DRUMMER CAFE - Community Forum

It's in the title. I'll also consider smooth white heads.

I want a low, thump sound, but with some character.

Any help is appreciated.

Try an Aquarian Super Kick II on the batter side and an Aquarian Regulator head on the reso side.  Tune the Super Kick batter side up just past the wrinkle stage.  Tune the Regulator reso side a tad tighter than that.  Done.

If it's the audience side you want in white, the Regulators come in Black or White with or without ports.  I use this combo with the 4 3/4" offset hole on two of my sets.  Sounds great.  I think it just might be what you're looking for.

I agree 100% with Dave Heim  ;D

An aquarian superkick 3 is also a great sounding batter skin for kick.  It's a coated single ply with a power Dot  :)

Ok, thanks.

I've never tried Aquarian before, mostly just stuck to Remo and some Evans, but I'll have to try it out.

EDIT: I just checked out Musician's Friend to see some reviews on the coated Super Kick 2, and most of them gave it low ratings and said it made the drum seem dry, and dull.

Should I go for the clear one instead?

I've been using the Superkick 2/Regulator combo for a long time. Many times the people that do those revues doesn't know squat. Their listening to the drum while playing, not out front where the real sound is. Also, they may be using that head and have no idea how to tune them. On some sets I use a Superkick 2, on another set a Superkick 1....Different drums sound better with certain heads. I've used Aquarian heads on my bass drum and toms, but prefer a Remo on my snares. Great combo out front where it counts.  :)

I don't put a lot of stock in the MF reviews.  BUT. . .   I've not used a coated SK, so I'm not qualified to comment. 

Give the clear a shot.  I use clear SK heads (with the thin Aquarian beater impact pad) and white or black Regulator heads.  I like the sound.

I use the SKII/Regulator combo and love it. I don't think anything can beat it.

I'm actually thinking of just going with a plain ol' coated Ambassador batter and Ambassador reso.

By the way, the drum is a 24" Ludwig Classic maple kick.

Ah.  I changed my bass drum heads from Ambassadors to the Aquarians.

Hmm ok. I don't know.

How would a S.K.II/Regulator compare to a S.K.II/Ambassador combo?

The Regulator head has some built-in muffling, the Ambassador does not (except for the coating, which might take the edge off slightly).  So, you may find that the Ambassador reso head speaks out a little and you may want a pillow or perhaps an old-school felt strip on the Ambassador reso head.  YMMV - it all depends on your ears and your tastes. 

For me - the SK and Regulator heads work very well together.  BUT. . . I sense that you really want a coated Ambassador.  That being the case I'm guessing none of us who have used the Aquarian combo will convince you otherwise.

Peace.

I have always favored a coated Ambassador for a reso head and coated Emperor for a batter head.  Definately old school in tone and tuning.

I tried a skII, in fact I still have it-but promptly removed it as I couldnt stand the characteristics of it.  I tune pretty high, and the skII isnt at home with that type of setting.  Seems they like to be tuned low and loose, but that just isnt my cup of tea.

Ill keep the skII around, Ive had it for about 4 years now.  Maybe itll be better with some ageing ;D

I just currently bough myself an Evans EMAD2/EMAD resonant black head set for my drums... I didn't like the sound from playing behind, but when I asked my guitarist to wail some hits while I sat in front to listen, the EMAD resonant just the whole sound completely!  It just makes it sound so fat and thuddy with a bit of slap to it since i tune relatively low. (metal drummer) 

Though, both the EMAD2 and the EMAD have foam rings for the outer rings and the port hole that control the amount of punch and focus you want.  I use both the thicker and heavier foam rings on both sides to get the effect I desire.  Though for a sound that you are searching for, I believe that the softer ones would do the job. 

And I think the EMAD2 would just a bit too dry for you, EMADI's are much more popular and may perfectly fit the "thudiness" that you desire paired with an EMAD resonant black/ or white.. I think...

I've also heard that EQ3 resonants sound very good as well.

But you'll just have to test out and gather the most information you can about different heads.  Because kick drum heads aren't cheap, and getting what you don't want is definately not a good thing...

I've gotta join the SKII/Regulator lovers.  I always get complemented on the sound.  I tuned according to Dave Heim's recommendation--batter just past wrinkle, reso a tad tighter than that.

The only setback is you may have people thinking, "Well, no need to mic this kick, it fills the room all by itself!"

I've done both the SK1 and the Emad (1 and 2) and I really don't know which sound I like better.  They're both phenominal.  One drawback with the EMAD is that the plastic ring that holds the foam tends to break fairly quickly, this puts the SK series ahead in my mind.  Good luck!

I'm actually going for a slight "old school" tone in my kick, and it seems that the Super-Kick gives out a kind of modern sound.

Thanks for your help guys. The best thing for me to do is just experiment with all types of heads though, right? Unfortunately, I'm on a tough budget right now, so a couple of Ambassadors or an Emperor and an Ambassador with do just fine.

Well actually the kit that I ordered ended up coming with heads, a coated Powerstroke 3 on the batter, and an ebony P.S. for the reso.

I was using a Coated PS3 on my bass drum,  but switched to a Aquarian Coated SK1.  They are both basically the same head.  I just liked the sound from the Aquarian SK1 a little bit better.

Maybe a Fiberskyn 3 for the kick batter?  I've heard that gives a real "swingy" sound.  I dunno...I tend to pimp the F3 whenever I have the chance.  ::)