Drum Sizes?

C

crickbutcher

Junior Member
Hi all, I'm new to the forums! I just recently got an endorsement from Battlefield Drums and I need to order my kit. I really wanna know more about drum sizes before I order my kit.

I currently have a 22x20 Bass Drum 12x9 Tom, and 16x14 Floor Tom

I was thinking about doing 22x18 Kick and getting deeper toms like maybe 12x10 or 13x10. and keeping the floor tom the same maybe.

What would be the difference in a 24x18 bass drum and a 22x18 bass drum?
And what would be the difference in a 12x9 or 12x10 rack tom?

Thanks!

-Crick Butcher!
 
The deeper the shells, the muddier they sound, and the more unresponsive they feel.

Shallower depths; the floor tom size is great - I'd stick with the 9x12, or an 8x12 (magic size). If you're looking for more low end from the kik, then go with a 14x24 or 16x24. Anything deeper than 16 is overkill...
 
cornelius said:
If you're looking for more low end from the kik, then go with a 14x24 or 16x24. Anything deeper than 16 is overkill...
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I highly but respectfully disagree. I don't know what the deepest bass drum is available by company's, I don't think I've seen anything deeper than 20x22 but 16" deep is very shallow and may not create the type of tone people look for out of a bass drum.

EDIT: I should of elaborated and said 16" deep is a bit shallow for some people.
 
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ok, I am looking for a nice deep sound in the rack tom and the way i have it now with my 12x9 is that its pretty much tuned as low as it can go before the head wrinkles so i think im gonna do a 13x9 rack tom.

For the bass I am definitely gonna go with the 24. and i think i will go x18. I play a pop/punk kind of rock kind of style. Im just not sure about the smaller 16 or even 14 sizes. will that be loud enough?
 
It's not just about the sizes, it's also about the wood, thickness of the shell and bearing edge. Is there a link to this drum company and with info about the drums being made?
 
crickbutcher said:
ok, I am looking for a nice deep sound in the rack tom and the way i have it now with my 12x9 is that its pretty much tuned as low as it can go before the head wrinkles so i think im gonna do a 13x9 rack tom.

For the bass I am definitely gonna go with the 24. and i think i will go x18. I play a pop/punk kind of rock kind of style. Im just not sure about the smaller 16 or even 14 sizes. will that be loud enough?
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If you have the 12" tom tuned as low as it can go and you find yourself wanting a deeper tone, go for the 13" tom. Good move. I did that and couldn't be happier.

If you generally like big huge low end out of your drums, I'd stick with bigger diameters. You'll probably like that.
 
crickbutcher said:
ok, I am looking for a nice deep sound in the rack tom and the way i have it now with my 12x9 is that its pretty much tuned as low as it can go before the head wrinkles so i think im gonna do a 13x9 rack tom.

For the bass I am definitely gonna go with the 24. and i think i will go x18. I play a pop/punk kind of rock kind of style. Im just not sure about the smaller 16 or even 14 sizes. will that be loud enough?
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yes. Depth doesn't directly translate to volume and projection.

Up until about the 80s, all bass drums were 14" deep, So Bonham, Peart, Keith Moon, Ginger Baker, etc, etc... all those guys had 14" deep kicks, and they sound awesome. Saying 16" is "very shallow" is ridiculous. I've heard 8" deep kicks sound freaking sweet--that's shallow.
 
Nice and deep sounding to the drummer behind the kit often translates to cardboard box sounding to people listening twenty feet away. Peace, goodwill, and blues.
 
wsabol said:
yes. Depth doesn't directly translate to volume and projection.

Up until about the 80s, all bass drums were 14" deep, So Bonham, Peart, Keith Moon, Ginger Baker, etc, etc... all those guys had 14" deep kicks, and they sound awesome. Saying 16" is "very shallow" is ridiculous. I've heard 8" deep kicks sound freaking sweet--that's shallow.
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This^^^ backed

I've had 22x20, 22x18, 22x16, and 22x14 kicks. The 22x14 cuts better because it's more punchy. I sold the 22x20 as soon as I could, and I have a same company series/same wood drum in 26x16 that destroys it Tone/Projection wise.

If you already have a 22x20 why not get something like a 22x16? have a deep and a more shallow kick. If you want a 24, my 24x14 is the loudest bass drum I own. I'd love a wood 24x14 in the future.
 
PDPx7Drummer said:
16" deep is very shallow and may not create the type of tone people look for out of a bass drum.
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16" was considered the "power" depth when they were first popular. I have owned 16x24s that shook walls. My roommate has a '60s Rogers 14x24 that is amazing. My main kick is a 16x26. I kind of wish I had gone with a 14. I also own 2 18x22s. I think the 14s and 16s sound more round and full.
 
wsabol said:
yes. Depth doesn't directly translate to volume and projection. Saying 16" is "very shallow" is ridiculous. I've heard 8" deep kicks sound freaking sweet--that's shallow.
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8" deep bass drum, really lol? :)

I didn't say other sizes don't sound good, they all serve their prupose and have their own character. Acting as if I meant something as fact is ridiculous. I meant too shallow for some and possibly not for others. Just because Bonham's kick fit the sound of Zep sounded good to him and others doesn't mean it sounds good to all.

