Drummers, what do you have in your kits?

[metalchurch]

I know that some Bass players, and we guitar players especially, are always changing our setups around. Whether it is something as petty as string guages, or more in depth and expensive as a new amp.

#1. Do drummers also experiment with different things?
#2. Do you guys also get frustrated with not having that 'sound' like we do?
#3. What all have you guys changed on your kit (if anything) since last time there was a 'list your drum kit' thread?

I admit I don't know much, but I learn a good bit from these types of threads and I'm trying to know a little more about it. I'm always asking Randy (Satan) about his kit and 'what this does' or 'what's this called?'

I'd like to see what all you guys currently have in your kits now, so if you have some time, please share.

[ToonaRockGuy]

Same as before for me.

[CCdrums]

I am an absolute fanatic about getting a great sound, and I have spent alot of time over the years researching tuning methods and gear choices of top professionals. Occasionally, I'll experiment with different heads, but that's about it as of late. I have gone back to my roots and play a very small kit (4 pc.) so it's easier to get it to sound good. I have been playing a long time and after expimenting, I always seem to come back to what I used originally as far as heads go. I try to always buy the best equipment possible. In drum gear, you definitely get what you pay for and you can't go wrong shelling out the cash for quality gear IMO.

I recently purchased some new cymbals and replaced my 13" mounted tom with a 12" mounted tom in order to get a punchier sound. I was really happy with my sound at the Foreigner concert as evidenced by the positive comments from fellow drummers on the thread. So, here's a current run down of my gear:

Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute Nouveau drums
22x18 kick
12x9 tom
16x14 floor tom
Ludwig supraphonic 6.5x14 snare drum
DW 9000 kick pedal and hi-hat stand
Paiste 18" and 20" 2002 medium crashes
Paiste Signature 14" sound edge hats, 22" dry heavy ride and 20" heavy china
Remo drum heads
Coated ambassador on snare/ambassador bottom
Clear emperors on tops of toms/clear ambassadors bottom
Clear powerstroke3 bass drum/Yamaha logo head on front

I use NO MUFFLING WHATSOEVER on anything except a very small pad in the kick drum barely touching both heads. Proper tuning will give you that "sound" that you're looking for, not moon gel.
By the way, at the Foreigner show, Jason Bonham's kit was fitted with the exact same head combination on his drums as I mentioned above. They are the head of choice for alot of pros and for good reason. They sound great!

[mjb]

now thats a good pic of you!

[CCdrums]

now thats a good pic of you!

lol...better than the obese gay troll!

[metalchurch]

Hahaha, man I'm the same way, I don't take good pictures. There's very few of me floating around out there.

[ToonaRockGuy]

Here's my rundown, since I can't seem to find it on an older post...

DRUMS
1999 Yamaha Stage Custom in Marina Green High-Gloss finish

(2) 17" x 22" bass drums
10"x12" rack tom
11"x13" rack tom
(2) 16"x16" floor toms (one tuned high, one tuned low)

SNARE DRUMS
6.5"x14" Yamaha Steel Snare (with PureSound Varitone Heavy Snare Wires)

or

5"x14" 1981 Pearl "World" series Snare (with PureSound Varitone Heavy Snare Wires)

CYMBALS
Complete Saluda Setup from left to right, from behind the kit:

14" Saluda Diamond Series Heavy Hi-Hats
16" Saluda Voodoo Brilliant China
17" Saluda Mist-X Series Brilliant Thin Crash
18" Saluda Diamond Series Brilliant Medium Crash
18" Saluda Diamond Series Brilliant Rock Crash
19" Saluda Mist-X Series Dark Thin Crash (Not In Pictures)
20" Saluda Mist-X Series Heavy Lo-Profile Ride
17" Saluda Expressions Brilliant China

PEDALS
Tama Iron Cobra Rolling Glide Double Pedal (heavy spring tension)

HARDWARE
Gibraltar GRS350C Rack with GRS150C Extension
Gibraltar Cymbal Stands (9)
Gibraltar Clamps (9)

STICKS
Pro-Mark TX707 Nylon Tip (Hickory)

MICROPHONES
Vocal: Audio Technica Pro8HeX Headset

Drum:
Shure Beta 56 on snare drum, rack and floor toms
Shure Beta 52 on Bass Drum

DRUMHEADS

Snare: Evans ST Dry(batter), Evans Hazy 300(snare)
Toms: Evans G2 clear (batter), Evans G1 Clear(resonant)
Bass: Attack Clear 2-Ply (batter), now have Yamaha logo heads (resonant)

MISCELLANEOUS
-Remo Muff'l (bass drums only)
-Phoenix Tuffcases
-Miller Lite
-RhythmTech Tambourines
-Pearl Cowbell

And a pic....

[hardhitter]

I use NO MUFFLING WHATSOEVER on anything except a very small pad in the kick drum barely touching both heads. Proper tuning will give you that "sound" that you're looking for, not moon gel.

I do not agree with you. It's also about the sound that you want. Some peole don't like an open sound. I could list pro drummers that all use moon gels on everything just as I could list drummers who don't. This is all a matter of what you like. On my PDP set I use moon gels but on my Yamaha kit I don't nor would I ever. The last time I saw Carter Beauford play he was using moon gels on his recording customs. So I do not agree with you on that statement!

