Best heads for new yamaha stage custom?

[wildbill]

After years on an electronic kit I've only recently returned to the acoustic one, so I'm still experimenting with heads (which is a costly hobby here in Oz!). Based on the specs I thought the EC2's would produce the sound I was after, but they're too dry and plastic-y... Which may have been what I thought I was after, but I now think a regular 2-ply such as the G2 or Remo Emperor would be better.

It'd be great if there were a store that kept a variety of heads around that you could bring a drum in, put the head on, and give it a few whacks to see if it's what you're after.
Really impossible to tell what it's going to sound like from the manufacturer's descriptions.
It'd probably only pay off for them in big cities, and not at first, until word got around.

I've got some electronic stuff too, but I started acoustic, then electronic, and now back to acoustic again. Actually, I've got a mix of stuff that's working good for me.


EDIT: just tried some Remo Controlled Sound heads with the black dot that I had around. They muffled these drums right down and might be an option if you're looking for that sound and will always be playing with sticks.

I'm thinking though that Yamaha matched these stock heads up with these drums to allow them to ring out in their clear state. And that's exactly what they do. It's not something I'm used to. I normally muffled my drums too much to shorten the sustain and eliminate overtones. But I think I'm going to run with these stock heads for a while and let my ears get used to them. Maybe just a slight bit of external muffling, but I'm going to try not to over do it with these drums.

 

[NeoDavinci]

I have had a YSC in fusion sizes/natural wood finish for about 6 months now. Very happy, except with the snare; I can't get rid of the excess ringiness, even with a Remo Emperor-X as batter, no matter how I tune it. Should perhaps try changing to a 2.3mm hoop..

I changed the stock heads with coated Evans EC2s but that was a mistake. Live and learn. And waste money..

Dutch

I have the extra ringiness too. Is it really already a 2.3mm hoop? I'm in the U.S. Has anyone else solved that problem?

 

[areFish]

I have the extra ringiness too. Is it really already a 2.3mm hoop? I'm in the U.S. Has anyone else solved that problem?

I thought the hoops were 2.3 mm until it was pointed out they were not. I checked a 2009 catalog and it states 1.6 mm. They seem more substantial then that to me but I'm sure the catalog is correct. Maybe the SCB snares have 2.3 mm hoops, but I'm not sure.

 

[dtsdig]

@ filterbiz:
I just completed replacing all of the stock heads on my Stage Custom kit. I went with Evans G2 Coated for all the batters and Evans G1 Clears for the resos. The snare that came with the kit was a bit tricky. I really didn't like the sound of it when I got it especially after playing on a Pearl Masters Birch 14 X 6.5 for several years. That is one sweet snare! Anyway, I first replaced the Yamaha snare batter with an Evans EC Reverse Dot. It definitely beefed up the sound but I hated how dry it was even hitting outside of the dot. It just sounded cheap to me. Next, I replaced the snare wires with Pure Sound Custom Pro 20 strand and also replaced the original reso head with an Evans Hazy 300. This helped improve the sensitivity of the snare and definitely helped brighten up the cheap sound but I still hated the lack of signature that the drum had compared to my higher end Pearl. Finally last weekend I put a G2 coated on the batter side of the Yamaha and wow what a difference! So now that I've replaced the snares and both heads, I love playing it. It sounds like a whole different drum.
Also, just to comment on the way the toms changed, they are much more controlled now, they stay in tune better and are all around more powerful. Apparently, I'm a big G2 coated fan now. Good luck with your set!

 

[Trilogy72]

@ filterbiz:
I just completed replacing all of the stock heads on my Stage Custom kit. I went with Evans G2 Coated for all the batters and Evans G1 Clears for the resos. The snare that came with the kit was a bit tricky. I really didn't like the sound of it when I got it especially after playing on a Pearl Masters Birch 14 X 6.5 for several years. That is one sweet snare! Anyway, I first replaced the Yamaha snare batter with an Evans EC Reverse Dot. It definitely beefed up the sound but I hated how dry it was even hitting outside of the dot. It just sounded cheap to me. Next, I replaced the snare wires with Pure Sound Custom Pro 20 strand and also replaced the original reso head with an Evans Hazy 300. This helped improve the sensitivity of the snare and definitely helped brighten up the cheap sound but I still hated the lack of signature that the drum had compared to my higher end Pearl. Finally last weekend I put a G2 coated on the batter side of the Yamaha and wow what a difference! So now that I've replaced the snares and both heads, I love playing it. It sounds like a whole different drum.
Also, just to comment on the way the toms changed, they are much more controlled now, they stay in tune better and are all around more powerful. Apparently, I'm a big G2 coated fan now. Good luck with your set!

Happy that you found some heads that you're happy with. I also just recenly replaced the "china made" Remo Pinestrips on my Mapex Meridian Maples with G2 coated on my toms and love the outcome. I think I will also try a G2 coated on my snare like you did and see how that works.