Earthtone

Push pull stroke said:
For me, I only want calf on my bass drums and some of my snare drums. I like it on some snares because it’s so much more bouncy than Mylar, which makes buzz rolls easier, and the fact that it feels better under the stick.

But NOTHING can replicate the sound of calfskin on a bass drum. Especially a big Jenkins-Martin like I have, those kicks already have tremendous low end, and the calfskin on there (I use some old legacy heads from the 40s) sounds like thunder. Just so satisfying.
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The bass drum is the one drum on my set as a kid that I couldn’t use a calfskin. It had Weather Masters by the time I got it. But I get the love. They’re a bit of a pain but it’s not insurmountable.
 
I remember getting a full set of Stern Tanning heads for my bop kit. I was incredibly stoked about the sound. Then I took them to their first gig-- a restaurant-type jazz gig on a brutally cold night in Upstate NY. And I was set up near the radiator, which was about 15' from the door. Those heads became completely unmanageable-- any time someone held the door open for a few seconds, the heads would respond. by changing tuning.

Now, admittedly, this was an odd situation and probably if I'd just stuck with it for a few months of gigs I'd have figured out the tricks. But the gig ended up being enough of a nightmare that I took them off and never went back.

It's a great sound, for sure, but at this point I'd only use them for a dedicated home studio kit, which I don't have.
 
Neal Pert said:
I remember getting a full set of Stern Tanning heads for my bop kit. I was incredibly stoked about the sound. Then I took them to their first gig-- a restaurant-type jazz gig on a brutally cold night in Upstate NY. And I was set up near the radiator, which was about 15' from the door. Those heads became completely unmanageable-- any time someone held the door open for a few seconds, the heads would respond. by changing tuning.

Now, admittedly, this was an odd situation and probably if I'd just stuck with it for a few months of gigs I'd have figured out the tricks. But the gig ended up being enough of a nightmare that I took them off and never went back.

It's a great sound, for sure, but at this point I'd only use them for a dedicated home studio kit, which I don't have.
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I couldn’t imagine taking drums with new calf heads on a gig in the cold.
 
Neal Pert said:
What can I say? Some of us like to live on the edge. And it's New York-- it's cold seven or eight months out of the year.
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It’s that exact kind of gig, where you’re close to the door, people keep opening the door, and the weather outside is MUCH colder than inside, that is total kryptonite for calf heads. Any other situation is not nearly as hard to manage….
 
Looks great!

I've got a calf skin head, bought it at a trade show a few years ago. I later took it to a recording session on a cold winters day in a London studio that was both cold and damp as the heating had packed up.

Quickly learned why plastic heads are more versatile.

A shame as they sound really great. This thread reminds me to dig out that head from storage.

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I'm surprised calf still has such a big following--to me, the imitation calf heads do a fine job of getting that sound. Different strokes though, I get it.
 
Philaiy9 said:
I'm surprised calf still has such a big following--to me, the imitation calf heads do a fine job of getting that sound. Different strokes though, I get it.
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They really do feel different under the stick. There’s more rebound, it’s a more pleasant feel too. But for me, it’s kick heads that really make a difference. They’re just thunderous. And Earthtone kick heads sound great too, even though they’re not as expensive, and their smaller heads are noticeably not as good as the higher-end brands.
 
Philaiy9 said:
I'm surprised calf still has such a big following--to me, the imitation calf heads do a fine job of getting that sound. Different strokes though, I get it.
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It does ok but it’s not the same. Having said that, I think they’re fine heads and an ok approximate. although they have a problem with bubbling and rippling. Gut strings on orchestra instruments is still a thing as well. Lots of upright players use them. Having experienced animal products for both, I will pass, but I don’t blame the purists as they have sounds and feels you don’t get any other way.
 
JimmyM said:
It does ok but it’s not the same. Having said that, I think they’re fine heads and an ok approximate. although they have a problem with bubbling and rippling. Gut strings on orchestra instruments is still a thing as well. Lots of upright players use them. Having experienced animal products for both, I will pass, but I don’t blame the purists as they have sounds and feels you don’t get any other way.
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I could see recording and practicing on gut. Not sure it’s worth the hassle for gigging. A live audience will never hear the difference between the two.
 
I live in the Southeast, so calfskin heads and gut orchestral strings are exceptionally uncommon. They require was too much attention to be viable. I agree the synthetic substitutes aren't quite there, but they are a lot less drama.
 
Winston_Wolf said:
I live in the Southeast, so calfskin heads and gut orchestral strings are exceptionally uncommon. They require was too much attention to be viable. I agree the synthetic substitutes aren't quite there, but they are a lot less drama.
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I predict we will eventually make our own strings, heads, drumsticks, etc. with 3-D printers. The composites are not there today, but they will be.
 
I'm so afraid to try a more expensive head. I can't afford to fall in love with anything else.
 
cbphoto said:
I predict we will eventually make our own strings, heads, drumsticks, etc. with 3-D printers. The composites are not there today, but they will be.
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Yeah, I’ve been waiting on this for years. I suspect somebody will genetically engineer a natural hide substitute that is super-resonant and does not respond to changes in humidity. This would be grown just like they grow sheets of skin for burn victims. But maybe composites will win the footrace first.
 
Years ago I remember putting a fiberskyn amb on my 5.5x13 mapex phosphor bronze..taking it to the gig and the sound floored me. The entire night hitting the snare was a joy. Could Earthtone possibly be even better?..holy man on the silver mountain.
 
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