20" vs. 22" kick

[919er]

Hi guys'
I'm new to the forum and have an important question:
I'm playing my SLX since +13 years with a 22" kick and standard rock toms. I really would like to upgrade that kit with an SMX and I'll do it, knowing that I'm going to play that next kit for 10 to 15 years. My musical interest right now is metal, but I can see myself drifting in a funk or later even jazz direction....should I go for a 22" kick, or is a 20" SMX enough for double bass metal right now, to get me to the funk/jazz later on without changing my kit again?
Thanx for your opinion
919er 00**

[Al_Jecht]

Don't spend your money on another Session. Get a masters.

[notphilip]

20 inch kicks are soooo awesome. my new set has a 20 inch and its just soo punchy.

[919er]

Don't spend your money on another Session. Get a masters.
Well, that would be nice but that step is not in my budget. I'm just happy getting from the birch to the maple and having some more advanced hardware with that.

[pelaminack]

20" kicks are real punchy and work great for pop, jazz, funk, etc. A 22" kick is going to be lower in pitch and thump a little bit more. I played a session SMX kit for a couple of years and had a 20" kick with it. I really liked the sound, especially for jazz. However, when I bought my MMX kit, I went with a 22" kick instead. I felt that the 22" kick just had a little bit more omph to it and was more versatile. Either one is going to sound great. It just depends on what works best for you. I would try to find a dealer that had both sizes and play around to see which you like best.

[technik]

For me, 22" is the answer :D

[minidrummer]

i love 20" kicks

[weps]

I went with a 16x20 when I got my Masters. It's as much for convenience as anything. Lower, smaller, easier to pack than my previous 22s. It can sound just as big in the immediate vicinity and I almost always mic the kick anyways. As always, head choice and tuning make a huge difference.

And I still have 2 kits with 22" basses to play with ;>) I used to use an 18" floor as a bass sometimes (with the JG16 adapter kit) but with a 20" bass I don't bother.

While there is no standard, a LOT of metal drummers use 20s because they respond quicker for double bass and have less "after tone" making the double bass hits clearer, be it double pedal or separate basses.

weps

[Redbeard]

This won't help you much ;) but I think you'll be happy with either one. I prefer the 22 because I think it has more of a "boom", but in your case you may want to go with a 20 for versatility. But you really can't go wrong with either.

By the way, is 919er a reference to the Honda 919?

[SpArErIb77]

Go with 20" for metal. It's also easier to setup toms and such.

[MusicMan]

Hi -

I switched from 22x18 to 20x18 kick for all my sets and they sound great! It also gives you an extra 2" for clearing your toms above the kick!

[gts007]

get a 24x18 :cool:

[LastAdam]

20 with no hardware stuck off in it. Use a Evans emad head and rock on.

[919er]

Well thank you all for your opinions, I'll consider all the options, but the 24",LOL.

Redbeard: You bet, it's the hottest bike out there :D

[Nijntje]

Thanks guys this helped me out alot too!!

[codemasterD]

Forget 24x18. Look at vinnie over there. 24x24 is definately the way to go.

[SpugIsGod]

get a 24x18 :cool:

Now your talking! But even tho i am a HUGE FAN of 24's and i love my 22's...

20 inch x 16 inch is the best way to go.

But for metal...24's are very necessary in my opinion. I love lars' granstar from the 80's. Best sounding drums i have ever heard, and that snare...ooo...that snare...*drool*

Sorry to go off topic but my final answer is 20" for you.

[gts007]

Now your talking! But even tho i am a HUGE FAN of 24's and i love my 22's...

20 inch x 16 inch is the best way to go.

But for metal...24's are very necessary in my opinion. I love lars' granstar from the 80's. Best sounding drums i have ever heard, and that snare...ooo...that snare...*drool*

Sorry to go off topic but my final answer is 20" for you.
if you're gonna be doing any pro-level recording or miked live shows, it doesn't really matter whether you go with a 20 or 22 or 24. In those situations I think it's just personal preference as to what feel you're going for because the audio gear will do way more to the sound of the bass drum than you can just by switching to a slightly bigger or smaller one. Dave from Korn has always used a 20" kick.

