Single ply meshhead limitations?

[daveybabes]

Hi

I have my diy snare crossbar, platform, 35mm piezo and ufo cone set up very cleanly, tried 1 and 2 layers of double sided foam tape size of ceramic to pin piezo to platform and the original sticky surface on ufo cone.

I'm getting uneven response in the single ply mesh head i'm using, oversensitive in the middle area and not so on the outer edge and also Positional Detection is sloppy and has to be hit hard to sound near to drum edge, tried 1 layer of foam too under the piezo a clearence of 3/16 and 1/8 on cone and various mesh tensions.

I'm thinking that this Z-ed single mesh feels bouncy and has soft spots compared with the roland 2 ply (they feel even all around) i wanna ask would this effect the transferrence of strike from outer edge to cone and Positional Detection ? if i adjust the sensitivity so it's ok in the middle then it's not loud away from centre. Overall PD is trash.

If so then Drum-tec in Germany do a decent 2 ply comparible to Roland so they say, is it worth me spending more money? they are 12 euros delivery and 8 euros for the head.

Pics

Z-ED meah head - http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...DIYDrum005.jpg

UFO foam cone - (platform seperated from crossbar with thin rubber and thicker felt washers http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...DIYDrum007.jpg

Thanks from Dave (sorry if it belongs in diy thread section but it is a technical question of sorts, ie even transferrence of pressure from outer to inner on single ply compared to more sturdy double ply)

[bogiesbad]

Try reversing the head piezo polarity...smart thing is to use gator clips until satisfied with testing then commit to solder. What module? (sorry if you already posted that)

[daveybabes]

Hi Chris

Try reversing the head piezo polarity...smart thing is to use gator clips until satisfied with testing then commit to solder. What module? (sorry if you already posted that)

Hi Chris, sorry it's a long original question, just wanted to get as much info in as poss, i have a TD12 ...

Gator clip, yep! great idea, will reverse polarity, i'm leaving the rim piezo out until i've cracked this snare problem, i have a dual ply mesh head arriving May 1st so will try that also.

My Tom no3 is a 10" stainless steel from a local drum maker, he uses a single ply head by Z-Ed which is the same one i'm using on my diy snare, i noticed that this also has poor PD triggering so i have a dual ply coming for that too, if i change the head on that and suddenly get better PD then i know it's those cheap Z-Ed's - the rest of my pads are Roland (no probs there he he)

Anyway will give it a go

Thanks from Dave

[mystic fred]

you've done a very neat job there dave

your problem may be the zed head, i will try and remember where i got my 14" mesh head, though i do recall it cost about £29, the Roland ones are £50. you could try experimenting with the sticky tape under the piezo - i ended up using two strips of double sided sellotape as the foam tape made the sound either too soft or too harsh.

[daveybabes]

Thanks Fred

you've done a very neat job there dave

your problem may be the zed head, i will try and remember where i got my 14" mesh head, though i do recall it cost about £29, the Roland ones are £50. you could try experimenting with the sticky tape under the piezo - i ended up using two strips of double sided sellotape as the foam tape made the sound either too soft or too harsh.

he he i did copy off yours yes i can certainly feel the difference in the quality between the double ply roland i have and these Z-ed ..

i reduced the double sided foam tape underneath from 2 layers to 1 and still oversensitive so i may try your idea, i'm just a big copy cat

[MrSamurai]

doesn't PD rely on having both head and rim piezos?

[mystic fred]

yes it does - both work together to produce a very realistic sound.

[ige87]

doesn't PD rely on having both head and rim piezos?

No. PD only requires a single piezo- a PD-6 pad (single piezo rubber pad) can be used on a TD-12/20/10/8 etc and still give PD in the relevant inputs-snare, ride, etc.

Use the search to find the recent thread on PD and toms on the TD-12, this was covered in more detail.

[bogiesbad]

No. PD only requires a single piezo- a PD-6 pad (single piezo rubber pad) can be used on a TD-12/20/10/8 etc and still give PD in the relevant inputs-snare, ride, etc.

Use the search to find the recent thread on PD and toms on the TD-12, this was covered in more detail.

I concur

[Bencthemusicman]

Hi matey.
I bought a Roland mesh head from soundcontrol the other day. it was £20 so considering the exchange rate at the moment you might as-well get the roland one.

[daveybabes]

Ahhhh

Oh bugger i ordered em now he he, they should be here today, it's the Drum-tec 10" and 12" double ply, comes to £23 with delivery for the 2, the biggest slice of that was the 18 euro delivery charge yikes. Will let ya know what they are like anyway

[daveybabes]

Received mesh heads

Just received and tried the 12" double ply from Drum tec, it feels better and gives an all round even sound but still no PD, has to lower sensitivity to 3 from factory 6, also they said it's not translucent and it kinda is he he, heaps better than th Z-Ed's, gonna tweek the cone now, all good fun innit? if i can sort this then i will go the whole hog and get double ended lugs for the snare so i can have top and bottom hoops and a nice wrap

[daveybabes]

grrrrr

Tried the new mesh head, all different wirings with and without rim piezo, all heights on cone and different stuff under piezo, different head tensions grrrrr nowt!

It will make a great plant pot stand or even a novelty hat

just gonna plug my PD 105 back in and go ahhhhhh come to daddy