SONOR, but be careful, SONOR drums can stretch any heads.

Hate to say it, but you're describing something that seems very Ludwiggy to me! Gotta go to the source!

RMV - the Brazilian brand has a very low collar on the snare side reso heads. I work with Evans and think you should try them again- I play my snare-side reso heads super tight and have never had a problem.

As a Remo user I'm totally happy with what I get from my heads. I do have Ludwig snares both new and vintage that have come into my collection with Ludwig heads fitted. Never noticed the ludwig snare heads being of any worth other than serving as a snare head. When they've worn out I've put on the Remo's and boom my Snares sound fresh and snappy. No different, it's still my 400, Acro, BB, COB etc etc.

So I have some questions regarding this thread.

I've seen it written on this board before how Ludwig heads are so special. Why are Ludwig heads so unique, and what is the benefit of them?

Why don't they stretch out?

What is a low collar and why is that good/bad?

Is this a recommendation for all Snares, or just Luddy snares?

Cheers

geckobeats, here's the skinny:

- A crimped head structure means no annoying cracking glue sounds when tuning, and it also makes head stretching much less likely than glue-based offerings (admittedly, even they rarely stretch or pull out, but it does happen).

- Low collars means faster tuning (less key turns), and it makes for rims that are set higher than with other brands (all things equal). Some people like this (myself included, rimshots take on a more pleasing tone IMHO). It's also easier to obtain higher tunings with fewer-lugged drums; I don't know why this is, but my pioneer is much easier to crank up with Ludwig heads.

Remo DOES make "NO Collar" drum heads.

Don't know why they don't advertise those.

But I just ordered them the other day at my local drum shop. No problem in availability.

Poppies, I quite like that crack sound, ah well each to their own.

Ah so the collar is the ridge around the head that sits on the bearing edge. I see what you mean about starting from a higher point, you would need what, 2-3 key turns to bring that collar down to say, a regular Ambassador collar? By then you've already achieved quite some pitch out of your drum.

So if you like high tunings no collar gets you going, but if you like lower tunings a built in collar is obviously more useful. I've never thought of that in those terms before.

As for crimped v glued, I have never ever been let down by a glued rim. I do know that DW stock heads are crimped and they are horrible heads. But then that's just Remo supplying cheap heads for DW.

I'll check out wouters observation on Remo's no collar heads. That would give me a brilliant A/B test.

Some proofs (not the best quality pics);

On top: no collar remo reso drumhead

Underneath: normal collar remo reso drumhead

[IMG]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12674658/IMG_1217.JPG[/IMG]

And the "gift wrapping":

[IMG]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12674658/IMG_1214.JPG[/IMG]