remo fiberskyns?

[sirslurpee]

My dad's looking at getting new heads and I wanna make sure hes not going to buy total crap. His kit rings... A LOT. Especially because he likes to tune his heads high. The reviews mostly talked about how much these heads kill overtones and ringing. That's what hes looking for. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with these heads and what they think...

Thanks!

 

[Cody Suit]

i played a friends kit about 4 years ago with those skins on it. i thought they were awesome. i was gonna get some for mine but i thought i remember them being expensive.

although i could be wrong that was 4 years ago and i knew less about drums

 

[scrubs]

I was mentioning in another thread that I've used these (& I still have one on my bass drum batter side). They are really thick and I found them to be pretty dead sounding (more "thud" than "boom"). I like the look and texture a lot, but wanted a more lively sound so I moved to the renaissance ambassadors. For killing ring, they're pretty good, as long as you tune them right. I still found myself using a moongel on the snare.

 

[petermiller]

depends on the drums as to how they will respond. They would tend to be on the dead side as far as drumheads. Some drums they work well on, some drums not so much. I would definately not use them on a snare!!! remember as well that the resonant heads have as much to do with the sound as the batter heads as far as ring goes. Also the type of room you play them in can be as much of a factor in overall sound. So basically they may sound good in the basement but might sound like #$@%$ on a gig or recording.

 

[sirslurpee]

Thanks guys! Yea hes got ambassadors on both sides on his toms right now, they sound like crap because he tunes them about an octave above where they probably SHOULD be tuned, but hey you are supposed to be able to tune your drums however you want right? They are Peavey Radial Pro's, and they have that mounting system that doesn't penetrate the shell at all, so they can have that big boomy ringy sound. Also they are big and when they are tuned high they have a ton of overtones. I think he's probably going to get these heads no matter what, and it's going to be my job to try to salvage some kind of tone out of how he wants them tuned and muffled.
So hopefully I can get them to sound good, I will post back when he gets them in and I get a chance to get them on his kit....

 

[mshilarious]

I use Fiberskyns on everything. They sound great on toms, but be prepared to spend your life tuning them, as they have a complex sound. I have them on snare too, but I still can't get all the ring out. I will probably leave them on, but there is probably something better . . .

 

[petermiller]

if he has the older radial drums, they have quite a sharp bearing edge. you might have to work the resonant head quite a bit, if he tunes them real high the fiberskyn will probably sound better than the ambassador but they are a strange animal seeing as the thickness varies across the head somewhat. They usually have a better result on drums with a less profound bearing edge.

 

[sirslurpee]

I know this thread is old as hell, but I wanted to finish the topic off seeing as I said I'd get back when he got them and on his kit...

So he got his fiberskyns... I'm not done tuning them yet but I'm guessing about the only real good sound I can get out of them is a big boomy John Bonham sound... They are real wierd about pitch.. it seems like when I get it just barely finger tight that is where it sounds really thick and controlled but then when I get it tight so the tension rods don't fall out it's a lot ringier. I will probably spend my entire life tomorrow tuning them in and I will throw some mics on them and maybe get some audio samples for you guys to hear..

 

[Yareek]

if he has the older radial drums, they have quite a sharp bearing edge. you might have to work the resonant head quite a bit, if he tunes them real high the fiberskyn will probably sound better than the ambassador but they are a strange animal seeing as the thickness varies across the head somewhat. They usually have a better result on drums with a less profound bearing edge.

+1,000,000

Bearing edges have more impact on your tuning than anything else on the kit. I didn't realize this until I got a custom snare with double 45's...had way more crack than any other drum I've had. Had double 45's on a full custom kit and they are WAY punchier with coated emperors than my old Tamas with clear ambassadors.

Take them to a good builder or repair shop in your area and have them do full roundovers on the kit, or at least try it on one drum and see how he likes it.

 

[sirslurpee]

+1,000,000

Bearing edges have more impact on your tuning than anything else on the kit. I didn't realize this until I got a custom snare with double 45's...had way more crack than any other drum I've had. Had double 45's on a full custom kit and they are WAY punchier with coated emperors than my old Tamas with clear ambassadors.

Take them to a good builder or repair shop in your area and have them do full roundovers on the kit, or at least try it on one drum and see how he likes it.

This is the thing about radial pros though.. The radial mounting system is like some sort of composite that is glued to the shell on the outside, and up across the bearing edge, to about 2" down on the inside of the shell. Pretty much, the edges are whatever composite/plastic/whatever the hell that stuff is and it's not actually head/wood contact. I don't know for sure if they can be re-tooled but they are all good edges, no dents, all sharp and clean. I got them tuned pretty good but they still sound kind of funny...

 

[Yareek]

This is the thing about radial pros though.. The radial mounting system is like some sort of composite that is glued to the shell on the outside, and up across the bearing edge, to about 2" down on the inside of the shell. Pretty much, the edges are whatever composite/plastic/whatever the hell that stuff is and it's not actually head/wood contact. I don't know for sure if they can be re-tooled but they are all good edges, no dents, all sharp and clean. I got them tuned pretty good but they still sound kind of funny...

Hmm...well that sucks. I suppose it's good if you like the edge though.

Well then I'd try coated Emperors then and Moongel pads if you still have to cut down some ring. Should keep the sustain. My kit has sharp edges and with coated Emperors tuned up high just sings but without the ring of an Ambassador.