Best Bass Drum Pillow/Muffling Pad

I'm just talking about priorities.
You can achieve extremely professional bass drum sounds with a 10 euro pillow, or the more basic DW/Evans options.
No velcro, no glue.
 
DW/Evans/Pearl/Remo all use Velcro...
It's optional. I have six bass drums and 2 x DW pillows. One is 16" the other is 18". If you choose the right size the DW pillow just sits in your bass drum and gently touches both heads. I have never used velcro or other sticky stuff.
For years professionals used a blanket or bed pillow, no need for velcro either.
If you fold a blanket you can adjust the amount of damping you get. Depending on the music and/or the room it's great to adjust your damping to taste. Get a blanket from a charity shop. Recycling not consumption.
 
Sorry Chris but these (big) brands use Velcro to keep the item in place so it's not optional.
Just asking if the sticky side of Velcro damages the bass drum wood if you remove it, no more no less...
And I only want to muffle the batter side so the Sonitus is not an option I guess.
The Evans EQ Pad gets the best reviews worldwide and is still affordable...
 
Sorry Chris but these (big) brands use Velcro to keep the item in place so it's not optional.
I've used the DW pillow on numerous records for 20 years. I've never once used velcro...or on the EQ pad either.
In the end, choose what you want, but don't choose based on a misunderstanding.
 
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I found some 20x30 in Christmas wrapping tissue paper my wife was using and took about a dozen sheets together and fold them so it touches either or both heads. I just want something to lightly touch heads. I have a Pearl Pillow but I don't use it much.
 
I understand! Respect! But it's impossible that whatever pillow/muffler stay's in place during transport or playing without Velcro/Clamps/Straps or whatever...
Still no anwer to my question..
 
The DW stays in place during playing, a bed pillow or blanket would do likewise.
Transport? Most people have a small hole in their front head. Super easy to adjust the pillow while setting up.
 
Sorry Chris but these (big) brands use Velcro to keep the item in place so it's not optional.
Just asking if the sticky side of Velcro damages the bass drum wood if you remove it, no more no less...
And I only want to muffle the batter side so the Sonitus is not an option I guess.
The Evans EQ Pad gets the best reviews worldwide and is still affordable...

My velro (DW pillow) came off my PDP maple shell and there was no glue or anything on the shell.
 
My choice would have been the KickPro or the Sonitus, because I am hesitant to use Velcro in my new maple bass drum.
Does anyone have bad experiences with removing Velcro from the bass drum? No glue residue or something else?
Two things - first, I know the Evans EQ isn't the top of your list, but be aware it does not work without the Velcro. It is too light and too short to stay in place without the Velcro. Second, my own experience has been that the Velcro peels off just fine without leaving any residue, should you decide to remove it. This has been true in my Ludwig classic maple and my Mapex M-Pro.

Personally, I don't always have a port in the reso, and I like the Velcro to keep whatever dampener I'm using in place while I'm muscling the bass drum in and out of cars, etc

That's about all the input I have on the subject. Carry on!
 
I highly recommend the KickPro pillow. I bought one last year for my 16x20 Renown bass drum, and it made a very noticeable difference in the low end since it absorbs many of the higher frequencies bouncing around inside the drum. I don’t even have it touching either of the heads, as for many years I was always pillowless and preferred a more open bass drum sound. So mine sits in the middle of the drum, and because it’s weighted it absolutely stays in place. And I absolutely love the difference in sound it made. My 20” with the KickPro and a Kick Port now sounds like a 22”.

The only downsides I can think of would be if you’re gigging, this would add considerable weight to what is already the heaviest drum (unless you have a 6” port or greater since it does not fit through a Kick Port or anything smaller than around 5”). However mine is on my studio kit, so I never move it.
 
Two things - first, I know the Evans EQ isn't the top of your list, but be aware it does not work without the Velcro. It is too light and too short to stay in place without the Velcro.
I ended up with 2 x Evans EQ, velcro'ed to each other, one touching each head. But I still prefer the DW. I have never attached velcro to any bass drum, as I have more bass drums than pillows. By the way, if you are going to have a port (hole), drum design guru Bob Gatzen recommends it should be no larger than 4" diameter.
If you have a standard resonant head on a bass drum, it IS going to ring a lot without any damping. I still say, if you are a beginning drummer it's a god idea t use something cheap, improvised until you get used to the sound you want, which may be solid damping, or may be virtually no damping at all.
 
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