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KD-120 - Beaters?

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  • #1

    KD-120 - Beaters?

    Felt or Plastic? Wood? Square? Round?

    What's your preference? Playing on a mesh head with plastic beaters is awfully bouncy, but playing with felt tears them up and puts all sorts of residue in the head.

    Thoughts? What do you KD120 users use?

    Thanks!

    - Hans
    - Hans
    Tags: None
  • #2
    What about us KD80 mesh head users?

    I use one of those double ended rubber / plastic type of things (it may even be a stock Roland beater - can't remember).

    It can be very bouncy, however as well as the obvious adjustment in the pedal - the head can be adjusted quite a bit, whilst still maintining accurate triggering.

    With the combination of head and pedal adjustment, I'm sure you can acheive a feel that is just right for you and your needs.

    Crank the head up tight and you can get rapid singles with reasonable ease!
    Andy
    TD-20, Pair of JBL-Eon15 G2's & Sub

    Check out the demo tracks to hear my V's at

    http://www.thebrokenangelband.co.uk/

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Oz DrumR:
      What about us KD80 mesh head users?
      OK, ok - yeah, you guys, too.

      I use one of those double ended rubber / plastic type of things (it may even be a stock Roland beater - can't remember).

      It can be very bouncy, however as well as the obvious adjustment in the pedal - the head can be adjusted quite a bit, whilst still maintining accurate triggering.

      With the combination of head and pedal adjustment, I'm sure you can acheive a feel that is just right for you and your needs.

      Crank the head up tight and you can get rapid singles with reasonable ease!
      The problem is that I play heel up, toe down, meaning that my default position is with the beater on the head. (Not optimal, I know...) So, my main issue when I put the beater to the head, I am concerned about bounce. With my accoustic drums, that's not an issue, but with the electronics it can result in extra triggers. I have adjusted the scantime to the point where this is minimized but doesn't affect my fast foot strokes, but...

      I am generally wondering what beaters people use on mesh head kick drums...

      - Hans
      - Hans

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      • #4
        http://www.yamahadrums.com/hardware/hardware.html#0)
        Studio

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        • #5
          I'm a hard rubber guy... no, wait, that didn't sound right

          I use the hard rubber side of my EDP300 beaters, and have so far not had any problems with the mesh heads, or with excessive bounciness. I've never been keen on felt beaters, not even on acoustic kicks, I just don't like the feel.

          Stu
          "Fry that sound effect, Moriarty, we're having it for breakfast"

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          • #6
            Hard rubber guy
            Studio

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            • #7
              The KD-120 stock heads do have a round reinforcement behind the center striking area (inside the head). I've found that there are after market kick drum stiking area products that can deaden or augment feel further in various ways (and depending on the beater you choose). I use two such products.

              This is always such a subjective area that I don't think anyone's individual solution is guaranteed to be good for anyone else, but I do believe (MO) that through choosing and finding the right combination of the correct head, pedal(s) and beater(s), (and if needed with some optional head enhancements i.e. dead ringers, target pads, etc.) just about any feel can be relatively closely approximated. I say this because I have successfully had mine far too lively and enormously too dead and almost everywhere else in between, in doing the tons of experimentation necessary to get it right for me. It did take a lot of time, but I'm now trying to get my acoustic kick to feel as good!

              The Hart mesh material is comprised of thicker (woven) component strands than the Rolands, and does not tend to snag felt like the Roland heads can. There are others (i.e. Triggerheads) that are even finer (and bouncier still). Pintech's STs are relatively finer too, but they ship them relatively tight on their drums to offset bounce some. I'm not going to say any one of these is any better than any other, but I have tested/tried all of the above (and several others) and they are all different.

              In two weeks, only 2 of my 8 mesh headed drums will still have their manufacturer's heads on them. Most have additional modifications as well with only the four primary toms being essentially the same (as each other).

              BTW, if anyone is looking for replacement heads, I have plenty, all without a mark on them, and several from various manufacturers.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by szvook:
                Hard rubber guy
                Well, I've got a reputation as being weird to uphold

                On regular heads, yes, if you're using wood. With plastic or rubber I don't think it makes a difference, they have about the same lifespan. I can split a pinstripe with a wodden beater in no time, with rubber and plastic they last just as long as with felt, I'd say, at least with me they do.
                Under feel I mean generally the feel of the impact, and the response from the head. Felt feels sluggish to me, like I'm kicking through porridge.

                Stu

                "Fry that sound effect, Moriarty, we're having it for breakfast"

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                • #9
                  I heard somewhere that the wood or rubber beaters can actually burn or melt the mesh heads.

                  I use felt because that is what came with the pedal. I've had the drums and pedal for a month. No problems so far. I'll let you guys know as soon as the beater causes problems.

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