DrummersAreMusicians
Junior Member
I recently acquired a slightly used set of the Gretsch Catalinas (maple) in the 10, 12, 16, and 22 tom and bass configuration with the stock heads. I'm wondering what heads other players of the same drums are using and why.
Cards on the table, I kind of like the sounds I'm getting from the stock heads, with the main exception being the 12 (but then again I've always had problems with 12" toms). OK, I'm not crazy about the bass drum sound either, but I haven't fooled with it yet. I think loosening the head a bit and maybe throwing a pillow inside will handle it.
However, I'm wondering what effect changing some or all of the heads will have, and I don't want to buy a bunch of different heads just to experiment. I'd therefore be interested in learning what heads others are using and why.
Unfortunately, my goal is the most versatile sounding drums I can get. In practice, this means that I want deep thuddy toms as well as higher cutting ones, anchored by a bass that provides the standard boom. Yeah, I know, I'm trying to be all things to all people, but I'm not good enough to specialize in one genre and would be bored if I did. This said, the head opinion of anyone who is focusing on one or another genre would interest me, since from it I can get a sense of the sound desired and therefore why the head(s) are preferred.
Anyway, what heads are the rest of you Gretsch Catalina (maple) players using and why? What sounds are you getting that are different from the stock heads?
Thanks.
Cards on the table, I kind of like the sounds I'm getting from the stock heads, with the main exception being the 12 (but then again I've always had problems with 12" toms). OK, I'm not crazy about the bass drum sound either, but I haven't fooled with it yet. I think loosening the head a bit and maybe throwing a pillow inside will handle it.
However, I'm wondering what effect changing some or all of the heads will have, and I don't want to buy a bunch of different heads just to experiment. I'd therefore be interested in learning what heads others are using and why.
Unfortunately, my goal is the most versatile sounding drums I can get. In practice, this means that I want deep thuddy toms as well as higher cutting ones, anchored by a bass that provides the standard boom. Yeah, I know, I'm trying to be all things to all people, but I'm not good enough to specialize in one genre and would be bored if I did. This said, the head opinion of anyone who is focusing on one or another genre would interest me, since from it I can get a sense of the sound desired and therefore why the head(s) are preferred.
Anyway, what heads are the rest of you Gretsch Catalina (maple) players using and why? What sounds are you getting that are different from the stock heads?
Thanks.