Concert Tom Conversion

jdrummys

Member
I know the "drum police" will probably get on me for this, but I think I finally found the answer to my tuning woes...I decided to remove the reso heads and hoops from my 3 ply Slingerland toms (13, 14, 16). The notes I am able to get them to are now so much clearer, without all the overtones from the bottom head interaction! Yes, they did lose some resonance but they actually have a cool barking sound to them now (from behind the kit) and seem easier to lay into now for some reason. I'm not sure how they will sound live though from the crowd's perspective. Even though it's out of style so to speak, is it really inconceivable that they won't come back? After all, double headed toms were around way before the 70's.
 
I like concert toms. They have that vintage sound to them. I'm not sure but my guess is that they used concert toms so that they can stick a mic in each drum. I notice that on a lot of concert pictures.
 
Concert toms sound perfectly full out front IF they're tuned properly. That means, no flappy heads, let 'em ring and sing. they may sound bangy to your ear, but they're nice and rich at the other end.

When miking, always do so from underneath, and no deeper than a touch past the bottom edge of the shell. If you mic from the batter side or too far inside the drum, they'll be tight or boingy sounding.

Bermuda
 
I played a gig once and a hoop clamp broke. We removed a reso head from one of my rac toms and just put it on a stand up inside the drum. With a bit of tuning no one was any the wiser. It just looked a bit off.

Around here most drummers do the concert drum thing. My second floor tom doesn't have a reso head, and I tune it fairly tight. It's mostly used as a gong drum, for like tribal sounding fills and such.
 
The're your drums,and you do what you want with them.Just be careful of the bottom bearing edges,and understand that single headed drums are more seceptable to going out of round.

Why not check Ebay for vintage Slingerland concert toms,the're fairly cheap now.

Steve B
 
Concert toms sound perfectly full out front IF they're tuned properly. That means, no flappy heads, let 'em ring and sing. they may sound bangy to your ear, but they're nice and rich at the other end.

When miking, always do so from underneath, and no deeper than a touch past the bottom edge of the shell. If you mic from the batter side or too far inside the drum, they'll be tight or boingy sounding.

Bermuda

Speaking of, I saw this on Craigslist, and I though, Bermuda needs to add these to his collection. LOL

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/msg/3115311651.html
 
I know the "drum police" will probably get on me for this, but I think I finally found the answer to my tuning woes...I decided to remove the reso heads and hoops from my 3 ply Slingerland toms (13, 14, 16).
No drum police response intended here :) but concert toms are a sound character choice, not a "cure" for tuning challenges. I happen to like concert toms, but I've got to be in the mood for liking them, & in the right context. As Steve said, be careful not to damage those bottom bearing edges.
 
I once saw a suggestion to simply cut out most of the bottom head, leaving a ring of head just barely wide enough to allow the head and rims to stay on the drum.... 1/2" or an inch or so. You'll have the concert tom sound, but can then leave the rims on and not damage the bearing edge.
 
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