Re-Finding the joy of an 18” FT

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DanRH

DanRH

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It’s been years since I played an 18” FT. When I do use two FT’s, it’s always a 14/16 configuration. So, when I got my A&F aluminum kit, it was a 22/13/16 and I love it, but I wanted more. I decided to add a second FT. I considered a 14”, but because this is a big sounding kit, I leaned into thinking it would be cool to really go big. I decided to go with the 18…

I placed my order for an 18” A&F aluminum last October. I finally got it in May but we (my Tom Petty trib band) haven’t been playing that much (by choice, as we only play bigger events). Finally, yesterday, we played on a stage that would accommodate the entire kit (22/13/16/18).

All I can say is WOW! Talk about feeling of power! Totally rock and roll.

I friggen love it. BTW, I find clear Emperors to be the sound I prefer with all my other kits and the same applies here.

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Sweet! Such a cool kit. I want an 18” AHM floor tom but they are not cheap.
 
Those A & F drums look amazing, I was looking into their raw aluminum kit for a while but couldn't make it happen.

I have a 13, 16, 18, 24 Gretsch USA Custom kit and love it. The 18" doesn't always come out if we're on a smaller stage, but if I have the space I love bringing it along. It also inspires me to play very differently when I put it on my left just under my hi hats and use the internal mufflers, feels and sounds more like a second bass drum and opens up a new world of options.

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I have a couple 18” floor toms and they always sound too “slappy” for me. I think my problem is that I still tune all my other drums the same and try to take the 18” even lower. I think what I should try is to tune the 18” just a hair below what I would normally tune a 16”. I’m talking like 1-2hz below a normally tuned 16”, which would put it somewhere in the 69-70hz range. This should remove the slappy attack sound but still bring in a lower overall pitch. This would allow me to tune up my other toms just a hair, which could bring more sustain and resonance to those drums.

I really need to experiment more with my tuning. It’s either that or I need to switch to an Emad style head for 18’s so it can give really low tones but hopefully hear more fundamental and less attack.

Edit: that brass and aluminum combo looks really nice. I’m glad you didn’t do the pre-aged brass option. It would make the whole kit look drab.
 
Yeah! I have an old Pearl MLX kit from the mid 1980s that has 16” and 18” floor toms in addition to 10”, 12”, and 13” racks and a 22” kick. When space and musical style allow, I’ll bring that 18”. It packs such a wallop! Great kit for straight rock and modern country stuff.

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Tommy D said:
I have a couple 18” floor toms and they always sound too “slappy” for me. I think my problem is that I still tune all my other drums the same and try to take the 18” even lower. I think what I should try is to tune the 18” just a hair below what I would normally tune a 16”. I’m talking like 1-2hz below a normally tuned 16”, which would put it somewhere in the 69-70hz range. This should remove the slappy attack sound but still bring in a lower overall pitch. This would allow me to tune up my other toms just a hair, which could bring more sustain and resonance to those drums.

I really need to experiment more with my tuning. It’s either that or I need to switch to an Emad style head for 18’s so it can give really low tones but hopefully hear more fundamental and less attack.

Edit: that brass and aluminum combo looks really nice. I’m glad you didn’t do the pre-aged brass option. It would make the whole kit look drab.
Click to expand...
You're right, at least I've found it most effective to tune my 13 and 16 up just a bit for a more even interval between them and the 18. If the 16 is tuned low as most people tune them, there isn't much to distinguish between it and the 18.
 
Man, the first time I played a Ludwig Classic maple in the 13, 16, 18, 24 configuration, I KNEW I had to get one. I did, and I love it:

1754331301579.png


I had a Slingerland Buddy Rich kit in the same configuration. I also own a Radio King with a 13, 16, 20(!) with 26 kick. It's a lot of fun to play as well.

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Tommy D said:
I have a couple 18” floor toms and they always sound too “slappy” for me. I think my problem is that I still tune all my other drums the same and try to take the 18” even lower. I think what I should try is to tune the 18” just a hair below what I would normally tune a 16”. I’m talking like 1-2hz below a normally tuned 16”, which would put it somewhere in the 69-70hz range. This should remove the slappy attack sound but still bring in a lower overall pitch. This would allow me to tune up my other toms just a hair, which could bring more sustain and resonance to those drums.

I really need to experiment more with my tuning. It’s either that or I need to switch to an Emad style head for 18’s so it can give really low tones but hopefully hear more fundamental and less attack.

Edit: that brass and aluminum combo looks really nice. I’m glad you didn’t do the pre-aged brass option. It would make the whole kit look drab.
Click to expand...

