Hey guys,

Here's my dilemna.  I have a Yamaha Stage Custom kit.  My bass drum is a 22X17 and I have been having trouble trying to decide on heads.  I've been using an EQ2 for a long time and decided I don't like it anymore it doesn't have enough depth, punch, or warmth I guess you could say.  So I ordered an EMAD because everyone raves about it.  Bad idea for me.  It's absolutely not for me, it's like playing a 1 ply pillow.  So would an EQ3 be a good investment for me?  I need a warmer and deeper sounding head, especially when tuned real low.  I also want to stray from the ultra slap effect. 

-Wes

P.S.-Is it worth investing in an EQ3 resonate head? I'm still playing with the one the kit came with, except I cut a hole that's two big.

Snipes

JesusXCore

www.myspace.com/wesblack
www.myspace.com/tips (my band)

"Here's my dilemna.  I have a Yamaha Stage Custom kit."

Hmmm. That IS quite a dilemna.

What do you have on the reso side? Mic hole?

i have the crap yamaha logo head it came with and I cut a 10 inch mic hole which I'm thinking is too big and could be a problem

Snipes

JesusXCore

www.myspace.com/wesblack
www.myspace.com/tips (my band)

EQ3 with small offset mic hole should add a bit of something to your sound. Your 10" hole will likely be thinning out your sound so has to go. Depending on your needs, you could even start by experimenting with an unported EQ3 and add your own hole if need be (start small!). Choose clear or coated according to taste...

If you want a really meaty thump however, an Aquarian Regulator might be worth a look too. 

http://www.drumpix.com/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=103

Some things to consider:

Are you playing live and are you  mic'd? If no, then consider an unported reso. If you are trying to tune your batter side way low, you'll be getting no tone out of it and you can use the reso to give you some tone.

Those damn patches that come with these newfangled heads can contribute to an attack-heavy sound, as can floppy batter heads.

Try tuning the batter head that you already have higher and take the patch off it if you you have one. Keep additional muffling down to just what you need to take the "yoing" out. (I'm assuming that you're also going to tune the "yoing" out as well.) Mess around with adjusting your muffling trying different combinations of more and less muffling on each head. It is very possible that you'll notice you now have a deeper, warmer sound than you did when your batter was floppy. If it does start to sound a little better, consider using thinner, rather than thicker, heads when you get the new heads. I get great sounds with Coated Ambassadors on both sides of most of my kicks.

I played a set of those Stage Custom drums at a rehearsal studio once. They do seem to accentuate some obnoxious frequencies and you may find that you need a bit more "yoing" control compared to some ultra fancy kits. You need to mess around with it to find out what it likes.

When setting up your kick, take it out from the kit. Try to put your head on the reso side when listening to it. It will sound very different than the batter side. I'm tall enough that I can step on the pedal while leaning over the drum. If you're not, grap a mop and use that to push down on the pedal.

I've been using a Aquarian Super Kick II combo'd with a Aqu. Regulator on my pimpin poplar/glue mix, It gives me the perfect combo of punch, tone and general "thumpage".

Another good option would be an EQ3/Regulator combo IMO.

~eP

"My friends call me D.P. for Donkey Puncher, but sometimes I go by Donkey Puncherello, or D to the P."

hey thanks a ton guys, I think I'm gonna go with an EQ3 batter and 5 inch ported reso, thanks for the help

-Wes

Snipes

JesusXCore

www.myspace.com/wesblack
www.myspace.com/tips (my band)