So, I'm at Sam Ash looking around for some nice vintage gear and there's a young guy who brought in his Sonor 22" kick. I overhear him telling the salesperson, "I want to get that Bonham sound out of my kick". I noticed he had a clear pinstripe on the batter side, so I said, get a coated emperor for the batter side, a coated ambassador for the resonant side and two felt strips, that's what Bonham used. He looked at me like I was an alien. So, I sat back and watched these two bumbling idiots try desperately to get a "Bonham" sound out of this kick. They tuned it high, they tuned it low, they put moon gel or something on the batter side and in the end, it sounded like s***. Like they say, you can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.DOH
John Bonham Bass Drum Sound Last viewed: 1 hour ago
Well its kind of a bit small to get the true "Bonham" sound really as he used 26"ers, but like you said Johnny its about an open and un-ported drum with maybe some felt strips, although maybe not always on a 22" as they can still over muffle a bit. My Gretsch RB does a great impression of that at 22" left wide open and low tuned.
It amazes me why they spurned your friendly advice instead of engaging with you. Thats how you learn.
60's Ludwig Downbeat Silver Spark
70's Ludwig Super Classic White Marine
60's Gretsch RB Champaigne Spark
70's Rogers Big R Black
90's Sonor Hilite (Red maple)
00's DW Collectors Broken Glass
00's DW Jazz Series Tangerine Glass
10's DW Collectors (Acrylic) Matt Black Wrap
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There's an old British proverb that says,"a nod, is as good as a wink ,to a blind horse".If you follow other drum forums,you'll find lots posters,younger players especially,that only want the answer they want,as a form of validation,and anything you say to the contrary,will be called a hater or fail.
Steve B
Bonham originally used a 22" Slingerland kit in the new yardbirds , He didn't get his signature sound until he went to the 26" size.
Bonham originally used a 22" Slingerland kit in the new yardbirds , He didn't get his signature sound until he went to the 26" size.
This is true, but I've had vintage Ludwig kits with 22" kicks that I was able to get a big full sound similar to Bonham's using the correct heads. You will never get close to a "Bonham" sound using a pinstripe head on any size kick.
This is true, but I've had vintage Ludwig kits with 22" kicks that I was able to get a big full sound similar to Bonham's using the correct heads. You will never get close to a "Bonham" sound using a pinstripe head on any size kick.
Yes I know what your saying, pinstripes ain't gonna cut it for that type of sound. Oh well you tried !!
i too struggled with trying to get that "bonham" sound out of any of my drums. i had (have) a pearl export with 22" bass drum and a clear aquarian super kick head. sounded great, real punchy. it wasnt until i took all the muffling out of the drum tightened my reso head and loosened my batter head just a bit that the light bulb clicked on. i could hear that full round sound that had always alluded me.
now i have a 26" bass with a remo powerstroke 3 coated head and there really is no comparison. you need to have that oversized drum to get the full thundering sound. only problem is once you go down that road its hard to play a smaller drum. at least it is for me.
that kid should have took your advice JR. he might have learned a thing or two.
Bonham used an 18" x 14" bass drum tuned really high, no?
Plus you would need some sort of muffling around the perimeter of the shell or reso head as seen in countless photos.
(See, I just couldn't resist stirring that back up.)
Very proud owner of a new Blaemire Snare 6.5 x 14 made by Jerry Jenkins "Drumjinx"
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