I personally like the looks of a bit longer and normal width bass drum as to the tall and shallow bass drums. That could be a reason to go that deep as well.
 
lol that's pretty cool wildbill, nice work! Any video of it in action? :)

Please don't get me wrong, which I edited my first post to add, that I didn't mean 16" is too shallow in general, just that it may be for some people whether in how it sounds or how it looks. I just didn't find the comment of anything over 16" deep being overkill a valid comment.
 
PDP x7 Drums said:
It's not just about the sizes, it's also about the wood, thickness of the shell and bearing edge.
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And also the heads and particularly the drums tuning. I particularly don't care for bass drums over 18" in depth, it seems like a lot of wasted leg power to get all that air moving, especially if you're interested in Hugh amounts of BPM. I love my 22 x 18 and 22 x 16" bass drums and my 18" deep bass drums do not have less definition than the 16". I already paid my dues playing my dad's 28" x 16" Ludwigs years ago. It was insane but very interesting sounding.

Dennis
 
Depth is really a matter of taste, and usually the music at hand.

I've never had a problem getting all the lows, and punch, and response I want from 14" deep kicks, and I also have some 16" deep that serve me well. The first - and last - 18x22" kick felt bad to my foot, and was too woofy to be of much use to me. It was gone within 3 months.

I've heard some that sound good (though not great...) but I've heard more that sound flappy, dead, or if they're lucky, woofy.

Bermuda
 
Ok, I still would feel weird with anything smaller than 16", but thats just me. I talked with a couple different drummers, Offspring, Relient K and their opinion was 24" but didnt give me anything on the depth. Im probably gonna go with 18" in Depth cuz I have a yamaha that is 22x18 and thats a nice kick. the 2 inches around will definitely give me a deeper sound.
 
audiotech said:
And also the heads and particularly the drums tuning. I particularly don't care for bass drums over 18" in depth, it seems like a lot of wasted leg power to get all that air moving, especially if you're interested in Hugh amounts of BPM. I love my 22 x 18 and 22 x 16" bass drums and my 18" deep bass drums do not have less definition than the 16". I already paid my dues playing my dad's 28" x 16" Ludwigs years ago. It was insane but very interesting sounding.

Dennis
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lol 28" wow! Were you eye level with the rear of the bass drum lol! :D

Also absolutely about the drum heads and tuning, I forgot to mention that as well.

As for wasted energy and the need of shallow bass drums for high BPM, I'm not sure that's completely logical with such short distances. I don't recall metal drummers needing 20x14 bass drums in order to have constant and true high BPM beats. The PDP X7 has really thin shells and a size of 22x18 and it seems pretty sensitive and loud to me. It could be because I'm in a fairly small room as well but I honestly don't understand that thought about needing extra leg power even at 18". Now for some weird prototype combo of like 28x48" deep or more I could see it being a bit harder lol but wouldn't a very thick bass drum shell help with the loudness, as well as the cut and drum head? My lack of experience with shallower bass drums could hinder my understanding here but I just can't see there being such an extreme difference in power needs when going from a 14 - 16 - 18 or even 20" deep.

bermuda said:
The first - and last - 18x22" kick felt bad to my foot, and was too woofy to be of much use to me. It was gone within 3 months.

I've heard some that sound good (though not great...) but I've heard more that sound flappy, dead, or if they're lucky, woofy.

Bermuda
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Bermuda can you explain why a 2" difference in depth can give you a bad feeling against your foot when with an 18" deep bass? Also wouldn't it stand to reason that the wider the bass drum is the more flappy and woofy it would be? The bigger the skin the more surface area that moves and the more floppy of a sound it would tend to have.

I'm just blown away at all the hate for an 18" deep bass drum lol, it's as if anything bigger than 16" are the devil childs of bass drums and are outcasts lmao! :)
 
My experience has been that shallow depth gives more punch, immediate response, and requires less effort for a comparable volume. A greater depth gives more boom, more 'woofiness' - as Bermuda says, and requires more effort for a comparable volume.

Diameter contributes to pitch, of course. But other factors such as tuning, wood type, head selection, and so on, can make the difference less than it would seem, just judging strictly by size.
 
PDPx7Drummer said:
Bermuda can you explain why a 2" difference in depth can give you a bad feeling against your foot when with an 18" deep bass? Also wouldn't it stand to reason that the wider the bass drum is the more flappy and woofy it would be? The bigger the skin the more surface area that moves and the more floppy of a sound it would tend to have.
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There's undoubtedly a physical explanation for why 2" in depth tends to be more of a difference than 2" in diameter, for example. I don't know what that formula is. I do know there's a noticeable difference between an 18" deep kick, and a 16". More so it seems than between a 16" and 14". Don't know why that is, 16-18 just seems to be a critical point.

A 22" diameter kick is particularly susceptible to the differences. I have less of a problem with an 18x24", although I still don't prefer it to the 16 or 14" depths. Actually, my six 24" kicks are all 14" deep. And they each sound fabulous.

Bermuda
 
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