If you want to duplicate that sound, that's one way to do it. However most drummers/producers abhor that sound these days, and it's a contributing factor to the general disdain and misconceptions drummers have about single headed toms.

One of the benefits of the improvement in head technology is that certain drum types - concert toms, stainless steel, and acrylics - can sound better now than they ever did before. But it's also worth noting that Hydraulics have improved as well, and today's heads aren't nearly as dead as they were in the '70s.

So in reality, even using a new Hydraulic head will yield a better sound than from 40 years ago. But it's easy enough to deaden it and get a true '70s sound.

Bermuda

Mike,

I'm with John on this one. Give either the black or silver dots a try.

Back in the mid-to-late 70s, Pearl's FG concert toms came standard with the Remo CS clear black dot heads. I had a set of 8 about a year ago that someone had replaced them with Remo pinstripes and I didn't think they sounded quite as good.

I know I'm talking FG and you're talking Vistalites, but I think the results will be about the same.

And this is just my opinion anyway...

Bill

That whole album is fantastic!

I've been buying/restoring/collecting vintage drums for over 20 years now, and I can't tell you how many of those kits have come to me with Evans heads on them. Personally, I don't like Evans heads, no matter what the model. They are seem overly dry and lifeless to me (which sucks, because I like Bob Gatzen's videos).

The Aquarian Force II's are Aquarian's version of Remo Emperors. I really like clear Emps - I use them as batters on my '68 Mod Orange kit, which has clear 3-ply interiors. But on Vistalites, I prefer the Force II's for 3 reasons:

1) To my ear, the Force II's sound deeper and warmer than Emps.

2) They seem to be a bit more durable than Emps (they do not seem to dent/pit as much).

3) The seams on Vintage Vistalites have that annoying "V" notch that pinches the heads. For whatever reason (maybe it's their collars, which are straight up and down versus the Emp's, which have more of a rounded collar), the Force II's do not seem to pinch as much as the Emp's, and thus make them much easier to tune.

thanks for all of the detailed responses guys. i must admit that i'm mostly a ludwig and remo head kinda guy. havent had much success with evans. i did try some attack heads that i liked however on some other snares.

mike

Thanks a lot. I love the sound of the toms on that album. He also played on another favorite album of mine, Michael Franks' The Art of Tea. Great drummer and that cool west coast 70's drum sound. I want to set up my Slingerland Country Road (essentially a Quadraplus) kit to get that sound. Must be coated heads. Studio X coated, with power dot? Single or double? I'm leaning toward single.

Sorry for the hijack, but we are still talking concert toms, right?

I would say coated single-ply heads will get that sound best on concert toms played at low or moderate levels. For harder hitting, go with a 2-ply.

Bermuda

I'll give them a try. Thanks.