So I want to make a "sit down" set like this one that Dennis @ Phattie made:
Or I guess something like the Expresso set.
Has anyone else done this? I figure I'll find an old 16x16 tom and some sort of smaller snare. Any hints on finding the hardware to mount cymbals/snare? Any ideas for bottom/bass heads?
I have a few ideas that may help you. First off, your idea for a using a smaller snare and an old floor tom should work well. I know for certain that pacific, yamaha and gretsch make 10" snare drums that already come with a "tom style" mount attached to the drum. LP makes "z" rods for some of their percussion mounts, they look similar to the mount used on the link you posted.
I know that most smaller boom arms fit perfectly in a tama tom mount. A boom stand you may have handy could be used to make your cymabl arm for your cocktail kit.
As far as heads go I acctually use a 16" bass drum, remo powerstroke heads work very well for me. They have a mylar muffle strip around the inside diameter of the head, it gives that tight punchy thump. There is unfortunately very little ringing, so they aren't good for a booming sound.
I bought the kit in this auction, and the snare is for sale (i have another snare I love to much to replace!). Anyway, it's a Phattie 6x10 with the tom mount. I'm happy to email photos if you're interested.
You can pick up Tama style mounting brackets, LP and gibraltar cymbal rim clamps, and check out the Meinl Universal Percussion Mounting Clamp . I've used this before to clamp a cymbal arm to a floor tom leg so I didn't have to drill a drum to add a mount!
You might start by getting a pedal hooked up to the floor tom and use a snare on a stand just to see how you like it.
Hello Photogeek: I am just setting-up a Gretsch 16x18 FT with a reversed Gretsch pedal and was wondering what you ended up with for the batter head for your 18" and how you like it. Regards, Norm R.
I'm setting up a traditional style cocktail kit, and had some discussion with the folks at Aquarian regarding heads, and found out something interesting...they do make a 16 and 18 inch super kick head, and it was designed to be used with a wood hoop. If you were to use a performance II head, which they say would also work well, you need to use it with a regular triple flanged metal hoop. Why the hoop material matters is a mystery to me, but in any event my plan at this point is to use a 16" super kick bottom head with a wood hoop.
Lots of hardware to be found at drummaker.com, also browse around e-bay...I've found most of the stuff for mine at these two resources.
Bass drum heads have thicker collars, and require bass drum hoops like the wood ones you're talking about. If you're going to use regular chrome tom hoops, you need to use tom heads, which have narrower collars.