Actually, that is a very good vent! Guitar Center does have the kick drum head audition set up which is nice. The reality is that regardless of what a particular head sounded like on a particular drum, that doesn't mean it will sound that way on your drum. Trying to apply adjectives to something as subjective as sound quality doesn't go particularly far either. For example, what is the actual definition of "punch" and how would one quantify that?

I'm with ya on this here rant. Choosing a BD head can get costly, in Toronto they cost approx. $50 a pop and when you put it on and don't like it, the wallet says OUCH!Violin

Same here. I had a BD for about 6 months untill I got a head for it.

(It is true that I bought a new cymbal and a new vintage drumset in the meantime, but still...)

Fortunately, I've only been dissatisfied to the point of removing tom heads once. I have had a few BD heads that I had to deal with for much longer than I wanted to because they're so expensive. That's no fun! :mad:

Although I do think that the requirements of modern drums is different than vintage drums -mostly due to the profile of the bearing edges (in general). But, as far as vintage drums are concerned, I find the 'problem' rather easily solved.

That is, back in the day, there just weren't the choices of drumheads that there is now, so you took the 'standard' drumhead (usually a coated, light or medium weight one) and went from there. If you needed less sustain, then you flipped on the tone control....or maybe a felt strip or some tape...or a wallet! ;)

Some of the heads have changed from the way they used to be, but, in general, getting a vintage drum sound from a set of vintage drums is usually achievable with a single-ply lightweight or medium weight coated head, like a Remo Diplomat or Ambassador and some felt strips (for bass drum)

:2Cents:

Hello.

I am the oppossite. I love buying new heads. I have so many drums that if a head fails on a drum I can fit it to another. I do like crisp new heads. I dislike tired heads. The same goes with snare wires. Depending on the snare I will use Aquarian American & Modern vintage, DeJohnette and Remo Ambassadors.

I only mention snares here but the same goes with other drums. I am happy to experiment with heads. I am hopeless though, I routinely change heads and hoops on a day off just to find new combinations. It is becoming ludicrous. I recently found a new LM400 in my kitchen I didn't know I owned. I have 3! I thought I had 2.

Yes,I agree with this.It's VERY aggrivating too when the head that you buy and expect to sound a certain way DOESN'T because of edge contour differences or WHATEVER....So what's the answer?Maybe a head modelling program at the store.Put in your drum type and edge contour and punch in the head or heads-voila! Burger Kin

Alert!-old codger moment!-Alert!

Having worked as a custom drum maker and repair tech back in the day; exposed daily to every type of head in existence; having a side business drum-teching for recording studios and drumming for 43 years, I personally came to this conclusion:

With Emperors on top and Ambassadors on the bottoms, regardless of coating or lack thereof (talking toms and snare drums here. Ambassador Snare-Side where applicable. Bass drum? Different critter.), if one can't attain the sound one wants with that combo, then the problem isn't with the heads. Respectfully, it indicates the end user's need for more time spent with the key and learning about tuning and a given drum's reaction to a given tuning. (This is assuming, of course, that the individual heads are in tune with themselves to begin with.)

That is all. Goin' back to my checkers game at the general store now.

Flame away!

I'm with you on the Ambassodor for res side, however looking on he remo web site I see three other heads that look interesting for batter side, (Power stroke 4, controlled sound with dot, clear pinstripes) not sure which I might for my clear fibes set I just bought. I may call their customer service line on monday.