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#1
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Drums question
Hey drum gurus,
I've got a need to purchase a set of drums that are relatively quiet, but still have good tone. I've been told that modern kits are constructed for maximum volume and projection. Opinions seem to vary as to whether this compromises tone or not. It's been suggested to me that I should look for a set of 70's series Premier's or perhaps Rogers from this era. Is this good advice? Do you have any other suggestions? A different guy suggested that I may also want to try calfskin heads. Is this a good idea? Batter head only, or both? The drums will be used in a church worship setting. Thanks for yer time! |
#2
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Drums question
John Cafarella" wrote in message
... Hey drum gurus, I've got a need to purchase a set of drums that are relatively quiet, but still have good tone. I've been told that modern kits are constructed for maximum volume and projection. Opinions seem to vary as to whether this compromises tone or not. I think that this will be more of a "who's playing the drums" than what kind of drums your using here, a good drummer knows how to play and what's appropriate for the song being played. |
#3
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Drums question
"Raymond" wrote in message
... John Cafarella" wrote in message ... Hey drum gurus, I've got a need to purchase a set of drums that are relatively quiet, but still have good tone. I've been told that modern kits are constructed for maximum volume and projection. Opinions seem to vary as to whether this compromises tone or not. I think that this will be more of a "who's playing the drums" than what kind of drums your using here, a good drummer knows how to play and what's appropriate for the song being played. Yup, no contest on the "who's playing" bit. But that's not a variable in this particular equation though. He IS an interesting player though. Totally untrained, and has developed his own very unique style over about 30 years. If you asked me if he's a good drummer, I'd have to say no, but what he plays DOES fit, it a weird kind of way The existing drums are the biggest POS you've ever seen, and they've been damped down so much they barely sound like drums any more. They're being replaced, and my brief is to find a kit that'll best suit the purpose within a given budget. -- John Cafarella End Of the Road Studio Melbourne, Australia |
#4
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Drums question
"John L Rice" wrote in message
... Modern drums should be fine and possibly better for you than '70 era sets. More info please. Why better? ( stay away from Ludwig drums from that period as they often had bad bearing edges ). Just get a set that has thin ply shells, try Remo Ambassador weight heads ( coated or Fiberskin ), don't tune them too low and use lighter weight sticks. I'm looking for a full, round tone without heaps of attack. Are calfskin heads worth trying? Ok on the lighter weight sticks too, he mostly uses hot rods. DW or Spaun would be nice but if you don't have the budget even one of the near entry level Tama sets should work fine. My son has a Tama Rockstar which has way too much punch and volume. Didn't like it AT ALL in there. My daughter has the next set down in the range, a Swingstar, IIRC. This is certainly closer to what I'm after as it doesn't have anything like the same punch. It doesn't have the "roundness" of tone that I'd like though. Also stay with smaller diameter and thinner cymbals. Yup. Best of luck! John L Rice Thanks -- John Cafarella End Of the Road Studio Melbourne, Australia |
#5
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Drums question
"John Cafarella" wrote in message ... "John L Rice" wrote in message ... Modern drums should be fine and possibly better for you than '70 era sets. More info please. Why better? Mainly what I mentioned below about the Ludwigs. They seemed to have a long stretch of really bad shells in and around the seventies. ( uneven beariing edges etc ) I remember Slingarland seemed to get really cheap in their construction around then. Rogers drums seemed good from the '70's but that's about when they went out of business. Pearl started getting decent near the end of the '70's but some of their early hardware was way to flimsy and cheap. ( stay away from Ludwig drums from that period as they often had bad bearing edges ). Just get a set that has thin ply shells, try Remo Ambassador weight heads ( coated or Fiberskin ), don't tune them too low and use lighter weight sticks. I'm looking for a full, round tone without heaps of attack. Are calfskin heads worth trying? Ok on the lighter weight sticks too, he mostly uses hot rods. Well, if you can find a good set of Ludwigs from the 60's or maybe early '70's you might like them because they tended to make thier bearing edges wider and rounder than modern drums. Calfskin is 'almost' impossible to find these days ( I know there are still calfskin timpami heads and I think 14" snare drum heads aimed at pro symphonic uses but finding a drum set's worth might be tough ) Stay with heavy weight heads, like REMO emperor and try coated or especially Fiberskin or Renaissance ( two different REMO models ). Lyle just mentioned in another post he saw some goat skin heads at NAMM so if they make think enough ones you might like them. DW or Spaun would be nice but if you don't have the budget even one of the near entry level Tama sets should work fine. My son has a Tama Rockstar which has way too much punch and volume. Didn't like it AT ALL in there. My daughter has the next set down in the range, a Swingstar, IIRC. This is certainly closer to what I'm after as it doesn't have anything like the same punch. It doesn't have the "roundness" of tone that I'd like though. Just curious, was the same person playing each set and did they have the same type and age of heads and were they tuned the same and the same sticks used? All of those factors would affect the sound of the drums more than the shell differences between those two sets. ( IMHO of course! ;-) Another brand you might want to look at is Mapex. Nice looking and decent sounding drums for a decent price. What is your budget by the way and do you need to include cymbals? John L Rice Also stay with smaller diameter and thinner cymbals. Yup. Best of luck! John L Rice Thanks -- John Cafarella End Of the Road Studio Melbourne, Australia |
