Re: Best heads for old L.P's
Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:38 am
leedy2 wrote:Hey Thomas
How are you ? Did not look at heading but same applys to any timbales. Calf or goat for a set of timbales the proper skin is calf goat is no good for timbales it is to thick.The Remo Ambassadors are the best for timbales or 2or 3 ply plastic.The Diplomats are to thick they are made more for marching drums. By sanding drum head what you doing is down grading the sound quality of the skin.The none coated are better skins do to that they are don't produce so much ring as to the coated ones.
As to timbales you brought from me sorry to here they got to you out of round the must have throne box in shipping. Skins; you have to be very careful with calf skin if in a humid place skin they will detune and go bad on you due to humitity. Best thing untune after use and store in a dry place .Or put a light bulb in drum must be totally untuned that will stretch skin out tricks of trade skins will say like new. I have drum's that have skins totally original from 1947 and have been used on many occations thoughout my years.Years ago when head were used because there were no plastic head's we had a life spand on a head being used 5 day a week of about 3 weeks before they broke not because of having tunning room but of ware and tear.
Diplomat skins for timbales are to to thin Use ambassadors much better.To save thread put grease not oil helps with tune and untunning.Rim's: on Leedy made by Slingerland, rims were 1'' in height the Leedy made early 1947-1954 by Conn had rims 1/2 like many timbales made today so rim shots and rolls (Abanicos) are easyer to make.
Correction : Remo Giplomats are thin, Ambassadors are med ( I use these since thin plastic is ringy & has little warmth of tone ), Emporeres are heavier & usualy seen on floor toms. I feel a bright steel shell needs toning down, brass is warmer & thinner plastic can be controlled for tone. No one mentions TONE asw if the cheap inport heads that came on the drums were the prefered sound ?!, Thoses cheap heads stretch easily & become dead very quickly, you will notice when you removed a used cheap head that it becomes a huge bowl shaped dent. This head is DEAD. My skins last 3 years or 10 years depending on playing conditions ( I do not pound calf heads ). Cheap original herads last under a year before I replace it. I experiments w/ heads & select the ones I like...not what the manufacturer throws on them. I have a few sets of tims & use one for Salsa & one for latin Jazz & other accoustic situations. I ave used TOO THIN of calf & sprat painted clear paint as an experiment & it sounded good still w/ o climate issues causing them to go slack, I do not mind tweaking my drums when they sound so dammed good w/ calf. Cheap drums & top of line drums sound to similar w/ cheap heads.
Today I am retired and I see many guy that put different skin's from plastic to goat as you mentioned yet not realizing that they are not getting the proper sound . And to prove that to your self take your timbales and stand in middle of room or dance hall you are playing and have someone else pay you drum's see how you like the sound they produce. Skins make a major differance when playing traditional salsa for Rock and affects are all something different. I posted a photo of skins 1951 and has been used many times and still in excellent condition.what do think for 60 years and still kicking ?