Can't tune my 16" floor tom

N

numa_cruiser

Senior Member
Just finished overhauling an old kit I bought and spent some time tuning them. Everything seemed to go pretty well but I just can seem to tune my 16" floor tom as low as I want it to be.

I put only a new batter on the 16". The 12" tuned no problem and was hard to make sound bad but the 16 sounded papery until it was wound up tighter than I wanted. Do old reso heads that have been stretched out make it harder to tune low? Should still get good tone just above wrinkle right?

My 16" Superstar floor tom only starts to sound ok when it's tuned as high as my 14" floor from my Starclassic kit(which is tuned just above wrinkle).

Heads? Wood difference? Bearing edges look ok. Thanks in advance for any help.
 
i sometimes have alot of trouble tuning my floor tom too. but the best advise i can give is to just loosen the top and bottom heads all the way and just start tuning back up until it sounds good. if not, i would just get new heads
 
What heads are you using for the batter and resonant sides?

Dennis
 
Batters are Evans G2 clears over stock tama heads. I know, I know....they are crap and ancient but I wanted to see how they did before shelling out more $$. Easy to blame them but the 12" sounds great.
 
numa_cruiser said:
Batters are Evans G2 clears over stock tama heads. I know, I know....they are crap and ancient but I wanted to see how they did before shelling out more $$. Easy to blame them but the 12" sounds great.
Click to expand...

Not all heads are created and or preserved equal. Get that new reso head. You also might want to get a new one from the 12". Might make it sound even better!
 
Yea, I've had my 16 inch floor tom since 1975 and I can't tune it either.
Come on man... Put a new reso on that sucka and set it up!!!
 
Bought and installed a G1 clear reso. Problem solved. I also bought a drumdial. I read a few threads on the topic and found my own quirks with the gadget not discussed so far as I've read. Some guys are getting consistant readings but the tension rods are very loose in some areas and not others. One person suggested the opposing rods are over tightened and to loosen them off and equalize pressure across the head. What seemed to be happening for me though was the rods to the left and right of the loose rod were tight and affecting the head area between them. I'd also get the readings the same all the way around and then tap test the head at each lug and found the pitch off on 2-3 lugs. I was able to get the sound I want tuning from there by ear. Any thoughts? I wouldn't mind some insights from those using the drumdial for some time. Tips on how you've learned to use it effectively..etc.
 
numa_cruiser said:
Bought and installed a G1 clear reso. Problem solved. I also bought a drumdial. I read a few threads on the topic and found my own quirks with the gadget not discussed so far as I've read. Some guys are getting consistant readings but the tension rods are very loose in some areas and not others. One person suggested the opposing rods are over tightened and to loosen them off and equalize pressure across the head. What seemed to be happening for me though was the rods to the left and right of the loose rod were tight and affecting the head area between them. I'd also get the readings the same all the way around and then tap test the head at each lug and found the pitch off on 2-3 lugs. I was able to get the sound I want tuning from there by ear. Any thoughts? I wouldn't mind some insights from those using the drumdial for some time. Tips on how you've learned to use it effectively..etc.
Click to expand...

I look at tuning floor toms just like tuning bass drums. I use the following method: "finger-tight" on all lugs to start with, then I push down in the center of the head to see the wrinkles in the head. Go across the head in a star pattern and give each lug a 1/2 turn, then around the head and give a 1/2 turn everywhere there is still a wrinkle until there are no more wrinkles. Works great and gives a low fundamental tone. From there, I tweak the top and bottom heads until I get the exact balance between top and bottom head needed. I don't normally worry about each lug being exactly in tune with the rest, unless one is waaay off from the rest.
 
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