So many options! - thanks everyone.
What the heck did they mic Ringo's kick with in that last photo? Looks like a big LDC?
What effect does removing the front head altogether have?...a much drier sound?
I have heard of triggers and from what little I know of them, I'd prefer not to go in that direction. I have a little of that annoying purist sort of thing in me that makes me want to keep things simple and resort to as little trickery as possible.
The kick sound I get is ok, no one seems to think it's terrible or anything, just a little boxy and not enough low end for me. An SM~57 supposedly goes down to 40hz, which seems adequate, but that probably doesn't tell the whole story. Dedicated kick mics all seem to be much larger. Must be something about the bigger surface being able to harness lower frequencies somehow?
I do have a Studio Projects B1 LDC that does produce low end nicely, but I imagine it isn't generally advisable to put that kind of mic close to a kick drum, right? Lately I've used it as a single room mic and I EQ a lot of highs out of it and it actually adds some fullness to the kick.
Drums are so freakin' complicated - so many variables. As much of a pain as it can be trying to figure all this out, it's really mostly fun.
An LDC on the kick is fine provided it's not in the hole. You don't have a hole in the head, so it'll be safe. A kick drum makes a huge woosh of air every time you stomp it, and that woosh can damage a condenser mic. But no hole, no woosh.
Taking the front head off destroys the tone of the drum, but it if you just want a dead thud, you can get that easily with no front head, and you can put the mic wherever you want. Back in the old days, people would take the front head off and put something heavy in there like a cinder block or can of paint. Supposedly it make the kick sound deeper. I don't see how, but who knows? I've never tried it. It won't hurt anything to take the front head off and you can do it in just a minute or two, so give it a try.
And +1 for no samples. That shit is whack. I strongly believe that people run to that garbage way too soon. You can't tune, mic, or effectively record a drum? Just use samples! I call bullshit on that. Pussies. Don't be one of those guys.