Virgin bass drum or not?

I have one. I dont think it matters as much as people make out. But then again anything to have more resonance is probably a good thing.
 
I think it's more a matter of taste. There is some debate about resonance etc, and set up time at gigs. Then there is the extra hardware needed for a virgin bass drum. You can use cymbal stands for hanging toms or you can use a rack. The rack will cost a bit more than stands and tom mounts. They did in my case anyway. Depends on how you shop and what you find on sale. As for sound, I wouldn't worry about it.
 
I am sure if you took two identical kicks, tuned them the same with the same heads and left them empty. Then have toms on one and not on the other you would heard a difference.

The fact is most of us tend to put something in the bass drum to get a little less resonance and overtones out of our kicks.

I prefer virgin kicks for a few reasons. I prefer the look. I don't like the way the toms bounce around from the kick being played and I have alway felt that the weight of the toms and hardware would put stress on the shell.

But this is only my personal opinion
 
rmandelbaum said:
I am sure if you took two identical kicks, tuned them the same with the same heads and left them empty. Then have toms on one and not on the other you would heard a difference. I have alway felt that the weight of the toms and hardware would put stress on the shell.
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i think that its not so much virgin or ruined but instead if the kick has toms or not. i think that if the drum does have toms mounted off of it, the extra weight kills resonance. my bass has a tom mount but i dont have anything mounted and you can hear a difference. before, the bass had a muted sound, but now it sings alot more and has nothing to deaden the resonance. its actually pretty noticeable.

plus i like how it looks.
 
Virgin all the way. The re-sale value is higher. A cat can always add a flange, or a rail consolette, if he chooses. The inverse can not be said. You can plug and dowel and re-wrap/veneer a kick to make it look like a virgin, but a look inside will quickly tell the whole story.
 
For me, I like virgin cause of the look. In the drum market there are (as said above) a number of considerations, entry level kits will always come with kick-mounted toms because it's practical. I also prefer the mounting capability with virgin. Can't speak for the sound difference because I've never had the chance to do the comparison. In fact, there have only been one or two times maybe that I've played a kick with her maidenhead unbroken...
 
tbmills said:
i think that its not so much virgin or ruined but instead if the kick has toms or not. i think that if the drum does have toms mounted off of it, the extra weight kills resonance. my bass has a tom mount but i dont have anything mounted and you can hear a difference. before, the bass had a muted sound, but now it sings alot more and has nothing to deaden the resonance. its actually pretty noticeable.

plus i like how it looks.
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Exactly. I have 3 bass drums I actively use...22" virgin, 20" non-virgin, and an 18" re-virgin (holes doweled and shell re-wrapped). When I mount a tom on the 20", it kills the resonance very noticeably. When I take the tom and the mount off, the drum sings as well as the other two. The 18" resonates better than the 22" (duh), even with the doweled shell.

It seems to be more of a weight-on-the-shell issue than a hole-in-the-shell issue.
 
Virgin is the only way a bass drum should be. It makes a significant difference, despite what people say. I've got someone to play my bass drum while I quickly took the toms and mount off and it was a big difference. Yes, I know this is not "virgin" but it still made a big difference.

I never really did understand how such a thin piece of wood can hold the weight and shaking of toms for years, doesn't make much sense.
 
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