No love for 20" bassdrums?

yanni

Junior Member
I have been looking for a new kit for some time now and found some nice deals. Used and new. But always the bassdrum was either 18" or 22". With 22" being the most popular choice. Actually I am looking for a 20" bassdrum. What is the reason only few people seem to like 20" ? To me its a great alround size and I also see many famous drummers play this size.
 
I've got a 20" USA Custom bass drum with Earthtone calf skin heads and a Vater lambs wool beater. Once tuned and a little bit of muffling on the batter head with a single strip of felt, it is a very nice sounding bass drum!

GJS
 
My 16x20" Keystone is one of my best-sounding, most-used kick drums!

Bermuda
 
22" is probably the most popular/most sold size, but I believe just about every company sells a kit with a 20", just gotta dig through the website, or ask the guy at the store for one.

I'm looking at the ddrum hybrid right now (the one with built in triggers). kick comes as a 20x20, and boy is it cheap... I was thinking about making my own kit, but the parts would cost more per drum than this...
 
I have a maple Magstar 18x20 and I use a Gibraltar lift and this drum has great low end and punch.
 
20's are awesome! I got one, and love the weight and size of it, and being able to actually put my toms above unlike my old kit with a 24 bass and power toms. The more I learn how to tune a bass drum the happier I am with my smaller bass.
 
Plenty of love for 20's. Just depends on who you talk to. I own three, right now. A Gretsch Round Badge, and two Ludwig 3 ply Club Dates. But I also own 22's, 24's and 26's. My fav's are the 26's, but for some applications, the 20's are perfect.​
As fast as the most "plentiful" size, I'd say the 22". Hands down.​
 
Lots of love for 20" here, not much love for 20" at most music stores. Also true for shallow bass drum sizes.

It's unfortunate really.
 
I never thought I would like a 20" bass drum, but I have really warmed to my 12x20 Blaemire bass drum. I use it on a couple tight stage gigs, and its just the punchiest little thing. It also brings everything down to a nice comfortable playing level.
 
Lots of love for 20" here, not much love for 20" at most music stores. Also true for shallow bass drum sizes.

It's unfortunate really.

I love the 20, although for practical purposes I play a 22 most of the time (and a 24). When you're out doing a gig, or on the road, and you break a 22 bass drum head, chances are the stores you find will have them in stock. 20's - not so much. But I am most comfortable on a 20, but my type of bass drum slamming really needs a slightly bigger drum so I can move more air, so I'm ok with suing bigger.

The deeper thing is a travesty. I blame it on the 80s. All of sudden, Ludwig introduced the 16" deep bass drum, and deeper toms, then everybody jumped on it to the point where you couldn't get anything else. It was a dark time.
 
Lots of love for 20" here, not much love for 20" at most music stores. Also true for shallow bass drum sizes.

It's unfortunate really.

I love the 20, although for practical purposes I play a 22 most of the time (and a 24). When you're out doing a gig, or on the road, and you break a 22 bass drum head, chances are the stores you find will have them in stock. 20's - not so much.

Yup.

Unfortunately the educated Drummerworld crowd is not very indicative of the wider drum world :) 22s are fine, I suppose, for most people, and they're what the industry is currently "on". I do wish I could have a 22, as I remember my Tama fondly, but I have a 20 right now and like it a lot. If I had had a 20 and moved to a 22, I'd probably be saying the same thing- like 'em both.

The 20 does seem to record easier, and my particular 20x15 is certainly more versatile than that big ol' 22x18".
 
I like all size bass drums. The 20" is in the middle of the spectrum. The 20" is very comfortable to tune and it allows for low tom placement.
 
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