Don't like the Evans G2, any other recommendations?

AddisonTaras

Junior Member
Ever since I became a drummer (3 years this May) I've heard nothing but praise for the Evans G2.
I had it on my floor tom for my first kit (CB drums) and I didn't even realize it was a G2, and even if I did I probably wouldn't have gotten much out of it due to my tuning at the time and; well...it's CB drums.
I later switched to Hydraulics which I'll mention later.

Now that I have a Mapex Meridian and I'm better with tuning, I was going to order the G2s (coated) but before I did so; I remembered that I had a G2 already.
Currently I have the stock heads for my Mapex
I don't like the rack tom much, I don't like my 18 floor tom, but I liked my 16 a lot with the stock head - but ever since I put on the G2 I haven't liked it, maybe even hated it.

One thing is that I like tuning my floor toms low and the G2 does not allowed me to do that.
I did tune it pretty decently at first and it was good/okay, but when I wanted to lower it just a BIT it sounded terrible.

When I first tuned them they sounded like tin cans, then they sounded too boomy, then I kinda got it good/okay but it was still a bit too high, so I lowered it and now it sounds bad again.
They sound dead, and like it's nothing but resonance and warmth.
Also I noticed that I have to hit them REALLY hard to get a decent sound.
Without moon gel it was too ringy, with moon gel it reminded me of the Hydraulics, except a lot warmer sounding.

The weird thing though is that I like how these toms sound in almost every video I've seen.
Maybe it's my kit, maybe because it's an old skin, maybe it's that I'm using the stock Mapex heads as resonants? I'm not the best tuner in the world and the people who demonstrate the skins seem to have dynamic/sound proof drum rooms.

Before this I used Hydraulics on my CB drums with no resonant and they sounded way too dead, but it fit the drums since they suck.
I don't want to use them now since I'd like my drums to sing a bit at least.

Maybe I just don't like the heads (crucify me)
I was looking at the EC2 Frosted or Clear and the Onyx heads as well, do you think those would fit me more?
or should I spend more time with this G2 head?
 
It might be your tuning but I kinda know what you mean. I just fitted a g2 to my 14x14 and an aquarian response 2 to my 14x12 and they definitely rang out more and played lower notes with coated heads. And I know that I tuned the 14x14 the same as I was using a drum dial. Try a coated ambassador or g1 and let us know how you go.
 
Problem one, the G2 head you were using was used. It has already been seated to another drum and won't seat right on your new drum, it's been stretched and worn so no way you can achieve a good sound with it.

Stock reso heads are typically not that good which can contribute to how the drum is sounding. Tuning on the reso is just as important if not more than the batter.

Buy one new batter head and try it out, that's the only way you will know what works and doesn't. You can't rely on recorded drums as the room, the mics, processing and such is totally different from where you are playing.

I tried coated heads on my yamaha kit one time, just on two toms and the result was not as I hoped. Coated heads will give a more focused and warmer sound which I thought would sound good. In the end the clear heads work best on my kit. I've used G2's and never had a problem getting them tuned where I liked them and I could get my floor tom to rumble with them. The G2's have a little darker tone compared to the Remo Emperor

Check out these videos on tuning, they can help you greatly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl9wgXSfxew&list=FL_D_lWB_lBGj_wcqD8opZBA&index=11



This video addresses reso heads
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2ibBol23hs
 
I have tried G2, EC2SST, G14, Strata 1000 on my Gretsch Renown and just put on new G2's coated and will not use any other again. It's obvious I like Evans and I kept trying for better results but the G2 with G1 clear Resos, is the match. I spent a lot of money to fins this out but the search is over.
 
g2 is a 2 ply, how about using the Gplus (G12)? a nice beefy single ply


F
 
I have tried G2, EC2SST, G14, Strata 1000 on my Gretsch Renown and just put on new G2's coated and will not use any other again. It's obvious I like Evans and I kept trying for better results but the G2 with G1 clear Resos, is the match. I spent a lot of money to fins this out but the search is over.

Im in the same boat, GD....G2 over G1 is tough to beat.


F
 
I recently purchased a set of Evans black chrome heads and love the perfect deep sound it gives my 16 floor Tom. My 12 inch Tom sounds pretty good with these heads but for some reason these heads won't tune on my 13 Tom? Long story short I would highly recommend the black chromes on a 16, but be careful on smaller sizes.
 
This thread kinda reminds me that I like different types of heads on different sized drums, but it's like there's some unwritten law that your tom heads should all be the same type.
 
