what is the difference with respects to sound qualities between a 3ply and 6ply shell of the same model, make and size?
i realize it's all a matter of opinion but is there a general consensus of which one is better then the other?
i'm just curious because i've never had 3ply before and was wondering if it's worth looking out for.
one thing i have noticed is that that the 3plys seems to be older and then switched to 6ply.
3 ply shells have a deeper, more resonant tone. The denser, or thicker the wood, the less sound will be absorbed or pass through the wood, creating a higher resonant frequency. The thinner the shell, the less times the same soundwave will reflect from wall to wall and therefore will create a longer wave length. Thicker=shorter, or higher, thinner=longer, or lower wave length.
As for value, the later Ludwig 6 ply shells are less desirable, same thing for Gretsch, Slingerland, Rogers...it continues across the drum world that the newer, thicker shells are just less desirable. The tones are higher and most people tend to associate drum sounds as lower...
I guess that explains why everyone here craves vintage 6 ply gretch and
is willing to pay 3x as much for a equal era 3 ply drum.
go figure.
Nickmues, I think you missed the point. It's the other way around. 3 ply = more desirable, 6 ply = less desirable.
Thicker shells began to be produced mid '70's for concert rock and drum mics.
Nice technical answer Jonnistix!
Thin shells remain the standard for drum sound with Mahogany, Maple and Beech (Sonor, Premier) being the best woods. I measured the width of my 60's vintage Sonor 3 ply Beech tom shell at 3.5mm. This ultra thin shell produces a very warm rich tone.
-kellyj
thanks for such a thoughtful answer!
that's some great info and it's good to keep in mind.
i'd like to pickup some of those old 3ply shells sometime and check them out.
it kind of makes me wonder though. if those thin 3ply shells have that great quality sound, then why don't they make them like that anymore?
do they think that they wouldn't sell or something?
it can't be that they don't have the means to do so. so what could it be? maybe they are thinking that the old ways of doing it are over and this is the new "better" way? perhaps it's just more cost efficient?
Simple answer is that it would cost manufacturing way too much to pay people to make shells the old way.
I don't know if that makes sense, why then did gretch go 6 ply in the late fifties? They must have felt it sounded better. It must have increased the cost to make the drums since it required more wood. my first comment was
in regards to the fact that in the vintage drum world the most expensive drums to acquire seem to be gretch.
who has played a set of ludwig classic maple lately? 7 ply maple. they really sound as good or better than slingys, rogers, earlier ludwigs in my opinion.
I honestly can't answer the question other than to take a guess. I have been told that the old steam bent shells made by Ludwig were quite labor-intensive to make in comparison to the way modern shells are made. I have no experience with either method, so I'm just going by what I've read.
Sound is so subjective it's like trying to discuss religion or politics. There is no correct answer, in other words. Many people love Gretsch drums' sound. I have played many and think they are very nice. I prefer old Ludwig drums, though. Does that make Ludwig drums "better"? Nope. It's just my preference and that's about all I can say. Not everyone is attracted to redheads. I am. Burger Kin
