12-14-20 vs 13-16-22-

I'd go 13/16/22 and never look back. But's that's just me.
 
Jda size history & age
1969- 20/12/12/16/5 60s Ludwig (age 14) $225 used out of the paper 20/18/14s Zildjians, cases, everything..
1971- 22/12/14/14/16/5 Premier new
1975- 20/12/14/5 60s Gretsch* (newspaper ad)
1976- 20/12/14/5 60s Gretsch (newspaper ad)
1982- 22/8/10/12/13/14/15/16/18/5 Tama new
1996- 20/10/12/14/5 Tama new
1997- 22/10/12/14/5 Premier new
2000- 18/12/14 Baltimore Drum Co. new Drum World Pittsburgh
2010- 18/12/10/14 Gretsch new* Factory shipped
2023- 20/12/16 60s Gretsch* (age 67 $1150 at a Guitar center

*still own
and use
 
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I've got 12/14/18, 12/14/20, and 13/16/24.

If I had to pick just one, it would be the 12/14/20. I've gotten more compliments from sound guys on the sound of that kit, and particularly the bass drum, than any other kit I've had.

I love my 24 and the 18, too, but the 20 just sits in a sweet spot.
 
Do you want a punchier sound? 12/14/20
Do you want a bigger sound? 13/16/22

For me, it’s not an either/or, but a when/where. I gig with kits in the following sizes:

10/13/16
12/14/18
12/14/20
12/16/22
14/18/24

Each of them has their benefits for different situations. If I had to choose just one, it would be the best-sounding one, which is the 12/14/20.
 
I switched to a 20" for about a year a while back and could just never get it to sound like I wanted in terms of volume and depth. BTW, my very first drum kit a million years ago came with a 20" bass drum. So, I'm now back to a 22" - yes, it's more weight to haul around, but it just sounds better for me.

I used a 13/16 combo for quite a while when I was doing 1up and 1 down - I really liked it - a lot. I am back to 2 up / 1 down because the (cover) tunes we play just sound better with the extra tom to pull into fills. My config is currently 10/12/16/22.
 
18" and
20"
I (have no desire to be ** in a band in my area, that needs a 22" anymore. : D
** in my area
 
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With my limited experience with 20" kick drums, I definitely prefer the sound of a 22" kick. They have more oomph and low end.

Some 20" kicks do not project quite as much as I'd like them to. It sounds like the volume knob on the kick is turned down a notch. (relative to the volume of the rest of the kit)

If you're playing quieter genres in small rooms, a 20" kick would be totally fine. But if you're competing with loud guitars, the 22" is definitely what you need. They just sound deeper and fuller.

For portability, the space savings between 20" and 22" are negligible for (most) small stages. Usually, it's the DEPTH of the kick that matters more on small stages.

As for a 13" rack tom, I'm not totally against it, but I prefer a 12" rack tom because they're "faster" and more punchy.

I have played hundreds (probably thousands) of gigs in small rooms with little to no miking...and I definitely see the benefit of an 18" or 20" kick drum in those situations. They definitely have their place. But I still think 22" is the magic number.
 
If I'm doing a rock, pop or big band gig on a 4 piece kit, my setup of choice is 12/15/22. For me, this is the ultimate middle-ground. Perfect combo of punchiness and depth imo. Bring on the 15" floor tom revolution!
 
Drummerrobin said:
If I'm doing a rock, pop or big band gig on a 4 piece kit, my setup of choice is 12/15/22. For me, this is the ultimate middle-ground. Perfect combo of punchiness and depth imo. Bring on the 15" floor tom revolution!
Click to expand...

Were you the guy on YouTube who had your Ludwigs built in this configuration and explained your setup?
 
I'd pick whichever set where the kick was 14" deep. If they are both that deep, then it would be a 13/16/22.
 
PorkPieGuy said:
I'd pick whichever set where the kick was 14" deep. If they are both that deep, then it would be a 13/16/22.
Click to expand...
Is that for tone or ease of placement/ physical handling?
Just curious. Thanks.
 
13/16/22 for when you know all rooms you'll ever play "have a lot of Air" to them.
Local bar joints with less air a more concentrated Space 20/12/14
 
I own both. The 12, 14, 20 gets used in situations requiring lower volume or a smaller footprint.
The 13, 16, 22 tends to be a more utilitarian, general-use kind of beastie.
 
20/12/14 is my go to sizes for the majority of gigs I play . They are just so darn versatile .
The fact they are smaller and more portable is icing on the cake .
 
I can’t think of a situation that would honestly require one over the other: functionally they’re interchangeable.

I play a 12/16/22 so that’s a halfway house anyway. It works with the big band, and with the acoustic jazz quintet.

:)
 
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