I played my buddies drum kit last night..

[jaykeMURD]

Everyone just thinks Vistalites rock cause Bonham played them at one point.....they absolutley suck as far as recording purposes go.

 

[sirslurpee]

eh, I got some decent tone out of them but I think I could do a lot better with wood.

-edit-
I just recorded this. It's a sample of what my vistas sound like. The bass drum needs work, I just downtuned it so it barely has a note and is mostly attack.

vista-lite sample

(it was midnight when i recorded them so i had to do a short and shitty recording so my neighbors wouldn't wake up and call the cops (who live right next door) and yeah)

 

[Tim Brown]

Everyone just thinks Vistalites rock cause Bonham played them at one point.....they absolutley suck as far as recording purposes go.

That's really a matter of opinion.

I had a Vistalite set that was awesome for recording, but I had "reshaped" the bearing edges; Not something I'd suggest for the novice, because I took the chance of ruining them for good. The problem with the Vistalites from the 70's, is that eventually the shells start cracking around the points where they were drilled for lugs. mounts, and spurs. The bearing edges on them was sort of "rounded" where more of the shell touched the head, so there was a greater transfer of energy to the shell - most modern drums have a very sharp bearing edge - and if the Vistalites have a sharp edge - they will sing just like a regular shell.


Tim

 

[firby]

I agree that they have "a sound". It may be favorable in some music, but, they don't like the finesse music. I played with big bands and combos with mine for a while and I am very happy I switched. The bearing edges on mine stayed good for the duration I always checked them. The best sound I got from them was with pretty thin coated heads.

Problem is the shell has a lot of 'gockkk' sound in it to really ever sound very pretty. For smashing along hard rock though they sound aight.

 

[sirslurpee]

I agree that they have "a sound". It may be favorable in some music, but, they don't like the finesse music. I played with big bands and combos with mine for a while and I am very happy I switched. The bearing edges on mine stayed good for the duration I always checked them. The best sound I got from them was with pretty thin coated heads.

Problem is the shell has a lot of 'gockkk' sound in it to really ever sound very pretty. For smashing along hard rock though they sound aight.

I had problems keeping them from sounding like a dodgeball. You know that high pitch ping when you get hit in the face? Yeah it sounded like that. I had to use tape on the tops and bottom of the toms and the kick was the worst. I have it tuned really deep with a big pillow in it.

 

[Tim Brown]

I had problems keeping them from sounding like a dodgeball. You know that high pitch ping when you get hit in the face? Yeah it sounded like that. I had to use tape on the tops and bottom of the toms and the kick was the worst. I have it tuned really deep with a big pillow in it.

You have to tune the bottom head a lot tighter than the top.
This is one case where Evans oilheads really shine through....put those on as batter heads, and they will tame down that pinging kind of sound.



Tim

 

[sirslurpee]

hm I might try that..

Also, I figure I would ask anyway. Do you know where I might be able to get a new acrylic shell for my kick, and, maybe somewhere I could take the shells to get the bearing edges refinished? How much do you think it would cost? Would it be cheaper just to buy a wood kit and keep the vistas the way they are?

 

[Tim Brown]

hm I might try that..

Also, I figure I would ask anyway. Do you know where I might be able to get a new acrylic shell for my kick, and, maybe somewhere I could take the shells to get the bearing edges refinished? How much do you think it would cost? Would it be cheaper just to buy a wood kit and keep the vistas the way they are?

The problem is, the one company that I know that does make acrylic shells as retrofits, will cost you about $600 or so for that 1 shell, so it's not worth it. I don't know of anyone who recuts acrylic bearing edges.

Your best bet is going with wooden shells.

I guess you could try to pick up a used Vistalite Kick on E-bay.



Tim

 

[sirslurpee]

Holy shit.. there is so much vista lite stuff on ebay! I could put together one hell of a mutt-looking kit with all of the crap that's on there