to you.
 
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