Kinda sounds like you don't like the G2, which is a 2 ply head, with no muffling. You might be wanting a little dampening. Evans describes their heads http://www.evansdrumheads.com/EvDrumsetTomBatter.Page?ActiveID=3591 pretty well. And the G2 falls right in the middle of the dark/bright line up. Sounds like you don't want bright.​
I like the Remo Powerstroke 3 on toms (as well as quite a few other heads). Evans closest head to the P3, is the Genera. Unfortunately, Evans looks at it as a snare batter .... so sizes are limited to 10, 12, 13, 14 inches. Not so good if you want to put 'em on your 16" and 18" floors. So, the P3 might be your game. It has a built on richie ring .... so it gives your drum a "fat" sound, controls a lot of the overtones without being as muffled as the Pinstripe or Hydraulic heads.​
 
There was a time not too long ago when I was getting brand new Evans G2 clear and coated heads that were dead from the manufacturer. I believe that I had five or six bad heads from Evans. Recently I haven't had that problem from Evans and I never did have that problem with Remo.

BTW, Evans attributed that problem with static electricity by a statement on this forum. ;)

Dennis.
 
Hi,
Thank you all of you for your help, you all truly helped me.
After tuning more and more I got them to sound pretty good
However, it is true that since I don't have a good resonant head and they've been used on another kit before - they don't sound up to the G2 standards.
Plus the sound in general just isn't for me, I need something with more attack/punch - but not completely dead, and I think that's the EC2 (or Pinstripes? I hear they break easily though)
Maybe I'll come back to the G2's someday?

I'm not sure if sharing covers/videos is allowed on this site
But I've recently put up a couple drum covers with the G2 on (it's the coated floor tom)
It's hard to make out how they sound and they sound not as good on cam (which is weird considering everything else sounds good)
But I thought sharing a few videos wouldn't hurt : )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=revCHixfwRI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAVygijWB2A
 
Hi,
Thank you all of you for your help, you all truly helped me.
After tuning more and more I got them to sound pretty good
However, it is true that since I don't have a good resonant head and they've been used on another kit before - they don't sound up to the G2 standards.
Plus the sound in general just isn't for me, I need something with more attack/punch - but not completely dead, and I think that's the EC2 (or Pinstripes? I hear they break easily though)

I've had pinstripes for about a year as my metal heads- I'm not a really hard hitter but they've lasted. EC2s and Pinstripes don't actually have more attack- that's single ply heads- but their sustain is short and the decay is accelerated so the attack seems accentuated, even though it is less strong than a single ply head by its dual-ply nature. If you want punch, that's generally regarded with a two-ply head. You might want to look at Remo Vintage Ambassadors- they have a ply of 7.5mil and a thin ply of 3mil which is as far as I know the only one of its kind. Great snare head and it sort of brings some single-ply ideas to a dual-ply design, similar to how G12s and Ambassador X's bring some dual-ply ideas to a single-ply design.

Other than that, Aquarian's stuff is really, really good. You might want to look at their Classic Clear or Focus-X with a power dot for some thuddy two-ply action as well as the classic single-ply base. Good luck.
 
AddisonTaras : Here's another thing to throw in the mix. In my opinion you will really struggle to get a good sound from your rack tom at the steep angle it's set up at (as per your video). If you look at the angle at which the sticks contact the head it guarantees a thin tone and I'll bet that you'll soon have dents in the head too, if you don't already.

When all is said and done, the way a drum is struck is just as important as the head choice.
 
AddisonTaras : Here's another thing to throw in the mix. In my opinion you will really struggle to get a good sound from your rack tom at the steep angle it's set up at (as per your video). If you look at the angle at which the sticks contact the head it guarantees a thin tone and I'll bet that you'll soon have dents in the head too, if you don't already.

When all is said and done, the way a drum is struck is just as important as the head choice.

You're actually right, I think I should change the angle of my rack tom
For some reason it has a really flat/thin sound that I don't like, and I assume this is why
The tune/tone is good, but it just sounds very thin and the thing is that it's probably the best tuned things on my kit next to my snare.
So I'll get to that ASAP
Thank you!
 
You're actually right, I think I should change the angle of my rack tom
For some reason it has a really flat/thin sound that I don't like, and I assume this is why
The tune/tone is good, but it just sounds very thin and the thing is that it's probably the best tuned things on my kit next to my snare.
So I'll get to that ASAP
Thank you!

It was interesting that your floor toms appeared to be set up "correctly", so it follows that your rack tom deserves the same treatment!
 
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