DW double A, two ply, smooth white, crimp locked drumheads

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
Anybody use these?

I used to love Ludwig heavy (10 mil) single ply smooth white crimp locked heads for toms. Then they stopped making them, sad face. I stocked up on some before they left, but I don't have all the sizes I need. So I was disappointed that my favorite all time head was gone. Now I use them as resonant heads to save them.

I do believe I've found my replacement that I think I like even better than the Ludwigs. Happy days are here again? I hope so because 2020 is kicking my ass.

I honestly don't know how I acquired it, but there was one of these DW heads sitting in my pile of heads, a 12" head. I really dig the sound of crimp locked heads. They are more alive to my ear. I have a theory, I think it's because there's no resin in the hoop channel. There's nothing semi soft to absorb vibrations. Crimplocked...its the film, a metal retaining ring, the hoop, and then crimped somehow. Nothing soft.

These are 2 ply heads but they sound like a really responsive 2 ply head with overtones and stick feel that rival single ply, yet with the deep fundamental of the 2 plies. I'm digging it in my studio. It's like the best of everything with no concessions. The Pins have great tone, but they feel thick, and at low volumes, not the best choice.

My latest 2 ply dabblings have been with pins and G2's. While I really liked how both sounded from the throne, and I thought they sounded pretty much equal from the throne, the pins recorded much better. The G2's recorded mush, I was very much unpleasantly surprised. So the pins are back on but they feel and sound too thick for certain sized toms, namely my 10 and 12" toms. So I popped on one of these DW heads on my 12" steambent ash and I am excited! It could be my new favorite drumhead. I won't know how they record until who knows when, but my guess is they will be striking a great balance. If you can imagine a single ply head feel and O-tones with the deep fundamental of a 2 ply, there you have it.

They are $15.75 for a 10" and $22.17 for a 16". Not many retailers carry them.

So anybody use these? As soon as I can I'm getting new batters for 9 toms.
 
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Yea, I get into it too much but I dig it.
 
Remo makes quite a few heads with crimplock hoops, but they're all geared towards marching applications so floor tom sizes aren't available.. 14" and under has quite a few options though...
 
"The Pins have great tone, but they feel thick, and at low volumes, not the best choice."

I'm still enamored of the Ebony Pinstripes I applied to my toms and bass recently. They do feel thick, but I'm acclimated now. I've returned to a Coated Ambassador on my snare, however. A double-ply on a snare drum just isn't for me.

"As soon as I can I'm getting new batters for 9 toms."

Are those nine toms on the same kit? If so, I'm speechless. I play only two toms. You've got a lot of head changing to do, man.
 
Remo Smooth Whites?

That would be my next choice. To my ear the DW's are superior sounding to Remo smooth whites, which is a nice sounding head. The crimp lock thing makes the difference for me, and I want to say that the film on the DW heads feels and sounds better than Remo film, but that could be because of the crimp lock construction. I have a 12" smooth white ambassador that the hoop is just too small for my drums. Too bad, I really wanted to try that head. Evan doesn't make smooth white heads, so DW it is.

"The Pins have great tone, but they feel thick, and at low volumes, not the best choice."

I'm still enamored of the Ebony Pinstripes I applied to my toms and bass recently. They do feel thick, but I'm acclimated now. I've returned to a Coated Ambassador on my snare, however. A double-ply on a snare drum just isn't for me.

"As soon as I can I'm getting new batters for 9 toms."

Are those nine toms on the same kit? If so, I'm speechless. I play only two toms. You've got a lot of head changing to do, man.

I have a shell bank of 9 Guru walnut segmented drums. Two walnut bass drums, 20 and 22 and 1 walnut snare drum. I gig with a 5 piece only, I don't gig the full kit. This is the first time I ever set up the entire kit for this picture since I got them in 2016/2017. The 6 walnut toms range in size from 10 to 18. I normally use just 3 toms when I gig, 12/13/16. You can't really see the 14" left side floor tom but it's there. I also have a 5 piece Guru steambent ash kit with 3 toms for my recording kit. That kit stays home.

Guru Sunset.jpg
 
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That would be my next choice. To my ear the DW's are superior sounding to Remo smooth whites, which is a nice sounding head. The crimp lock thing makes the difference for me, and I want to say that the film on the DW heads feels and sounds better than Remo film, but that could be because of the crimp lock construction. I have a 12" smooth white ambassador that the hoop is just too small for my drums. Too bad, I really wanted to try that head. Evan doesn't make smooth white heads, so DW it is.



I have a shell bank of 9 Guru walnut segmented drums. Two walnut bass drums, 20 and 22 and 1 walnut snare drum. I gig with a 5 piece only, I don't gig the full kit. This is the first time I ever set up the entire kit for this picture since I got them in 2016/2017. The 6 walnut toms range in size from 10 to 18. I normally use just 3 toms when I gig, 12/13/16. You can't really see the 14" left side floor tom but it's there. I also have a 5 piece Guru steambent ash kit with 3 toms for my recording kit. That kit stays home.

View attachment 93061

Thanks for posting the photo. Absolutely beautiful stuff!
 
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