Related Articles
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
The history of drumheads stretches far and wide – much like a drumhead itself.
Drumheads date back to at least 6000 B.C., when stretched animal hide was used as a membrane to create different tones and sounds, and continued to be used all the way up through colonial times. Fast forward to 1957, when Remo Belli and Sam Muchnick jointly developed a Mylar polymer head, and changed the feel and sound of drumming forever.
While today’s drumheads are generally made of Mylar or Kevlar, no matter what bass you start out with, a good drumhead can vastly and instantaneously improve its sound.
Arafat Kazi, Boston-based drummer for The Attempted Band, suggests that “you’ll want something that tunes well, and gets rid of unwanted overtones while maintaining the fundamental pitch of the drum, and has a wide tuning range. Durability, of course, is a big thing too, depending on how hard you play.”
We’ve selected three excellent drumheads to get you started here: The Aquarian Super Kick II, Evans EMAD, and Remo’s Clear Pinstripes. All sound great, can take a beating, and each have their own following among musicians based on the sound desired and personal playing preference.
Denver-based drummer Ari Rubenstein prefers the Evans EMAD. “My bass drum is 20 inches and made of oak,” he says. “Oak drums are loud and lack some warmth in favor of attack. EMAD heads are made for definition, and emphasize the attack while eliminating unnecessary and unwanted ring and overtones from my drum.”
He continues, “It adds a little bit of warmth and control. I get a nice, pillowy ‘whump’ while still getting some body from my bass.”
“Personally, I love (Remo) Pinstripes,” says Kazi. “In my humble opinion, it’s the gold standard of double layer heads. The double layer makes for a thicker head [with] fewer overtones, more tone control; it’s overall better for low tunings. I’ve always found it to be round and punchy, if not as responsive as a single-ply head. If you’re looking for versatility and durability,” he recommends, “it’s impossible to go wrong with Remo’s Pinstripes.”
No matter what you choose, these three are all winners. It all comes down to what’s going to fit your sound, songs and playing style.