I put 2 pieces of about 4-5 “ gaff on my 18” batter ..much better ..I am using mallets in video ..Clear Emp batter Clear CS reso . Still a bit slappy . Tuned as low as it’ll go …

Floor tom solo at 1:30

 
For the last 13 years I have played 13 up and 15 & 18 down.....with a 14X24 bass......Gretsch Jaspers, 1977.
The 18 is the most difficult to tune, but when you do get it right, it honks!
 
Nice seeing all of these 18s!!

How do y’all tune them?
Really low just above wrinkles?
Lower than your kicks?
 
Tommy D said:
I have a couple 18” floor toms and they always sound too “slappy” for me. I think my problem is that I still tune all my other drums the same and try to take the 18” even lower. I think what I should try is to tune the 18” just a hair below what I would normally tune a 16”. I’m talking like 1-2hz below a normally tuned 16”, which would put it somewhere in the 69-70hz range. This should remove the slappy attack sound but still bring in a lower overall pitch. This would allow me to tune up my other toms just a hair, which could bring more sustain and resonance to those drums.

I really need to experiment more with my tuning. It’s either that or I need to switch to an Emad style head for 18’s so it can give really low tones but hopefully hear more fundamental and less attack.

Edit: that brass and aluminum combo looks really nice. I’m glad you didn’t do the pre-aged brass option. It would make the whole kit look drab.
Click to expand...

Actually it’s a teak/maple snare. But, thanks!
 
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Steech said:
Nice seeing all of these 18s!!

How do y’all tune them?
Really low just above wrinkles?
Lower than your kicks?
Click to expand...
You can hear mine on some tour videos -- since I only brought the 18 on this tour, anything down low is on the 18 (with a 14" rack)

Paris
  • Soundcheck: 1:30-1:45
  • Performance:
    • "Ohio"
      • Riding on the floor tom during the verse (starting 2:00)
      • Floor tom + snare backbeats in the bridge (starting 2:51)
    • "Voice Beneath the Rubble"
      • The big boom in the verse (on 1 and the "and" of 2) (starting 3:20)
    • "Eleanor Rigby"
      • Big dumb rawk fills in the chorus (starting at 4:28)
    • "World Out There"
      • Floor tom pattern during verse (starting at 4:49)
    • "Palladium"
      • Riding on the floor tom in the bridge (starting at 5:26)
    • "Falling"
      • Riding on the floor tom in the chorus and outro (starting at 6:04)

Milan / Zurich / Amneville
  • Milan
    • "Ohio"
      • Riding on the floor tom during the verse (starting 1:00)
    • "Voice Beneath the Rubble"
      • Verse pattern (starting 1:13)
      • Tom + floor crescendo (starting 1:21)
  • Zurich
    • "Palladium"
      • Riding on the floor tom in the bridge (starting at 4:51 -- SUPER distorted due to subwoofer placement)
  • Amneville
    • "Ohio"
      • Floor tom + snare backbeats on the bridge (starting 6:17)
 
bpaluzzi said:
You can hear mine on some tour videos -- since I only brought the 18 on this tour, anything down low is on the 18 (with a 14" rack)

Paris
  • Soundcheck: 1:30-1:45
  • Performance:
    • "Ohio"
      • Riding on the floor tom during the verse (starting 2:00)
      • Floor tom + snare backbeats in the bridge (starting 2:51)
    • "Voice Beneath the Rubble"
      • The big boom in the verse (on 1 and the "and" of 2) (starting 3:20)
    • "Eleanor Rigby"
      • Big dumb rawk fills in the chorus (starting at 4:28)
    • "World Out There"
      • Floor tom pattern during verse (starting at 4:49)
    • "Palladium"
      • Riding on the floor tom in the bridge (starting at 5:26)
    • "Falling"
      • Riding on the floor tom in the chorus and outro (starting at 6:04)

Milan / Zurich / Amneville
  • Milan
    • "Ohio"
      • Riding on the floor tom during the verse (starting 1:00)
    • "Voice Beneath the Rubble"
      • Verse pattern (starting 1:13)
      • Tom + floor crescendo (starting 1:21)
  • Zurich
    • "Palladium"
      • Riding on the floor tom in the bridge (starting at 4:51 -- SUPER distorted due to subwoofer placement)
  • Amneville
    • "Ohio"
      • Floor tom + snare backbeats on the bridge (starting 6:17)
Click to expand...
Wow! Thanks for sharing all of that and adding the time stamps! You sound great and MAN that 18” is just a punch to the gut, holy smokes! That’s a completely different animal than any 16 that I’ve ever heard.

I’m really intrigued now…
 
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