Head choice for Gretsch Catalina Jazz, looking for a folk/pop sound

gusty

Platinum Member
I've been stuck in jazz so long I can't figure out what heads to buy for the type of music I'm playing now. I want a punchy bass (which I already have with the stock head, but suggestions welcome), full, tonal, short to medium sustaining toms, and I'm not actually sure what I want from the snare, but I was thinking of trying a control sound. Going for a folk pop sound. Cheers :)
 
Maybe a Ps3 on the bass, w a coated amb on the snare just downtuned, and some coated emps over coated ambs on the tom
 
I am using Evans emad with the foam ring on the 18inch bass drum and aquarian modern vintage for the tom and snare batters. I am using all the stock resonant heads on all the drums with the gretch catalina jazz kit. I tried remo fiberskyn, but found them to not last long, the contact paper bubbled up. Remo was so removed from customer service on this issue like a large corporate doublespeak.
 
Mine have these heads. I have never played jazz on my kit; it has all been blues and blues-rock.

Evans
EQ 3 on bass drum batter, EQ3 Resonant on front, EQ Pad sitting on the bottom not touching the heads
G Plus (clear) on top of toms, EC Resonant on the bottom

I no longer have the snare. Peace and goodwill.
 
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Good suggestions all around, so far. For a nice controlled snare sound, you might try a Remo coated PS3 (or the Evans coated Genera). I have had awesome results with these heads on an inexpensive Mapex basswood snare. They are not completely dead sounding, either. They just have that warmth that works well with folk pop.
 
Yes, Remo Fiberskyn heads would work, especially on the tom batters and the bass drum resonant. Peace and goodwill.
 
Yes, Remo Fiberskyn heads would work, especially on the tom batters and the bass drum resonant. Peace and goodwill.

I tried the Fiberskyns on the Gretsch Cat kit. They did sound good for a time. Unless Remo changed he Fiberskyns they do not last long. They first start to bubble up that contact paper like coating, then for some reason they break easy. It may just be that you can not see the normal signs of a worn head because of that coating.

In the past few years, the only heads I have broken on my snares and toms have been the Fiberskyns. The aquarian modern vintage is a superior product. Unfortunately, it is not something the music stores normally stock, you have to get them online.
 
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