Off-set Lugs

Do off-set lugs offer a truer resonance?

For instance, on the batter side, you have 8 lugs. On the resonance side you have 8 lugs, but they are directly off-set 1/2 way in the middle from the batter-side lugs.

Apart from the drum looking cool and perhaps custom, would this design offer a truer resonance-sounding drum? Following the idea that the head is slightly tighter closer to the lug and tension rods than the head is in between the lugs and tension rods, would the drum have a better and truer resonance if the lugs on one side were off-set from the other side?

The only example I can think of is OCDP's set up on one of their kits. The set looks unique enough, but I was wondering if this provides a better sound overall. Everything else being equal - quality heads, bearing edges, rims, tenion rods and lug quality, etc.

Just wondering....

I can't imagine that you'd ever hear any difference, even if there was one. Purely an aesthetic consideration, IMO.

Agree with my Florida brother. I have seen 50/50 offset. 25/75 offset etc. I can't imagine any difference in sound.

rogue_drummer said:

would this design offer a truer resonance-sounding drum?

Click to expand...

Agree with Mike. I can't see how it would. At the end of the day there is still the same amount of material in contact with the shell, the fact that it's offset should have no impact.

I'd better state that I'm not a drum builder though.

But he did stay in a Holiday Express last night.

I'll agree with everyone, that it's "purely an aesthetic consideration" ... and one that I personally don't care for.

In straight forward engineering terms, it does serve to equalise the stresses in the shell. Of course, that's relative to the shell size/thickness, etc. I can see it making some meaningful difference on a very thin shell, especially on a snare or other drum that's likely to encounter high head tensions. As for a difference in sound, if there is one, I'm sure it's miniscule. I think we need the opinion of a good drum builder on this. Hopefully someone will chime in.

Considering the lugs are bolted onto the shell, yes.

I can imagine that an offset-lug-design drum would stay in tune better because the shock from the the batter side is not going directly from the batter-side lugs to the reso-side lugs and sending the reso side out of tune (as what would happen in a conventional design - with connected in-line lugs).