multiple drum head questions [please read]

Jfraz1994

Junior Member
Ok, I have a few questions about my drum heads and ones I am thinking about gettin. My current heads are Evans Genera 1 batters and stock ludwig resonant (on toms). My snare is Remo Weather King batter and unknown resonant. My question is: I was thinking about getting Onyx Evan's 2-ply batter heads (I really want black skins.) However, I have yet to see one for the snare, or any black batter for snare. Do I just use a 14" onyx 2ply? I don't know D: before I buy anything someone let me know please! Thank you!
 
You could theoretically just put a 14 inch on there, although there should be more to your head choice than color. Those onyx heads will sound different than Generas. But, If you don't mind having a non-coated snare head, than you might as well try the onyx.
 
You could theoretically just put a 14 inch on there, although there should be more to your head choice than color. Those onyx heads will sound different than Generas. But, If you don't mind having a non-coated snare head, than you might as well try the onyx.

It wasn't the only reason, I mean. I want it to match with rest. But, I was just curious. Would it sound wierd? Or be bad for the set? Idk :eek:
 
evans does make a black snare head not sure which one it is, power dot i think. but i can tell you this, a 14" onyx tom head will sound god awful on a snare, done been there. and yeah i would be less concerened about color then what it sounds like. the onyx are good heads but get them becuase you like the sound not cuz their black. and the onyx ARE coated heads.....




but that flat black looks awesome for photos.....
 
evans does make a black snare head not sure which one it is, power dot i think. but i can tell you this, a 14" onyx tom head will sound god awful on a snare, done been there. and yeah i would be less concerened about color then what it sounds like. the onyx are good heads but get them becuase you like the sound not cuz their black. and the onyx ARE coated heads.....




but that flat black looks awesome for photos.....

I looked up power dot and any black batter and couldn't find anything but marching batter. Ah well. Guess ill settle for white. Any recommendations guys?
 
If you like a really fat snare sound, the Onyx will work fine. It'll be a bit darker then a coated G2, but I like the one I'm using!
 
If you like a really fat snare sound, the Onyx will work fine. It'll be a bit darker then a coated G2, but I like the one I'm using!

i had an onyx on my snare for 4 months and could never get the boingy out of it with out loads of moon gel all over it. perhaps i had it tuned wrong or something but no matter what i did it never sounded like a snare should. maybe thats what some people dig in a snare but i cringed every time i hit it. sounded more like a balloon with snare wires taped to it then a drum....

anyway, i switched to a genera dry and a hazy 200 reso and it's perfect now. i'm gonna try a few more yet but i have a feeling i'm gonna be sticking to that combo on that snare.
 
Thanks guys :D ill be sure to keep checking some stuff out before I buy anything. Another question; the onyx for toms, how are they? I hear they're great. If someone could describe their sound? And POSSIBLY give an example of a song where the toms sound very similar? THANKS! :D
 
evans does make a black snare head not sure which one it is, power dot i think. but i can tell you this, a 14" onyx tom head will sound god awful on a snare, done been there. .....

The only black batter heads that we offer for snare are the Onyx 2-Ply and the Hydraulic Black. We do have a snare-specific Onyx head (you don't have to put a tom head on. The sound is quite different between the two;

Onyx Tom Batter:
tom_onyx_double.gif


Onyx Snare Batter:
snare_onyx_double.gif
 
that was probably the snare head i had seen. i do remember it was labeled as an onyx but i also seem to remember there there being a dot in the center as well, but i might be wrong on that....

yeah i that was it, i found the picture but it doesn't have the dot i thought it did, i coulda sworn it was the same style as the power center but a flat black color.....
 
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Thanks guys :D ill be sure to keep checking some stuff out before I buy anything. Another question; the onyx for toms, how are they? I hear they're great. If someone could describe their sound? And POSSIBLY give an example of a song where the toms sound very similar? THANKS! :D

as far as my toms go, the rack toms sound great, i wanna play with the reso's a bit more but i like the batters. i'm not great with descriptions but they are a bit darker compared to other heads in that range, good for rock and metal, take lower tunings really well. the floor toms eh, not really what i want, maybe with some new resos and some more tweeking (the heads not me) they still have the possibility to come out sounding great.

i'm actually gonna just get one of every type for my 16" floor tom and try all the various combinations until i find the one i life and then do the same with the 14" and so on down the line. hopefully they will all at least be the same color, i'm kinda anal about things matching. it's driving me crazy i have black tom heads and a white snare....
 
Im the same exact way with the colors matching, I really want a black snare, that was my original problem D: I've been searching and all I found was an expensive as hell marching snare head. So... idk what to do. I really don't want white with black. And I hate clear snare. So, idk :[ and as for the sounds, I really don't play a specific type of music. However, if I were to give a drummer playstyle id say Travis Barker. I love doing different things and what not. So my drums, I just want kind of a generic, yet great sound with a sweet look. And you helped so much, I can't thank you enough.
 
It's weird. I don't want any part of my toms and bass drum to clash, but I personally always felt like the snare was immune. It could be a completely different color or brand than the rest of them with different heads and I wouldn't care. That's just me though.

Also a good thing to remember is that 90% of the time nobody but you will be seeing those drums.
 
If you don't have to use just Evans, check out the Aquarian Jack DeJohnette heads.
They are Coated Black heads.

There is also the Remo Black Suede heads, and those come in Emp weight too.
 
If you don't have to use just Evans, check out the Aquarian Jack DeJohnette heads.
They are Coated Black heads.

There is also the Remo Black Suede heads, and those come in Emp weight too.

Suede...does that mean the coating is soft? Or smooth?
 
suede was just a name, my impression of the suede is the coating wasn't as rough as a normal coated heads but their by far not soft or smooth.
 
If you don't have to use just Evans, check out the Aquarian Jack DeJohnette heads.
They are Coated Black heads.


+1. I put an Aquarian JDJ (black coated) head on a Pearl 6.5 x 14 steel snare a few years ago and it made that drum sound beautiful. Darker sound than a typical single ply head but with the same level of coating. Important if you ever go to brushes.

Jim
 
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