take all of the B.S. out of the drum put a 3 inch felt strip on the batter try it see how open it sounds to open? put a strip on the reso and go play the things..

Maybe tune the BD heads to the low note, push down on the center of the head and see wrinkles, let go and they dissappear !! Both sides !!

+1 on the felt strips. I literally just finished headin' and seatin' the 22 Luddy bass. I wanted to bring it into the power/groove Rock realm. I went with a Remo Coated PS3 batter and a Ludwig WM Heavy (with logo) reso and a 3 inch felt strip. I get a serious 'WHOOMPH' out of it ... the kind that hits you in the chest. I use a DW plastic side beater and a small pad on the batter to enhance the attack just a touch. It works for me. It might work for you.

My Luddy kit is the 3 ply clear maple inners of the mid70s ... in case yours is the AM build.

Thanks fellas. Looks like the felt strips are going to be the ticket. I've been liking the coated Emporer, so I'm going to keep running those on the batter. Mine are the mahogany shells of the 60s. I have the toms sounding just right, so now it's time to get that sweet bass drum sound. Hopefully I can find some felt tonight...I'll be doing prep work tonight for a gig tomorrow night. The Hollywood champagne is making its debut. Snare drum still to be determined, but I'm thinking supra or Acro. Last time I used a silver jazz fest with the old oysters and it worked beautifully.

+1 for felt strips! On my 20x14, the perfect combo is an EMAD batter (kinda like a head with a felt strip), and the original Ludwig reso with a felt strip. On my 22x14, I use the original reso with a felt strip, and a Fiberskyn batter, which is kinda like an ambassador with a 12" wide felt strip going down it, and it BOOMS like crazy! On my 28x14, I use a Powerstroke batter with the original reso head with a.....you guessed it.....felt strip!

Felt strips for the reso, definitely. Seriously, it's THE SOUND for these 3-ply drums! Add strips/treated heads as needed to the batter. If you like the sound of your bass drum from the driver's seat, the felt-stripped head on the reso side will translate that sound to the front, and add some ballz to it for the crowd...

Wow, I haven't seen a pillow in a bass drum in 20 years. Get that thing out of there fast!!!!

Felt strips all the way.

Here's what I use on my kits.....Ludwig Weathermaster smooth white heads, heavy rating with felt strips for muffling. No pillows, no special premuffled heads, just good old fashioned smooth whites. Also, I use a moleskin pad for the beater patch, helps control the sound just a bit more and gives the head more durability. Check out your local drugstore in the footcare aisle.....Dr Scholl's moleskin pads. Get the thicker square pads, they seem to hold up better. Also, I use a wood beater when using this setup as a felt beater sounds too muffled against the moleskin pad.