Change from Ambassador to Black Dot?

[Tamadrummer2018]

So I have been looking for a change. I really like the sound of some YouTube videos with black dot heads, especially Steve Smith. They seem more musical and more of a defined note / tone. In my head my ambassadors (top and bottom / clear) sound a little muddy now. Anyone else using these on the toms? They were once so po

 

[Ransan]

Yes I slap cs dots on every thing (well until recently - just about everything) vintage or new.

I swear by them they just have that “it” factor for me.



I love the look, punchy attack and bright focus of them.

 

[rebonn]

Sounds like you need new Ambassadors top and bottom. Ambassadors top and bottom are my choice in tom heads. The black dot is an Ambassador with a 5 ml dot for controlling sustain and durability. Good choice if you want to stay with single ply. I've played with black dots a lot and are one of my favorites. Does Remo make an Ambassador Pinstripe

 

[roncadillac]

Reno's always had this thing for me where they stretch more then other heads over time and you can simply give each lug a slight tightening, like 1/4-1/2 key turn. If this still doesn't work then you may just need new heads. It's probably not that ambassadors sound muddy to you... It's that old heads sound muddy to you.

That said... I always vastly preferred the black dots and still are one of my favorite heads (despite being an Evans exclusive player).

 

[bermuda]

Note that the dot tames the fundamental note a bit, leaving the harmonics a bit more dominant, giving the dot heads a reputation of being louder. Basically, they have more perceived attack. They're the opposite of a ring, which tames the harmonic and makes the fundamental note more pronounced.

Try this: on your snare or any tom that has some decay and tone, place your fingertip lightly on the center of the head, then strike the head with a stick. Take your finger off the head and strike again. That dermonstrates the basic effect of using a dot head vs a non-dot head.

 

[KamaK]

Try this: on your snare or any tom that has some decay and tone, place your fingertip lightly on the center of the head, then strike the head with a stick. Take your finger off the head and strike again. That's the basic effect of using a dot head.

I echo this. My typical pitch is:

Put on an Ambassador and get some moon gel. Toss some in the middle and you've got a basic dot sound. Toss some around the perimeter and you've got a ring sound. Toss it both places and you've got a control top sound. If you feel that you'll be using one of those sounds regularly and desire convenience, consider buying a head with the matching apparatus built in.

 

[roncadillac]

I echo this. My typical pitch is:

Put on an Ambassador and get some moon gel. Toss some in the middle and you've got a basic dot sound. Toss some around the perimeter and you've got a ring sound. Toss it both places and you've got a control top sound. If you feel that you'll be using one of those sounds regularly and desire convenience, consider buying a head with the matching apparatus built in.

Well said

 

[Tamadrummer2018]

So I added a CS black dot on my 8" closed tom (it was on my 8" concert tom). I did not like it. The 10 and 12 inch toms with the ambassador had a nice full round sound to them and the 8" had less of that. very sharp but maybe thin and faster decay. I'll stick with the Ambassadors for now (maybe emperor on the FT to help control the ring. I use some moon gel on it now). Thanks all.

 

[rebonn]

So I added a CS black dot on my 8" closed tom (it was on my 8" concert tom). I did not like it. The 10 and 12 inch toms with the ambassador had a nice full round sound to them and the 8" had less of that. very sharp but maybe thin and faster decay. I'll stick with the Ambassadors for now (maybe emperor on the FT to help control the ring. I use some moon gel on it now). Thanks all.

Those were my findings as well on all toms. Perhaps they should consider making an Ambassador Pin Stripe