^^^nice Playing!!!

I liked that Jason. Thanks for posting the video link.

MY CALFHIDE HEADS:

As much as I like the calfhide on my 58 Gretsch 4pc I have went back to Aquarian Vintage heads, an EMAD batter, and left the very nice Calfhide reso head on the bd. I did this because the continual tuning/tweeking required with calfhide heads. It's kind of fun though but I need a break from it for now. I do however have a few other drums with calfhide heads.....odd sized old snares and some toms with "tacked" heads. Can't get around having Calfhide on the tacked heads haha. I would have to say my 1947 Gretsch 6x10 rack tom with a tacked calfhide reso head and lugged batter head with calfhide is one of the nicest sounding drums I have - it 'sings' beautifully.

Jeff at SternTannning has very nice hides.

It's interesting that Kona went through the same thing I did. I swap the calf with coated emps every now and again. I love the change in feel and the variety from one kit.

I have them on an early 60's Ludwig Duco kit. I use them on singer songwriter gigs and quieter stuff. They are incredible. Yes, as mentioned above, they are SUPER expensive. I get them at Pro Drums in Hollywood where they are probably even more than elsewhere but I hate waiting for stuff to come in the mail. They are ridiculously sensitive to humidity and weather. I recommend loosening them all the way down when you plan on not playing them for more than a few days. I did a gig right by the beach last week and I had to crank up the snare so tight to get any volume out of it and I may have expanded it due to humidity. Anyway, if you are going to record, it's worth it. I put a moongel on the snare after I tune it up and it sounds better than anything else on the market. Keltner uses them (or at least word has it). They also sound the best when tracking to tape! Ran them through a vintage API console at Sunset Sound on a recording last month to 2" tape. It was the stuff the drum dreams were made of, boys!

best,

Marshall

I did switch back to calfhide all around except for the resonant snare and still using an EMAD on the BD batter. I recently got a compliment on the sound of my 20" bass drum. It was from a drummer that dropped by to pick up some drums I sold him. He showed up with the Guitar player in the band he was in. They were blown away by the sound of this drum. I was not trying in the least to impress - I was only showing them the kit. I think the calfhide and EMAD on this drum makes a very good combination.