Message from EvansPrez

Rick, here's a question for you..

First off, wouldn't you agree that it's a fact that some heads, brand new, are just duds? I just got my first one recently, from GC. I failed to do the tap test. My black beauty drum just would not cooperate. Finally I put the old head back on (same type) and voila, there's my drum. I tap tested the dud head when I took it off. It was a G2 that sounded like it had a 3rd layer of film. I tap tested the old head before I put it back on and it sounded like it was supposed to.
So, what is going on with the duds? Can you explain why this happens?
 
Rick, here's a question for you..

First off, wouldn't you agree that it's a fact that some heads, brand new, are just duds? I just got my first one recently, from GC. I failed to do the tap test. My black beauty drum just would not cooperate. Finally I put the old head back on (same type) and voila, there's my drum. I tap tested the dud head when I took it off. It was a G2 that sounded like it had a 3rd layer of film. I tap tested the old head before I put it back on and it sounded like it was supposed to.
So, what is going on with the duds? Can you explain why this happens?

Did you happen to notice if the head had a slight ripple in the bottom ply of film? When we make two ply heads like the G2 or EC2, we make sure the orientation or direction of the film is going the same direction. The direction is determined when the film is produced. I can go into that in another post. Anyway, another thing we do is remove the static electricity before the two plies are joined together. I believe that one of two things occured to that head, air was trapped between the plies or static electricity built up in the head. Either condition will produce a head that gives you the thud you describe. It is also possible to bring the majority of those heads to life by working the collar of the head. I'll see if I can find some dead heads and demonstrate on a video. Rick
 
Absolutely love Evans, I use G2 batters and Black Resonant's on my Recording Customs and they've never sounded better!

Bring back the old logo!!
 

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Hi Rick,

I commend you on wanting to get involved with the community and hear first hand what people have to say.

So to my question/comment.

I'm a fairly new drummer (at the tender age of 36 hahaha), been playing for about 8 months but only started getting serious since March. I learned early on that drum head choice is personal preference so I've gone through a few heads to find the sound that I like. I've tried Evans G2's over G1's, Onyx heads, Remo Pinstripes, emperor coated over ambassadors and most recently EC2 SST's.

I must say I really like the sound of the EC2 Heads however my 10" Tom and 14" Tom both have dents on them. I'm not a super heavy hitter and my sticks are Vater Hickory fusion sticks with the rounded tip. My toms have a very slight tilt to them as well. Could be technique of course by coming over the top but all my other heads don't have dents in them...not even one. They dented the very first day I got them and I've only had them for a few weeks. 3 on the 14" and 2 on the 10"

Have there been any complaints about the quality of the EC2 SST? It's not a huge deal really, the heads still sound great especially the 14", but I'm a little concerned about the quality of these heads and If i'd buy them again.

Again, really appreciate and respect the fact that you are taking your own time to answer our questions.
 
I just wanted to chime in and say I've been using Evans heads since 1964 when I switched over from calf skins on my Slingerland little 4 piece jazz set.

I am using EC2 batters and reso's on my two Sonor sets. A set of Sonorlite's and a set of Sonor Signatures plus a set I made with Keller rock maple shells about 15 years ago. Been through a lot of Evans heads over the years and still us the Hydro's on the bass drums and still love them. As I remember only one Evans head ever broke on me and it was a 16" floor tom tuned real floppy low and hit real hard a lot.

I started using Pro Mark sticks in 1973 or 1974. Herb used to ship me 808's (Billy Cobham's at the time) and 707's ( Ed Shaughnessy's). Herb would ship me a brick of each whenever I needed them anywhere in the world. He even gave me artists pricing. Great sticks from a great guy. Real hard to break those sticks and the tips last forever. I only use wood tips. I still have three or four pairs of each from an order of two bricks each in I think it was 1979 or 1980. I don't go through too many stick. I don't break the shoulders and like I said the tip's almost never chip.

I won't say I have never tried other brands of sticks and heads, 'cause of course I have. Most if not all of them. That said, I always come back to Pro Mark and Evans. Loved the hydros on everything in the mid to late 70's. Got killa snare sounds in the studio with hydro and a Buddy Rich COB snare and a Superphonic 400. I wish I still had those drums along with my Gene Krupa snare and my 6.5 Dyna sonic COB.
 
Hey just posting in to say I got my Evans white coated resonant bass drum head yesterday. I got to play it with an EMAD single ply coated batter head, and i very small pillow in the drum. The drum sounds huge and looks great. My very most minor complaint was that the Evans logo was at the top of the head instead of the bottom. I liked the way it looked on the bottom of my EMAD Resonant head. I plan on getting a clear EMAD 2 and using the thicker ring so I can take the pillow out. Also going back to clear G2's over EC resonant heads. Might just go with the Power Center reverse dot again. Thanks again EvansPrez!