[jon8641]

I've bought 4 kits since I've been playing drums...all with 20" kick. I don't know I just like them a lot better ! I played a couple of times on some other drumset at shows with a 22" and I don't know , I just love 20" A LOT MORE !
My last kit was a ELX with a 20x16 but now I'm almost done waiting for my MMX with a 20x18......this is gonna be sweet ! I think only Premier and Tama offers 20x18 in their cheaper drums !

[iCe]

i had a pearl ex export wich i sold last wednesday. i was rock kit (22x16, 14x5 1/2, 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16) and i wanted a new kit for home (the pearl was on our practice room when i was still in a band). so i bought an osan runner, with fusion sizes (20x16, 10x8, 12x9 and i believe a 14x11. i haven't measured them). but anyway, it plays so much better. i just like smaller sizes more, they play more naturaly. i've ordered a 8x8 tom to finish it

[iCe]

hmz... i've just measured my bass drum, it's not 20 but 22 :rolleyes:

[joey666]

22"x18":cool:

[pearlyclamclamp]

I'd go for a 20. I have a SRX 22 and it's awesome, but the 20 has more punch. Mike Portnoy has both 22's and a 20 on his Siamese monster and I actually like the sound of the 20 inch double bass drumming more than the 22's. Another upside is that you can mount your toms lower, as people have already said. If I could buy my set again I would go for the 20 inch over the 22 in no time.

[K-Boogie]

Don't spend your money on another Session. Get a masters.

Contrary to the above post, getting the Session's kit is not a waste of money. It is actually a better use of your money, unless you want a color not offered, or you have a problem with tom mounts on the bass drum (which doesn't change the sound of the drum, especially if it is mic'd for live play). They are sonically the same otherwise if you change heads and rims. I personally have not found a reason to by a Master's kit...other than the finishes...that Midnight Fade is to die for!!

As for your originally question, I love my 22". It is versatile enough for extreme ends of the dynamics spectrum, and for jazz/funk you can't beat it's punch, but for some rock, particularly doublebass applications, I can see where a 20" kick would be benificial, especially where attack is concerned. The bottom line is get what you are comfortable with, and what you like to hear. YOU will be your biggest critic.

Good Luck

Boogie

[919er]

WOW, thanx again guys!!! Keep coming.... Looks like a great forum to me here! :D

[lunar_c]

I started playing on a Yamaha with a 22x17" kick. We had it tuned so it was all punch and thump and no boom.
It was a fantastic sound for funk and rock.
Then I started playing jazz .. and it really didn't fit.. retuning and changing the muffling would have corrected this but at the time I was inexperienced.
When it came time to buy my own kit, I bought an Export EX in fusion sizes with a 22". It took me a long, long time to get to grips with the 22", first and foremost in getting my toms low enough, I felt I'd done the wrong thing. I hated it at first!
Then I learnt to tune the kit to 'itself' better - and I realised that the 22" x 18" is a very very versatile drum, which is probably why it has become the most common size (well, 22x16" and whatnot).
I have tuned my 22" to be punchy - granted not as punchy as a good 20" but it still has a lot of oomph, with the advantage of more bottom end than a comparable 22" and a little more resonance.
It's all in your preference - if I upgrade or replace my kit again, I will go for a 20" x 16" or 20 x 18" because I prefer the feel.
As Bernard Purdie says, a smaller drum gives you more control.
He's right!

[doops]

i would get a 24,16 really really fat and low but very puchy

['Stumpy' Pepys]

Hey if you're looking at another Sessions kit you may be interested in Taye Studio Maples instead. Take a look at their web site, you can configure a kit with a kick drum of 18"-24". I ended up going for a monster 24" bass drum because it had insane volume, punch and warmth with serious resonance. By reducing the muffling I can really let the bass note sustain or by adding some extra muffling I can tighten it right up. I'd never be able to lay down those insane death metal double bass beats with it but for the rock/metal that I play it's brilliant.

BTW, this is my kit (http://www.pearldrummersforum.com/showthread.php?t=50803&page=1&pp=12).

[silveriametal]

Have OCDP make you a 20"x20". :D

[joshalberg]

20x20 is perfect.... I want one soo bad.

[TheAudiophobe]

I have a 22x22, and have a 20x17 on the way. So, if you're like me and have nothing else better to spend all of your cash on, why not buy both!?! ;)

[booby]

Have OCDP make you a 20"x20". :D

not.