Are non-USA Remo heads as bad as people make them out to be?

My point is again that if the first thing I'll need to do is change the heads on a kit, the manufacturer is already cutting corners to reduce the cost. I've bought new Renowns where you can take them out of the box and gig them straight away. Same with Mapex Saturns.
I might be in the minority here but I'm perfectly okay with that. DW didn't make the heads, it made the drums. The money that was saved went into better hardware and shells.

Given the low odds of the supplied heads being anybody's #1 choice to begin with, it's a wonder that manufacturers put anything other than UT class heads on anything that isn't custom built.
 
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I wonder how many of us have those awesome kits that the USSR produced and shipped worldwide during the cold war. Oh wait, there were none? Hmm.

Just because you haven't seen any in the US doesn't mean there are none. To name a few from that era:

Trowa (East Germany)
external-content.duckduckgo.com.jpeg

EPOIMI (Soviet Union)
external-content.duckduckgo.com.jpeg

KOZMOSZ (Soviet Union)
kozmosz-–-ZSRR.jpg

Dezső Dubán (Hungary)
Dezső-Dubán-3.jpg
Dezső-Dubán-1.jpg

Medveczky (Hungary)
Medveczky.jpg

Tacton (East Germany)
Tacton-–-NRD1.jpg

Tromsa (East Germany)
Tromsa-–-NRD1.jpg

Szpaderski (Poland)
external-content.duckduckgo.com.jpeg
 
I might be in the minority here but I'm perfectly okay with that. DW didn't make the heads, it made the drums The money that was saved went into better hardware and shells.

Given the low odds of the supplied heads being anybody's #1 choice to begin with, it's a wonder that manufacturers put anything other than UT class heads on anything that isn't custom built.

For real. I'd very happily spend $200 less on a professional kit for the ability to immediately install the exact heads I want. I've almost always immediately installed new heads on every kit I've bought unless the stock heads were really close to what I wanted.
 
I had a set of Pearl Exports with UT heads on them. All of the drums sounded like bongos and they were very difficult to tune. Took them off and threw them away. Remo Pinstripes are almost required on these kits.....much, much better sound now.
 
Just because you haven't seen any in the US doesn't mean there are none.

I didn't say they don't exist. I said they aren't awesome. Do they demand a high value on the vintage market? Do any rock stars tour with them, not just US, but international acts?

I'm sure they exist, I'm saying they aren't any good and if anything are cheap knock offs of better drum brands.
 
For real. I'd very happily spend $200 less on a professional kit for the ability to immediately install the exact heads I want. I've almost always immediately installed new heads on every kit I've bought unless the stock heads were really close to what I wanted.
What kind of kit do you play and what heads came on it? Maybe kits should be sold without heads? Spending less always seems to be the theme from my antagonists whenever these discussions take place. I just don't get this in that if you're passionate about drumming, wouldn't you want an instrument that meets or advances that passion?
 
Maybe kits should be sold without heads?
I would prefer this, actually. No one puts Aquarians on a new kit. No one. Thus, no matter what I buy, the stock heads are getting removed.
I accept that part of my purchase will also be new heads.
Especially when you buy used.
 
From another thread referring to Pearl Sessions that C.M has.
I wouldn't classify your setup as "inexpensive".



If you get a new kit with UT heads, you probably bought a lousy kit.
F9EF76A5-1803-44DC-99DE-62778007C6F1.jpeg
Heads that came with my Session Studio worth mentioning same kit as C.M.s.

Sounded fine, but I’m not a pinstripe person, never have been and I have diplomats on all resos.

The Pearl STS series are no slouch -
 
starting to question if i really have experienced eastern manufactured remo ambassadors.
 
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From another thread referring to Pearl Sessions that C.M has.





View attachment 107724
Heads that came with my Session Studio worth mentioning same kit as C.M.s.

Sounded fine, but I’m not a pinstripe person, never have been and I have diplomats on all resos.

The Pearl STS series are no slouch -
Midrange kit that CM added a $1K snare to which pushed his setup over the $2K mark. = not inexpensive. I would have allocated more to the shell pack side but that's his decision. He seems happy with his stuff so it's all good.
 
Are all eastern manufactured remo heads clearly marked as UT?
 
Saturn 5 pc. - $1949.00

Renown 5 pc. - $1629

Stage Custom - $679

Unrealistic expectations for the Stage Customs you had maybe?
I actually bought both of those kits new, on sale, for $1550 (Saturn Exotic) and $1085 (Renown). It was 2-3 years ago. Both 5 pc with nice finishes and prices incl shipping so you're definitely on the high side there. Neither needed heads upon purchase. Saturn had nice Clear remo emps on them and the Renown had clear G2s. Ready to thump! Here's a pic of the Renown with the 13x10 that I added for 250. Sweet kit. BTW, those renown snares are really nice. Great budget snare!

renown with 13a.jpg
 
I actually bought both of those kits new, on sale, for $1550 (Saturn Exotic) and $1085 (Renown). It was 2-3 years ago. Both 5 pc with nice finishes and prices incl shipping so you're definitely on the high side there. Neither needed heads upon purchase. Saturn had nice Clear remo emps on them and the Renown had clear G2s. Ready to thump! Here's a pic of the Renown with the 13x10 that I added for 250. Sweet kit. BTW, those renown snares are really nice. Great budget snare!