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Hey just posting in to say I got my Evans white coated resonant bass drum head yesterday. I got to play it with an EMAD single ply coated batter head, and i very small pillow in the drum. The drum sounds huge and looks great. My very most minor complaint was that the Evans logo was at the top of the head instead of the bottom. I liked the way it looked on the bottom of my EMAD Resonant head. I plan on getting a clear EMAD 2 and using the thicker ring so I can take the pillow out. Also going back to clear G2's over EC resonant heads. Might just go with the Power Center reverse dot again. Thanks again EvansPrez!

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Hi, Sorry, that I haven't been on the forum for a number of days. I am traveling for a couple of weeks to the U.K., Germany, Hong Kong, China and Australia. Thanks for the photos and your are very welcome. Glad it is working out and yes, in the future we will put the logo on the bottom. Rick
 
Currently using Clear EC2's over stock resonants, a little too wary to venture out and buy different resonant heads to try, any experience anyone?

Been using Evans for a number of years, very reliable and consistent heads, much impressed by the work you do Rick!
 
It is also possible to bring the majority of those heads to life by working the collar of the head. I'll see if I can find some dead heads and demonstrate on a video. Rick

1+ I appreciate a video. Sounds interesting.

I put most drum heads submerged in hot water in the bath tub. Seems to make them sound better and tune better. Is this recommended?
 
Hey Rick, I had a question about the evans torque drum key I just received.

Is there supposed to be no tension from settings 0-4? The handle part goes freely back and forth at these settings. Is this how it's supposed to be or is something wrong with mine?
 
Hey Rick, I had a question about the evans torque drum key I just received.

Is there supposed to be no tension from settings 0-4? The handle part goes freely back and forth at these settings. Is this how it's supposed to be or is something wrong with mine?

Hi man, I can answer this for you. I own that same key. There's nothing wrong with yours, these keys have almost no tension from 1 to 8 or something. The thing is that you don't only have from 0 to 10 to go, actually you have something like from 0 to 30 (after you get to ten, keep turning it). ;)

For instance, I tune my toms at around "2" on the second turn and snare around 4.

BTW, keep in mind that the torque is just to get faster to a ballpark.. then you have to fine tune by ear.

Cheers!
 
Hi man, I can answer this for you. I own that same key. There's nothing wrong with yours, these keys have almost no tension from 1 to 8 or something. The thing is that you don't only have from 0 to 10 to go, actually you have something like from 0 to 30 (after you get to ten, keep turning it). ;)

For instance, I tune my toms at around "2" on the second turn and snare around 4.

BTW, keep in mind that the torque is just to get faster to a ballpark.. then you have to fine tune by ear.

Cheers!

I knew it went multiple times around, just wasn't sure of the first few. Thanks for the confirmation!
 
Hi man, I can answer this for you. I own that same key. There's nothing wrong with yours, these keys have almost no tension from 1 to 8 or something. The thing is that you don't only have from 0 to 10 to go, actually you have something like from 0 to 30 (after you get to ten, keep turning it). ;)

For instance, I tune my toms at around "2" on the second turn and snare around 4.

BTW, keep in mind that the torque is just to get faster to a ballpark.. then you have to fine tune by ear.

Cheers!

Good feedback and correct. Another thing to remember about torque keys is if you need to make sure your tuning rods and lug casings are free from dirt as that will give you false reading. Rick
 
1+ I appreciate a video. Sounds interesting.

I put most drum heads submerged in hot water in the bath tub. Seems to make them sound better and tune better. Is this recommended?

Frankly, I never tried it but will. With all those heads in the tub, I'm going to have find a spot for the rubber ducky..... Rick
 
Currently using Clear EC2's over stock resonants, a little too wary to venture out and buy different resonant heads to try, any experience anyone?

Been using Evans for a number of years, very reliable and consistent heads, much impressed by the work you do Rick!

I'm not sure what your stock resonant heads are but I tend to go back & forth between a 10mil clear or a 7.5 mil head dependent upon the music I'm performing and the room I will be playing. On my DW bebop kit I have coated G1's top and bottom. I like the rounded sound the coating brings on that kit.

To save money I would bring in one tom to a retailer and see if you can try out different heads in the store on the resonant side. You're not going to hit the resonant side so there should be any marks on the head. You may want bring some cotton gloves to keep the oils from skin marking the heads. Rick
 
Mr. Drumm,

First I would like to say that I have always been ea big fan of Evans drum heads because I feel that they are very consistent and they sound great. But I do have one issue.... I am a drum line instructor and I recently bought evans mx frost drum heads for the tenors and even though they sounded great after a few weeks the "frosting" started wearing off. What disappoints me the most about this is that it is changing the way the head sounds. I just thought I would bring this to your attention because that is definitely rough on a high school band program that cant afford new heads all of the time. Even though I have to wait until next year to get new tenor heads I did want to say that your new system blue heads look pretty sweet.
 
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