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Yamaha Recording Custom - 22" kick head/tuning advice please

Posts: 214 Threads: 25

Hi All,

Maybe not quite "vintage" but...I recently purchased a mid 1980s Recording Custom kit in Cherry Wood. Sizes are: 8" x 10", 8" x 12", 14" x 14" ft, 16" x 16" ft, 16" x 22" kick. I added a 9" x 13" tom made in 2000 and was impressed that the Cherry Wood finish matched almost perfectly. The grain is slightly different but color is exact. The sound also seems to match the other toms very well. I'm using Remo clear Emperors on the tops and clear Ambassadors on the bottoms.

I am having some trouble getting the kick to sound great, however. It came with an Evans Genera EQ batter (no patch in place but one had obviously been there in the past) and the stock Yamaha reso head with a 10" center cut hole (non factory). I've tuned it just above wrinkle for the batter and somewhat above that for the reso and tried a 21" x 14" drum pillow in various spots (touching both front and rear, just front and just rear). Before I spend more time adding a felt strip, patch or swapping out the heads please give me your opinions about how to get the best performance from this kick - heads, tuning, damping, patch, etc. I'm using a DW 9000 pedal with the stock beater.

Heads I have on hand are:

Evans EQ1 reso (new)

Evans Hydraulic (new)

Aquarian Super Kick II with AQ Kick Pad patch

DW "Bass Drum Head" - no model designation but has a thin, white damping ring on the exterior and no patch.

Thanks!

Barry

Posted on 10 years ago
#1
Posts: 1525 Threads: 127

Try that Aquarion on the batter and the DW on the reso with no other muffling and see how that sounds. Tune the reso just a tad higher than the batter.

Posted on 10 years ago
#2
Posts: 1334 Threads: 235

I like the Remo Power Stroke III, I use them on all of my bass drums. I've tried the Aquarian Super Kick and The Evans Emad and they are just not what I like in sound and feel.

Mike Curotto

Posted on 10 years ago
#3
Posts: 730 Threads: 61

I use a Remo clear Powerstroke 4 on all of my bass drums with a clear Ambassador front head with a 6" offset hole. I'll put a folded towel inside to muffle the shell (not touching the heads) if the room is too live, but that's usually not necessary.

What kind of beater are you using? I just bought a fluffy fleece beater for a low-volume gig and really liked the sound. I'm looking forward to trying out in a heavier context.

9x Slingerland New Rock 50N 12-13-16-22 with 170 (Super S-O-M) holder
• 1979 Oak
• 1978 Blakrome + 6.5x14 TDR SD
• 1977 Black Diamond Pearl + 5x14 SD (gold badge, Rapid strainer)
• 1976 Black Cordova
• 1975 Silver Sparkle + 5x14 SD (Rapid strainer)
• 1974 Chrome + 5x14 COB TDR and 6.5x14 COW Zoomatic SDs
• 1973 Purple Sparkle
• 1973 Phantom (clear)
• 1971 Walnut (gold badges) + 5x14 TDR SD
1x Rogers Powertone Londoner V 12-13-16-22
• 1972 Butcher Block + 1979 big R Dynasonic SD
Posted on 10 years ago
#4
Posts: 195 Threads: 6

I've a '80 Tama Superstar, so similar era birch drums. I'm liking a clear emperor on my 24x14 with a solid smooth white ambassador on the front. small blanket from an airline inside to control the front head, batter gets a shirt or two between the pedal frame and the head; only just held by the post on the side, never crossing the pedal where the foot plate comes down because they always end up moving and changing the pedal action. It's a bigger drum so I like it tuned a bit above wrinkle point. If I push my finger in the centre of the head there's still no prominent wrinkles at all. Front head a little bit higher then the batter. Full, punchy, good tone and you can feel it in your chest. Not the typical dry, dead kick sound by any means.

Posted on 10 years ago
#5
Posts: 129 Threads: 15

I've had good luck on 22's with the EQ3.

Posted on 10 years ago
#6
Posts: 1525 Threads: 127

I was just suggesting from what heads he had on hand. I actually like the Super kick ones on my bass drum batter and smooth white Ambassador with felt strip on reso. One of my best sounding bass drums have a Remo Weatherking Powermax Bass head on the batter and a Ludwig Weathermaster Bass Drum db-1000 Heavy smooth white on the reso. This is on my Ludwig 1968 14"x24". That Remo Powermax bass head I found new on eBay, and won two of them for $10. The other is on the batter of my 24" premier. The Ludwig head came with the set when I got them. The seller had two and I don't know if they make them anymore. The remo has a round sleeve that has a round felt insert. The Ludwig I just used a felt strip. It really has a nice low thump with just the right amount of sustain.

Posted on 10 years ago
#7
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