Lug Tension
- Thread starter ez_willis
- Start date
PhilGood
Juice box hero
Are you talking top or bottom head? I crank the bottom head fairly tight, so it never really gets adjusted. On the top I strike most hits as a rimshot. I can feel it in my left hand when it's losing tension on the nearest lug. It's just feel.
Since I've switched to a die-cast hoop it happens less often.
Since I've switched to a die-cast hoop it happens less often.
PhilGood
Juice box hero
ez_willis said:
Yes, and heads not only strech, but when you strike the rim it pushes down briefly to allow the lug to loosen. So you have 2 problems to deal with.
Heads are like guitar strings, they will strech rapidly at first and then pretty much settle in. After that the next culprit is the lugs shifting out of tune.
brandrum said:what kind of heads are you using?...in my experience I've found that Aquarian heads are the best as far as not stretching once they have been seated....I had to use a snare with an evans head on it at a gig a few weeks ago, and had to tighten it after every song.
Aquarian on everything but the snare, which is a coated something or other. Remo, I think.
Silimar to guitar strings, you should pre-stretch the heads (on all drums) prior to tuning it up. To do this, you seat the head, and then crank the tension rods down well past a normal playing level. Then put the drum on the floor and either push on in, or stand on it. You'll hear the glue cracking. Loosen the head all the way back down to no tension, and tune from there.
As for when to tune the snare... I often have to fix the one or two lugs around 8o'clock position because of rimshots. On some snares you can actually feel the change in tension when pushing on the head. I usually do a full tune on the drum when either: I can remember it sounding better. I'm looking for a different sound. Or I have an important gig/recording that I'm going to use the snare at.
As for when to tune the snare... I often have to fix the one or two lugs around 8o'clock position because of rimshots. On some snares you can actually feel the change in tension when pushing on the head. I usually do a full tune on the drum when either: I can remember it sounding better. I'm looking for a different sound. Or I have an important gig/recording that I'm going to use the snare at.
using you hands and pushing down on the center of the head will suffice.
PhilGood said:I made the mistake of buying Aquarian heads once.
...Once.
Like I said, I am not a drummer by nature but learning how to play drums then recording the tracks that I write is so much easier than dealing with a drummer.
Kidding.
What heads would you recommend for rock drumming on a POS Pacific kit with a 14" brass Slingerland snare?
PhilGood
Juice box hero
ez_willis said:Like I said, I am not a drummer by nature but learning how to play drums then recording the tracks that I write is so much easier than dealing with a drummer.
Kidding.
What heads would you recommend for rock drumming on a POS Pacific kit with a 14" brass Slingerland snare?
Funny, that's the way I am with guitarists, so, now I am one! The guitarist I play with now tells me my finger technique is better than his.
I personally am a Remo man. I came from playing old Ludwig silver dots and ludwig coated. I tried Evans back when they only had hydraulics. Blech! Remo are a very consistant product with a wide variety of sounds and predictable performance. I tried Aquarian, which was too soft in the mylar and just always came back to Remo. They just make my drums talk the way I expect them to.
I also used to be a big fan of muffling in different ways until I moved to L.A. 16 years ago and learned that hardly anyone here does it. All these clubs you go to like The Whisky a Go-Go and the Roxy, Pacific theatre, etc. all the drums sound incredible and when they tear down you see that NOT ONE drum has so much as a piece of duct tape on the head. Amazing!!!
Now, what to put on the Pacific's is up to you depending on the sound you want. I've seen Pacific and their not POS. They are usable drums. They probably just come with the stock crappy heads most kits come with.
Tell us what flavor you want each drum to have and we can point you in the right direction, with all different brands.
PhilGood said:
You're not too far from where I'm at, I'll pick up some Remos and you can stop by and tune 'em up for me!
I really don't have a particular sound in mind because the room I'm in is too small to matter.
I'm getting decent sounds but when it comes time(shortly) to replace the heads I'd like to try something different. The drums kind of sound 'thuddy', but that could be tuning, seating them incorrectly to begin with, the room itself, or my lame ass playing. 
PhilGood
Juice box hero
ez_willis said:You're not too far from where I'm at, I'll pick up some Remos and you can stop by and tune 'em up for me!
I really don't have a particular sound in mind because the room I'm in is too small to matter.
Hey, if you're nearby, shoot me a PM and I'll stop by! Could be fun! That is if you don't mind hanging with an older fart who is still into this for fun. (just turned 40)
Crap! Now everyone knows!