This might help:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMqHqADnREY[/ame]

You may need to significantly increase your vodka intake as well...

One thing that has not been posted is that Bonzo was hitting rimshots almost all the time when hitting the snare, except when playing softly, which was not very often. That I think, along with his high tuning is what the "Bonham" sound truly is.

Thanks for all the advice so far; I do know that JB's recorded sound had lots to do with room mics, and what's more I know he used a Black Beauty on some In Through The Out Door cuts....Jeff O. said so himself. He also suggested trying a Diplomat snare-side head....anyone ever do this?

Dan

This^

Get a coated emperor or maybe one of the newer vintage coated emperors, tune like the others have suggested and hit rimshots.

I like what this guy had going on. He is a little manic but he sounds right.

Enjoy!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT0I1hXFrUs[/ame]

Wow, that is my snare(converted Super Sensitive).

That guy could probably switch to decaf, but he makes a lot of good points.

FWIW, that "BA!" he says is C# on my piano.

Thanks for the link!

Dan

Questions like this always raise a red flag, because what MANY players don't realize is that the actual drum is only part of the equation. How JB played the drum and the studio processing we hear is a quite different story.

This is actually quite easy to achieve though. You don't have to use the same snares or heads either. What you DO need to start off with is a drum that is a good representation of what Bonham used. It doesn't HAVE to be an alloy Supra, but almost any other beaded-shell metal drum, whether it is brass, bronze, steel, titanium or whatever. 6.5" depth is preferable, but 5" or 5.5" will work too.

Replace the heads with Remo Ambassador snare-side and CS Coated on top. Your snares can be standard width and count (16/20/24), but don't go highbrow with PureSound, because they are a bit dark. Generic Taiwanese snares are really bright and sizzly and work well for this. Also, keep die-cast hoops out of the equation. As a matter of fact, install 1.6mm hoops if you can find them (easy; Interstate stocks the Cannon versions). You want edge resonance.

Tune the bottom head REALLY tight, painfully tight to the point where you can deflect it only about 1/8" or so in the middle. Tune the top medium. Tension the snares JUST to the point where they stop rattling (and PLEASE make sure they are centered on the snare head).

For playing technique, you need to use a medium weight stick, around the 5A-5B area, and find the rimshot "sweet spot", because that is where Bonzo lived. Don't play into the drum or "deadstick" it. If you watch vids of Bonzo, he played hard, but never into the drums. He didn't choke them, but rather let them breathe. Technically, he was like a Big Band drummer playing heavy rock, dancin' on the drums and swingin' his ass off! THIS is the REALLY key to the "Bonham" sound. It's not really in the gear replication at all. It helps, but it's certainly not the whole ball o'wax.

Thanks for the reply.

I'm a big believer in looking to the original equipment, but ironically, when I play with my Beatles band, I do not use a mid-60's Jazz Fest; I use a Supra from 1998 because it simply has "it". One of the best representations of Ringo's post-'67 sound was on....a Pearl Export snare with an Evans Dry head on it....pretty unbelievable. So, there are no hard and fast rules!

Dan