Odd Drum Size Idea

My old Ludwig Rocker II 7 pc "outfit", (that coincidentally I just posted about in Jimmys thread) had (among other even sizes) 13" and a 15" rack toms.

Now, I was young back in the 80's, and Pre internet, used more "tape than technique" regarding tuning, so I can't give any real Idea if it's something that I would want today. (Even IF heads were readily available.)
I get all I need from even sizes, every 2 inches.

Okay, I'm really gonna stop talking about my old rocker IIs now. ;)

Now that im thinking about it, I never really got along with the 13" rack tom on most 12/13" tom sets...
I think 12 and 13 are just too close together anyway.

T$
 
For a 6-tom run, I'd go 8, 10, 12, 15, 16 18 a la Phil Collins. Maybe it's his tuning and playing that makes his odd-sized concert-tom kit sound so versatile for many of his session works.
I also really like a 13" tom. AFAIK Jinbao used to make a kit with an 11" tom, but it's not a professional line, and was a power tom. Ludwig used to make 17" marching tenor drums, too.
Phil's tuning is interesting, and his choice of sizes support hit tuning style well. The 8/10/12 are tuned very high and close together in pitch. But there's a huge pitch gap between the 12" and the 15" so it sound like three very high sounding toms and three very low sounding toms on one kit.
My old Ludwig Rocker II 7 pc "outfit", (that coincidentally I just posted about in Jimmys thread) had (among other even sizes) 13" and a 15" rack toms.

Now, I was young back in the 80's, and Pre internet, used more "tape than technique" regarding tuning, so I can't give any real Idea if it's something that I would want today. (Even IF heads were readily available.)
I get all I need from even sizes, every 2 inches.

Okay, I'm really gonna stop talking about my old rocker IIs now. ;)

Now that im thinking about it, I never really got along with the 13" rack tom on most 12/13" tom sets...
I think 12 and 13 are just too close together anyway.

T$
As far as I'm concerned there's never too much talk about Ludwig Rockers!

I have a few 13s and a couple 15s too. I love 13" toms and if I want a BIG sound there's nothing quite like a 15" tom. It's a bit much, to be sure, but they sound fantastic!

I had a friend that would always ask me if I had trouble tuning the 13" tom on my kit and he was convinced 13s were just harder to tune, but I didn't have a problem back then, and I still don't. What I have had problems tuning are drums with an odd number of lugs. I had a 10" tom with five lugs (and it wasn't a Gretsch!) and it always took me longer to tune that drum than any of the others.
 
I use a 9x 13-13x15-14x16 (x2) set up.
The 15 floor tom is deep enough sounding and sits really well in the mix.
It's "bigger" sounding than a tom, but beefier than 14" ft.
My left side 14x16 is tuned higher than the one after the 15.
The deeper tuned 16 can be heard better than an 18 for what I'm doing.
I still love my 18's, but when something else works a little better, I won't fight it.
 
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