Don't get me wrong Your Drums sound awsome and proper tuning is very important. I think it's all about the sound you want. It's like drummers using diffrent heads. If you use a pinstripe, powerstroke 3 , Hydraulic or any of evens EC's are you muffling the sound? The only diffrence is it's in the head not the moon gel.

[metalchurch]

Please pardon my lack of knowledge, but what is 'moon gel'?
I'm guessing that it dampens the sound of the drums?

[ToonaRockGuy]

Please pardon my lack of knowledge, but what is 'moon gel'?
I'm guessing that it dampens the sound of the drums?

http://www.rtom.com/moongel.htm

Right on.

[CCdrums]

I use NO MUFFLING WHATSOEVER on anything except a very small pad in the kick drum barely touching both heads. Proper tuning will give you that "sound" that you're looking for, not moon gel.

I do not agree with you. It's also about the sound that you want. Some peole don't like an open sound. I could list pro drummers that all use moon gels on everything just as I could list drummers who don't. This is all a matter of what you like. On my PDP set I use moon gels but on my Yamaha kit I don't nor would I ever. The last time I saw Carter Beauford play he was using moon gels on his recording customs. So I do not agree with you on that statement!

Don't get me wrong Your Drums sound awsome and proper tuning is very important. I think it's all about the sound you want. It's like drummers using diffrent heads. If you use a pinstripe, powerstroke 3 , Hydraulic or any of evens EC's are you muffling the sound? The only diffrence is it's in the head not the moon gel.

What I was referring to is the vast majority of drummers who struggle with tuning their drums or don't know how to tune and just slap some muffling on their kits as an easy fix to get rid of the ring when in reality, learning to control the ring and allowing the drum to resonate freely through proper tuning and head selection would eliminate alot of the undesirable tones they are hearing and may give them the sound they're after. That's all. Some guys do muffle their kits with moongel and other stuff (Jason Bonham had moongel on his toms at the Foreigner show). To each his own and I certainly don't think that one sound is better than another or that everyone should like open sounding drums. But I think muffling should be used as a last resort when head selection and proper tuning don't give you the sound you're looking for.

As far as the different heads you mentioned that are pre-muffled, you are altering the original sound source for sure with those heads, it's just a little different when you place objects on the head to reduce ring. Some guys go as far as muffling pre-muffled heads even further with duct tape or O-rings because it's a different type of ring that pre-muffled heads alone don't really address. But usually, with pre-muffled heads and other types of muffling, especially in excess, some of the desirable overtones and attack are lost and the drum ends up sounding like the box it came in. That is why I posted the comment about not using muffling, tuning and the moongel thing...to bring it to the attention of drummers who play over muffled, dead sounding kits that are trying to get a better sound.

Thanks for your reply. It helped me to clarify the intention of my post and I agree with you...it's all about the sound that YOU like.

[hardhitter]

I thought that was what you where trying to say! ( I really did ) I just didn't want anyone thinking that they are BAD to use. The only time I use them is when I'm mic'ed. CCdrums brought up a really good point, If you are using a muffled head please don't use anything else.


PS: PLEASE DON'T CUT THE BOTTOM HEADS OFF!! If need help tuning I'm sure there are people like CCdrums and others who will show you how to tune.

AS for the Question asked, I mix up my set all the time. I find that when I get in a rut it helps to mix up your setup. That way you take your mind off of playing.

[slackin@dabass]

drums:
18x22 kick
7x8 tom
8x10 tom
9x12 tom
12x14 floor tom
14x16 floor tom
5x14 snare

pdp x-7 in the silver to black sparkle finish. the website says the drums are poplar, but it hink they sound pretty good for being on the... umm... cheaper side? of the spectrum. they don't sound boxy like tama rockstars or pearl exports tend to. i used to have a yamaha yd and man... i love yamaha drums and all, but the yd's, wich were beginner kits really lacked any tone from the toms. they sounded like cardboard boxes!

cymbals:
14" a custom zildjian hats
21" a custom sweet ride
16" aax stage crash
18" aax bright crash
12" hhx splash
18" wuhan china (dona't make fun of me for the wuhan!!
)

i had them set up with the 8 and 10 toms offset over the kick (centered around the snare drum) and the 12 on my left, with the 14 and 16 on my right for awhile... but recently i set them up with the rack toms all above the bass, kinda traditional 7-peice rack tom set up style? wit hthe 14 on my left and the 16 on my right. i hate reaching almost behind me when i have both floor toms on the same side, so i put one on either side and do either a paradiddle on the 12 to get to the 14 and likewise between the 14 and 16, or i use the kick to "fill the gap" between toms. hate my snare though. i don't think 5 inch deep snares have the depth of deeper snares (madden statement of the year!!). i'd really like to get a pork pie piglite like crazydrummer or randy from naildriver have. they sound awsome. the acrylic that hawk has on his practice kit sounds great too. i think it's a 6x14? dunno, sounds awsome though.

[slackin@dabass]

for the whole "too mufle or not too muffle" convo...

i mean... when you pay for really expensive drums with free floating mounts that don't touch the shell to allow the shell to vibrate more freely... dosn't muffling the drum kind of ... i dunno... defeat the purpose? i guess it's all preference but i wouldn't want to spend 3 grand on a dw or pearl masterworks with free floating mounts and slap a bunch of tape and o rings all over them... just my 2 bits!