The best bass drum sound!

Back when I joined this forum a little over three years ago and before I found my tama bb kit , I had just got back into playing and was searching for an upgrade kit to replace my frankenkit. I searched for a good while and found an 8 piece double kick Sonor Ascent kit in ebony stripes. Beautiful kit and the whole damn thing sounded fantastic .
But what really struck me was the
22x(17 1/2 ?) bass drums . One of the best sounding bass drums I’ve ever heard or played and I’ve played a few over the years.
It was better ( to me) than upper level bass drums costing 3x as much . Unfortunately a deal could not be struck and I never got that kit. Still bothers me a bit lol .

If I ever have the chance to pic up an ascent again , I’m gonna try not to let it slip away .
There’s just something about beech drums 🤤
 
ToneT said:
Not strange at all. Just sharing recordings. The back cover of Percussion Profiles has a picture with him behind his double bass set.
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That's not Jack behind the double bass kit. This is Jack:
20210725_102328.jpg
 
I did find one picture labelled 'early 70's', with single headed toms, bongos and two bass drums.
Most of his recordings, even from the early ECM era, sound like double headed toms and a single bass drum to me. Also the photos of him playing with Miles. Obviously there is one picture of a double bass drum kit, but to me that's an exception and I don't associate DeJohnette with double bass drums at all.
 
That's a double bass set Jack is behind. He has one mounted tom on each bass drum with a set of small set of double headed bongo toms between them.
Chris, have you heard the recordings?
He didn't play double bass often.
 
IMO, the bass drum...it doesn't matter if it's a 50 dollar bass drum or a 1000 dollar bass drum...I've never met a bass drum that I couldn't get my sound from. I can't say the same about toms. For me it's more about what diameter/depth/heads/tuning the bass drum is, than the build quality or brand.
 
His bass drum sounds are clearly audible on the recordings listed above.
Great free-form solo on "Peace For Five" on the Kenny Wheeler recording.
I heard an interview with him on Jazz 88 WBGO-FM 88.3 in 1976. He was promoting his album "Untitled".
He played "Struttin'", a drums / sax / guitar performance and he said he was using two bass drums with different pitches.
 
ToneT said:
Chris, have you heard the recordings?
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Yes, I've had those Ralph Towner, Kenny Wheeler and Bill Connors albums since they were first released (on vinyl).
You can hear him changing the pitch of the bass drum by pushing into the head as he plays it. The normal bass notes sustain, the higher pitched notes are more dead (from him pushing the beater in).
There was obviously a period when he play a 2 x BD kit, but the records I have sound like single bass drum to me. Maybe the Kenny Wheeler, where at least one of his solos has some very high pitched toms, which could have been the bongos.
 
Chris Whitten said:
Yes, I've had those Ralph Towner, Kenny Wheeler and Bill Connors albums since they were first released (on vinyl).
You can hear him changing the pitch of the bass drum by pushing into the head as he plays it. The normal bass notes sustain, the higher pitched notes are more dead (from him pushing the beater in).
There was obviously a period when he play a 2 x BD kit, but the records I have sound like single bass drum to me. Maybe the Kenny Wheeler, where at least one of his solos has some very high pitched toms, which could have been the bongos.
Click to expand...
The bass drums are panned slightly, especially on the Wheeler album.
There is a double bass flurry during his free-form solo startingf at 12:21.

My ears don't lie.
I'm moving on from this.
 
Chris Whitten said:
Yes, I've had those Ralph Towner, Kenny Wheeler and Bill Connors albums since they were first released (on vinyl).
You can hear him changing the pitch of the bass drum by pushing into the head as he plays it. The normal bass notes sustain, the higher pitched notes are more dead (from him pushing the beater in).
There was obviously a period when he play a 2 x BD kit, but the records I have sound like single bass drum to me. Maybe the Kenny Wheeler, where at least one of his solos has some very high pitched toms, which could have been the bongos.
Click to expand...
The bass drums are panned slightly, especially on the Wheeler album.
There is a double bass flurry during his free-form solo startingf at 12:21.

My ears don't lie.
I'm moving on from this.
 
caddywumpus said:
Ludwig 3-ply 20x14, maple interior…the perfect amount of punch, boom, and thump.
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Just bought a Downbeat and am blown away at the touch and tone on that BD.
Replaced the front head with a clear Ambassador instead of the stock P4 and it ain't bad.

Why folks are into this 18 inch deep stuff seems to be more cosmetic that pragmatic.
 
larryace said:
IMO, the bass drum...it doesn't matter if it's a 50 dollar bass drum or a 1000 dollar bass drum...I've never met a bass drum that I couldn't get my sound from. I can't say the same about toms. For me it's more about what diameter/depth/heads/tuning the bass drum is, than the build quality or brand.
Click to expand...
Try tuning an out of round or screwed up bearing edge.
One of the guys at Guitar Center had a new Gretsch Catalina that was out of round that played miserably.
 
Without a doubt, my Premier Elite 24x14 :love:
 
My best bass drum sounds are with my 18x22 Ludwig classic maples.
Black Evans Hydraulic batters with Aquarian Black Regulators. Both heads tuned medium-low
Some light cloth muffling inside to absorb the basketball sound.
Nice, deep, very punchy sounds.
Love 'em!
 
I'm forced to rethink bass drum depth. I have a Yamaha 20x17 that's beefy as heck but my DW 22x18 is king. I could not ask for a better sound than that DW makes.

I was under the impression that deeper kick drums sound tubby or slow but that 18" deep DW sounds ridiculously good. Guess I'll stop overthinking it and just play.
 
My goofs really-LIVE-Saw him at Monmouth University in West Long Branch back in the mid-90's playing with Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, and, shame on me, the pianist whose name I've forgotten. Not Herbie. And there it was, in all its glory; that beautiful, open bass drum sound. His one-footed bass drum rolls were so fast and clean! He took a brief solo that sounded as if the drumset was playing itself. Just incredible playing, and his beautiful, complex swinging.
 
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