i am about to order a 26" bass drum with my new kit. I have never owned or played one though, just my ferrari syndrome i guess. I have played a 24". I want to hear anyones comments on a 26" kick, praises, complaints, etc.... just from people who have played one or own or have owned one. thanks

1. Not very versatile
2. better own a big car if you plan on carrying it around
3. not very versatile
4. recording it is kind of a pain
5. not very versatile
6. heads are harder to find
7. not very versatile
8. has a slower response so if it's speed in the foot that you're after, ain't gonna happen
9. not very versatile
10. your toms will be up to your chin

Did I mention that it's not very versatile? 5 years down the road when you want to venture into different types of musical persuits, that 26" will be the bane of your existence.








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Go for it, have fun. 26" kicks have a rad sound if you tune them up tight like bonham. Jason from death cab for cutie use's a bonham style set and get's a rad tone out of his 26. I like 24's myself but one day I might move up. truth drummers Nate and Dave from anberlin and emery use 26" by 20" basses (massive). What's the depth on your prospective bass?

big and to sluggish for me. playing faster patterns on a drum that big gets mushy unless you pack something in the drum against the batter head to bring out the attack. but then you loose the qualities you wanted from the 26 inch drum in the first place.a 22 and even 20 inch kick can be tuned surprisingly low and boomy and punchy with just as much, if not more volume

Soo...you obviously haven't listened to led zeppelin then...because obviously their drummer 's kit was slow and sluggish and not very versatile. The only thing that would cause a drum to be like that is someone who can't tune and / or play it. How do you know he just wanted a low thudding note?

i would pick a 20 over a 26 (as of now 22 is my favorite), big and i dont like their sound that much. but thats all opinion. It could sound great to others. my advice, try one out before you make the plunge.

markmywords wrote:

Soo...you obviously haven't listened to led zeppelin then...because obviously their drummer 's kit was slow and sluggish and not very versatile. The only thing that would cause a drum to be like that is someone who can't tune and / or play it. How do you know he just wanted a low thudding note?

yes, i actually have heard of them. and i dont remember bohnam doing any fast intricite kick parts other than doubling up the kick in tom fills and just fast doubles like that.. he did do plenty of great playing but depending on what you play, a smaller kick will be a lot more articulate with your playing.

drummert2k wrote:

markmywords wrote:

Soo...you obviously haven't listened to led zeppelin then...because obviously their drummer 's kit was slow and sluggish and not very versatile. The only thing that would cause a drum to be like that is someone who can't tune and / or play it. How do you know he just wanted a low thudding note?

yes, i actually have heard of them. and i dont remember bohnam doing any fast intricite kick parts other than doubling up the kick in tom fills and just fast doubles like that.. he did do plenty of great playing but depending on what you play, a smaller kick will be a lot more articulate with your playing.

Is an 18"x22" the ideal size then for bass drum articulation? Also, is an Emad batter (& resonant) heads with the bigger insert ring sufficient to provide attack & get rid of sluggishness? Thanx! I'm asking for my own setup obviously.








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markmywords wrote:

Soo...you obviously haven't listened to led zeppelin then...because obviously their drummer 's kit was slow and sluggish and not very versatile. The only thing that would cause a drum to be like that is someone who can't tune and / or play it. How do you know he just wanted a low thudding note?

I know Jeff Ocheltree (John Bonham's old drum tech); he's an old friend of mine. According to Jeff and conversations I've had with him on this very subject, Bonham used a 22" in the studio, and the 26" was during the latter years of Led Zeppelin. Matter of fact, Bonham's favorite studio kit was a set of Green Sparkle Ludwigs.

Besides, I was at the record store with my aunt who was a HUGE LZ fan every time an album was released, starting with Led Zeppelin III on through The Song Remain the Same. I remember the day John Bonham was found dead, and I also remember standing in line to get a copy of Coda, released posthumously in honor of JB.

Not to mention that I have every Zeppelin album on my iPod.

Still doesn't change the fact that 26" bass drums are not versatile. Yeah if you want a low thudding note, go for it because that's ALL you're gonna get.

Other'n that, it's your money, your decision. I'm just trying to give objective information.









Last edited by BillRayDrums on Tue May 15, 2007 11:40 pm; edited 1 time in total
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go for the 26 man, it will look much better on stage and its not as slow at people say. in the studio you can use whatever you need to to sound the way you want. but playing gigs.. ya gotta look cool. so go for the 26.. hell get 2 of um!! haha rock! ~SS

I have loved this page so much I HAD to join... God I love the insight from you guys... All good stuff..

Anyway, I OWN and play a 28" WFL white marine pearl bass drum... And I came from a set of starclassic performers with the 22" kick... naturally I was a bit nervous...

It takes awhile to get used to the feel of the head, it is ALOT different bro... its just not as snappy as a 20 or a 22... but... it can be mastered... I use a nice speedking pedal and it took like 2 months to get the feel, and speed may be a factor with your style of music...(you won't be as fast) but it sounds MASSIVE and yeah, you do get alot of questions and comments on how tuning, or the feel or just how it looks... Just be prepared for a real big but not focused sound... it is way different than most kits out there.. mine is only 10 inches deep, so it took some tweaking... but go for it... you can always get another bass drum...I'm noticing a trend toward bigger bass drums these days...(?)








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WFL drums all the way:
28/13/16 and a killer ludwig Coliseum Snare...

Big Zildjians... Big Beats.

In my humble opinion, a 26-28" x 14-16" is the way to go in most cases. The only times I wouldn't recommend using such a big kick would be jazz or double-kick drumming (such a low tone just gets too muddy at higher speeds). Without a double pedal you won't have much to worry about. Not to mention your engineer will love you because most kick drum frequencies either mask or are masked by bass guitar frequencies. Recording such a low kick will save your engineer some time cutting/boosting frequency ranges and you'll be a much more natural sound. However, you're probably going to want to raise your beater close towards the center of the kick. This is where I would imagine you would have to alter your technique.

Here are some examples of bigger kick drums: Akimbo, Lords, and Russian Circles. When all else fails, trust your ears.








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I currently play a 26" Bass Drum and love it. I always played a 22" then was in Vegas playing a show "We Will Rock You" There is where I sat with Roger Taylor and worked on sounds for days. The 24 was the only drum that gave me that punch we needed. I am on tour now with Meat Loaf and a 26" drum. It kicks ass. I am able to tune it up a bit more and still get that deep sound, my feet are just as fast on this then a 22". It seems like there is more room in the mix for Bass guitar now that my kick is so deep.

Peace
John

My current "main" kit has a 14x28., which, if you think back to the great jazz drummers of the 30s & 40s, was pretty much the standard. That said, much of what others have posted I aggree with. Big, cumbersome, hard to find heads, all true. As for being "slow", I'd have to recommend stuffing the blanket in it. I don't really notice a negative effect on the sound , and I can still do that Slipknot-esque double bass stuff (at least inasmuch as I am capable on any other, smaller drum) Virtually impossible to control that much head w\o something against the head to "calm it down" a bit. But a SOUND like no other; unrivaled low end, and yes, a very bad-ass looking Mo Fo on stage.
G

It depends on the music you're playing. I've got a 28" kick drum that I love to death - there's nothing like the boom you can get from a big drum with no muffling (I've got Ebony Pinstripes front & back, no hole). It's like driving a truck.

But it's not really suitable for all styles, and it doensn't lend itself to fast, intricate playing (although it's fun to try).

I say go for it, but it would be a good idea to plan on owning a second, smaller drum for some applications.