DRUMMER CAFE - Community Forum

Hi, i just recently purchased a pearl export 6 piece, and i will eventually need to get new heads. I dont really know much about it, except everyone seems to like evans or remo the best.

My goal price is like 100 bucks, i dont know if thats a good goal or not. I do want to get really good heads to perform with. What are the best heads i can get in that price range? (give or take about 50 dollars)?
i would need heads for 16x22 bass drum, 10,12,13,16 and 14 snare. Am i gonna need to spend any more than that for some nice ones? Also, If you can give a specific head type to go for that would be great, so i can do some more research. Thanks!

Well, that's kind of a hard one to judge.  It depends on the sound you are looking for, the style of music you are playing and the venues you are playing in.  I, for example, use very tonal heads for my toms when I am in studio.  In other words usually Remo Coated Emporers.  But when I go live in a club, I will go to Remo Clear Pinstripes, because they don't have as much ring to them, but are still able to get the tone I want out of them.  I always leave Remo Ebony Ambassadors on the Resonant side.  On my Snare (14" x 3 1/2" Pearl Free-Floating w/ Bell-Brass Shell) I always use a head that will dampen the ring, Remo Powerstroke III, Coated with dot.  On my kick, the best sounding combo I have found is the Evans EQ3 Batter and EQ1 Resonant, with no hole.  I have the Evans EQ Dampening pillow inside.  I hope all this babbling was of some sort of help.

I don't own or have much experience with the Exports, but it seems like most people get better tone from 2 ply heads, and single ply resonant side heads.  I believe this holds true for most lower-end kits.  Therefore, i would reccomend Evans G2 batters, and G1 resonants, i would shy away from the Evans Resonant bottom head, i think it will be too thin for those shells.  A coated G2 will control the overtones a bit better than a clear G2.  IF you want that 'thud' sound, then Remo Pinstripes or Evans hydrolics are the way to go.  For the kick, Evans G3 with a G2 resonant.    For the snare, I would say probably an Evans powercenter up top, a single ply head with reinforcement dot on top or bottom of the head,and a hazy 300 on the bottom.  

OF course, I have no clue what styles you play, but i think these heads will provide a good 'general purpose' type of sound.  

I play rock and roll music

I do too.  My head combo on my toms gives them a deep, tonal sound that totally kix @$$!!  The kick drum combo has a little of a "click" to it, but has a low end that won't quit!  I love it!

I have an export too, and I was planning to put pinstripes on 'em. I like the thud sound.

If you're getting a "thud" sound, you need help tuning your drums!   :)

I think I'm being misunderstood here, since English isn't my first language, so my choice of words was probably wrong. Anyway I meant, the sound pinstripes give a lower end kit, such as an Export.

Aaaaahhh, I see.  Well, I guess I pretty much sounded like an @$$hole there, didn't I?  lol....Sorry about that!   :)

I'll agree with this.  I have Aquarian Performance II's on the batter side of my toms and Classic Clears on the resonant side.  Doesn't sound too bad for an older set of Exports.  They can be tuned pretty loose for a lower tone.

If you are wanting a deep fat tone then i suggest getting Aquarian Performance II's. They are designed for loose tuning and will give you the deep sound you are looking for.