E-kits and head changing

Janet Tambour

Junior Member
I've been playing e-kits for the past 25 years. I've had my current kit since 2012. I'm going to be out gigging with it again and I listening to all the acoustic drummers on this forum talking about changing heads, got me thinking, should I change mine? In the last 5, 6 years I've become a heavy hitter always using wood tipped sticks.
So what's the consensus - when should you change mesh heads? How often should they be changed?

BTW-other than a few dirt smudges mine look exactly like they did when I got the kit. They also feel as tight as the last time I tightened them up. Also I just asked this same question on the Vdrums list and so far the only answer I've gotten was from a guy who's never changed his either. ;)
 
I've been playing e-kits for the past 25 years. I've had my current kit since 2012. I'm going to be out gigging with it again and I listening to all the acoustic drummers on this forum talking about changing heads, got me thinking, should I change mine? In the last 5, 6 years I've become a heavy hitter always using wood tipped sticks.
So what's the consensus - when should you change mesh heads? How often should they be changed?

BTW-other than a few dirt smudges mine look exactly like they did when I got the kit. They also feel as tight as the last time I tightened them up. Also I just asked this same question on the Vdrums list and so far the only answer I've gotten was from a guy who's never changed his either. ;)
I have been playing acoustic drums in live original bands for twenty years and only recently got into ekits so it's cool to hear someone is using them live, there are only a few around here. I look at mesh heads like any other heads... They all wear out with time. I don't break drum heads on my acoustic kits but the heads do start to stretch over time, if I find myself constantly having to re-tighten a head I know it's time to swap it out. Now mesh heads have more give so I wouldn't be surprised if they have a longer expected life then a typical mylar head but they will stretch out and benefit from replacement eventually.

These guys have a great selection of their own mesh heads but I think they are in Europe somewhere so if you are in US it may be pricey: https://www.drum-tec.com/mesh-heads
You can check with your kit's manufacturer or try alesis or pintech. Just like acoustic drums the head size is universal, meaning (in theory) any 10" mesh head should fit any 10" edrums that uses mesh heads.
Just don't get regular cheap single ply mesh heads that are made for 'silent' drums, get a proper two or three ply mesh head made for edrums.

I have an Alesis Nitro Mesh and and Alesis Crimson 2 SE. The nitro mesh has cheap basic mesh heads and the crimson 2 has the same higher quality (I believe two ply) mesh heads used on their professional line strike series and the difference is night and day. The nitro mesh feels like I'm banging on a window screen but the crimson 2 feels like a real drum and flows like butter.
 
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Is changing heads based on thoughts about time (age) or usage?
Like you, I’ve had my mesh heads for quite a long time. I have wood sticks too and I see zero wear.
They remain tight and I continue to play often… and sometimes hard. Like I said, no sign of wear, but sometimes I’m thinking the head will suddenly tear (Shrug shoulders). Still hasn’t happened.
My only thought, if I started to play out, getting a backup set of heads… just in case.
I wouldn’t change them for the sake it might be what others do.
 
Well I’d think as long as censor detects a stroke it’s fine. I can see the viscoelastic properties of mesh heads wane over time but I believe the threshold of censor low enough it would be an issue. If it works great don’t flick with it.
 
I owned the early TD10 V kit and although I was thinking “heads are important”, I think I ended up changing my technique instead. You don’t have to beat them, you just turn up. The contact pickup underneath is the important thing. If your heads are still “like new”, then keep playing them but don’t abuse them.
 
I'd rather proactively change heads ahead of time before they break to avoid having it break during a gig. Heads are cheap, image and impressions during a gig are priceless. I've also found that new mesh heads have more sensitivity and respond better than work out heads.
 
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