#6
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Drums question
I have an old Pearl kit from perhaps the late 60s that's made of
mahogany and has a very warm tone and is not especially loud. I think the softer woods (with "fuzzy" surface on the inside of the shell) will give you more tone and less volume. Like with acoustic guitars, and electric guitar pickups, I think tone and volume sit at opposite ends of a continuum. In the case of acoustic guitars and drums, I think the hardness of the wood is a primary factor. Of course the size and shape of the cavity and the thickness of the wood are too. ulysses In article , John Cafarella wrote: Hey drum gurus, I've got a need to purchase a set of drums that are relatively quiet, but still have good tone. I've been told that modern kits are constructed for maximum volume and projection. Opinions seem to vary as to whether this compromises tone or not. It's been suggested to me that I should look for a set of 70's series Premier's or perhaps Rogers from this era. Is this good advice? Do you have any other suggestions? A different guy suggested that I may also want to try calfskin heads. Is this a good idea? Batter head only, or both? The drums will be used in a church worship setting. Thanks for yer time! |
#7
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Drums question
Justin Ulysses Morse wrote
I think the hardness of the wood is a primary factor. Of course the size and shape of the cavity and the thickness of the wood are too. The cheaper the kit/guitar the lower the grade of wood is used (just like comparing a Gibson to an Epiphone), I had a cheap set when I was 15 years old (1978) it was very thin shelled and looked like everyday pine wood pressboard. They where quite shallow and not very loud, the next set I got (in 1979) was a late 60's Ludwig 5 piece. These to where shallow but made of oak and much much thicker but no deaper. To me they sounded tighter and faster (no ring) but still not very loud. Then (mid 80's) I sat down behind a set of Tama Rock Star Pro DX's, they had deap (power tom's) thick burch wood shells, even the snare (I think it was rose wood or something strange like that) was 7" deap!!! This set was both loud and tight, I got so used to beatting the **** out of the other two sets I had that I just keep the thrashing going and this time everyone else had to turn there amps up. |
#8
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Drums question
"Justin Ulysses Morse" wrote in message
... I have an old Pearl kit from perhaps the late 60s that's made of mahogany and has a very warm tone and is not especially loud. I think the softer woods (with "fuzzy" surface on the inside of the shell) will give you more tone and less volume. Like with acoustic guitars, and electric guitar pickups, I think tone and volume sit at opposite ends of a continuum. In the case of acoustic guitars and drums, I think the hardness of the wood is a primary factor. Of course the size and shape of the cavity and the thickness of the wood are too. ulysses Thanks for this ulysses, Any details on what model this kit is? -- John Cafarella End Of the Road Studio Melbourne, Australia |
#9
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Drums question
John Cafarella wrote:
"Justin Ulysses Morse" wrote in message ... I have an old Pearl kit from perhaps the late 60s that's made of mahogany and has a very warm tone and is not especially loud. I think the softer woods (with "fuzzy" surface on the inside of the shell) will give you more tone and less volume. Like with acoustic guitars, and electric guitar pickups, I think tone and volume sit at opposite ends of a continuum. In the case of acoustic guitars and drums, I think the hardness of the wood is a primary factor. Of course the size and shape of the cavity and the thickness of the wood are too. ulysses Thanks for this ulysses, Any details on what model this kit is? I have no idea. Idunno if it even has a name. It's old and blue and it's made out of mahogany. The Pearl logo is plastic with chrome or maybe gold plating on it. It's got a 20" kick, 14" snare, and I think the toms are 14 and 17. Oh, and I'm thinking about selling it. You can see part of the kick drum at http://www.rollmusic.com/equipment/index.shtml ulysses |
#10
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Drums question
"Justin Ulysses Morse" wrote in message
news:300720031726512416% I have no idea. Idunno if it even has a name. It's old and blue and it's made out of mahogany. The Pearl logo is plastic with chrome or maybe gold plating on it. It's got a 20" kick, 14" snare, and I think the toms are 14 and 17. Oh, and I'm thinking about selling it. You can see part of the kick drum at http://www.rollmusic.com/equipment/index.shtml ulysses Can you fold it up, put it in a shoebox and mail it to me? :-) -- John Cafarella End Of the Road Studio Melbourne, Australia |
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