View attachment 107732
Fair enough - I’d not rest laurels on what heads a kit came with.
I honestly don’t think there’s anything wrong with non-USA Remos.

As I stated above, the UT pins sounded good but I don’t use thick heads. And I’d pick my STS against most kits in the price range.

As for the Renown series that come with emperors mind you, they contain 5 lugs on each tom (on maple!?) an I.e. old MIJ kit would have.
So there’s added markup to base retail by adding the Remos stock.

Gretsch peeps say they open up the shell.
I’d just want standard number of lugs on toms if I were paying that much.
 
Fair enough - I’d not rest laurels on what heads a kit came with.
I honestly don’t think there’s anything wrong with non-USA Remos.

As I stated above, the UT pins sounded good but I don’t use thick heads. And I’d pick my STS against most kits in the price range.

As for the Renown series that come with emperors mind you, they contain 5 lugs on each tom (on maple!?) an I.e. old MIJ kit would have.
So there’s added markup to base retail by adding the Remos stock.

Gretsch peeps say they open up the shell.
I’d just want standard number of lugs on toms if I were paying that much.
My Renown 5 lug toms are the only ones I own that NEVER slip out of tune. Despite having die cast hoops they can sustain forever if I so choose.
 
My Renown 5 lug toms are the only ones I own that NEVER slip out of tune. Despite having die cast hoops they can sustain forever if I so choose.
Yes as they should, I bet recording would have tea rags spilling over the toms.

They are maple and have 5 lugs so there’s the two immediate factors, DC can hold an even lower freq tuning focus.

(but a used kit at a good price, I’d not mind owning a set of RNs)

I’m just saying there’s added markup in things (like suspensions/heads) that are more blaring, but not so much in the corners cut that we don’t see or recognize in any manufacturer.
 
If you have two rack toms on that Pearl studio select kit you not only have to buy new heads but all the goofy tom arm stuff too.

"
Please Note: The Mounts are Included. The Arms and Clamps are Sold Seperately.
This is a Shell Pack Only. "



Ewwwww , that's brutal. Can't even set it up without spending more money.
 
What kind of kit do you play and what heads came on it? Maybe kits should be sold without heads? Spending less always seems to be the theme from my antagonists whenever these discussions take place. I just don't get this in that if you're passionate about drumming, wouldn't you want an instrument that meets or advances that passion?
The Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maples (10/12/13/14/16/18bd/22bd) mostly came with clear emperors over clear ambassadors. The Yamaha (AHM and two RCs) and Noble and Cooley snares I play came with mostly Remo Ambassadors. I'm an Evans guy so I took off most of the heads that came on the kit and the snares.

If you are trying to make the case that I don't spend enough on gear, please, dude, let me get you to talk to my wife.

Also, I'm taking delivery tomorrow on a used DW Design Series kit that the previous owner has replaced the heads on.

Yamaha AHM 131622.jpg
 
The Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maples (10/12/13/14/16/18bd/22bd) mostly came with clear emperors over clear ambassadors. The Yamaha (AHM and two RCs) and Noble and Cooley snares I play came with mostly Remo Ambassadors. I'm an Evans guy so I took off most of the heads that came on the kit and the snares.

If you are trying to make the case that I don't spend enough on gear, please, dude, let me get you to talk to my wife.

Also, I'm taking delivery tomorrow on a used DW Design Series kit that the previous owner has replaced the heads on.

View attachment 107733

There ya go. It's a good kit. It comes with good heads. That's all I'm saying. Good kits come with good heads and less quality kits come with lousy heads. It ain't a big mystery. Nice of the Design owner to swap the heads out for ya.
 
If you have two rack toms on that Pearl studio select kit you not only have to buy new heads but all the goofy tom arm stuff too.

"
Please Note: The Mounts are Included. The Arms and Clamps are Sold Seperately.
This is a Shell Pack Only. "



Ewwwww , that's brutal. Can't even set it up without spending more money.
Right and your kit was still less.

Not sure if your privy, other than kit fixtures, Gretsch isn’t known for hardware.

I could’ve got the BB3 bracket stocked on bass to mount toms, and TH 930 arms, but you know options and stuff.
 
There ya go. It's a good kit. It comes with good heads. That's all I'm saying. Good kits come with good heads and less quality kits come with lousy heads. It ain't a big mystery. Nice of the Design owner to swap the heads out for ya.
That’s totally subjective, the heads you named in your RN and Saturns would’ve came off the same, the minute I had a chance to.
 
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