Bearing edges

[AXEMAN]

I have a Masters Series Birch kit and all the bearing edges are cut at a 45 degree angle. Is is possible to round the bearing edges on all the drums except toms 12" and smaller to get a deeper tone out of the kick drum and the toms? Anyone have rounded bearing edges on birch drums that can comment the diffrence in sound between a 45 degree cut edge and a rounded one? Where should I take my drums to have the bearing edges cut? Would I have to shorten the tuning rods if I rounded the bearing edges?

AXEMAN

[Jutt8]

are you talking 45 degree rounded or fully rounded? By what you wrote it sounds like fully rounded. If you want to hear the difference then a Reference 8 and 10 inch tom would be a good comparison because they have 45 degree rounded and are birch on the inner ply's. A fully rounded doesn't sound like a good idea to me on anything but a floor tom.

No i haven't done this, but I would almost guess a good drum crafts could give you the edge you want. I think you'll gain some roundness, but you'll lose some attack and most likely. Someone can tell me if I'm wrong. I'm just guessing based on what i've read.

[Stranjluv101]

The rounder an edge, the more attack and less sustain a drum will have. Tama Superstar drums from the 1980's are a good example of this.

[Jutt8]

The rounder an edge, the more attack and less sustain a drum will have. Tama Superstar drums from the 1980's are a good example of this.

The only thing in your statement that sounds correct is that the more rounded the edge, the less sustain it will have. The sharper the edge the more attack and resonance the drum will have along with great sensitivity. That is how I understand it based on a few sources that talk about the subject matter. Might have to get Al to comment on this, but your statement doesn't seem correct based on other sources out there that talk about bearing edges unless i'm reading it all wrong.

[Stranjluv101]

The only thing in your statement that sounds correct is that the more rounded the edge, the less sustain it will have. The sharper the edge the more attack and resonance the drum will have along with great sensitivity. That is how I understand it based on a few sources that talk about the subject matter. Might have to get Al to comment on this, but your statement doesn't seem correct based on other sources out there that talk about bearing edges unless i'm reading it all wrong.

Maybe when I said attack I mispoke. I know with these '80's Supes I have, when you strike the head, you get little sustain, so that hit seems more distinct. Now I also have a set of Pearl Prestige Worlds that does have the sharp kind of bearing edges. I wouldn't say that the sharper edges make for any more attack, just more sustain. I would say that these edges are a little more apt to have some odd overtones, probably because the rounded edges touch more of the head, cancelling those out. With those Supes, it seems like it is a little harder to tune them to several different pitches. I'm assuming that it has something to do again with the edges touching more of the head than a sharp edge.

If a person wants resonance, then the sharp edges are the way to go.

Am I more on what you were thinking?

[Jutt8]

Maybe when I said attack I mispoke. I know with these '80's Supes I have, when you strike the head, you get little sustain, so that hit seems more distinct. Now I also have a set of Pearl Prestige Worlds that does have the sharp kind of bearing edges. I wouldn't say that the sharper edges make for any more attack, just more sustain. I would say that these edges are a little more apt to have some odd overtones, probably because the rounded edges touch more of the head, cancelling those out. With those Supes, it seems like it is a little harder to tune them to several different pitches. I'm assuming that it has something to do again with the edges touching more of the head than a sharp edge.

If a person wants resonance, then the sharp edges are the way to go.

Am I more on what you were thinking?

Everything you're saying here makes complete sense to me : ). What you are saying here is jiving with the literature and the experiences I have had too ; )

[quicksticks]

The July issue of Modern Drummer has an article beginning on page 80 that explains the different bearing edges and how they affect the tone of the drum. After reading it, you will probably want to leave yours alone.