Evans Drum head quality issues? **Updated Evans response**

[musiqman]

**Update**

Evans has responded to my inquiry. I sent them over the photos and they have responded by saying that these are "within spec" based on the photos. However, will be sending me replacements.

Did they specifically say within spec or something that was open for interpetation.

In these brand flame topics that is quite inportant.

 

[Matched Gripper]

Switch to calfskin. You get wood rims that you know will fit your drums, you tuck your own skins around them and you mount them on the drum wet and tighten 'em down enough so they'll form a perfect collar on that exact bearing edge while they dry. Plus, if you take care of them and don't play like an idiot they'll last a lifetime.

The only downside is that everyone will have to learn how to tune their drums, because you'll be doing it several times a day...

Not sure about the lifetime part. But, I have read that the reason modern bearing edges have to be so perfect is that mylar does not conform to the bearing edge. Calf skin does, so there's always even contact all the way around!

 

[Matched Gripper]

I find it interesting that if you call Aquarian, you are likely to have owner Roy Burns pick up the phone.

Not likely! He passed away in 2018 (RIP). I will say, though, that I had a question about an Aquarian bass drum head I bought from the late great Interstate Music (RIP). I called Aquarian, left a message and Roy Burns called me back. Super nice and professional fellow, and confirmed that Interstate sent the wrong head. FYI, so I called Interstate, they said just keep it and will send the correct head which arrived in a week. Great company! Great catalog! Sad to see them go!

 

[Matched Gripper]

Hard for me to complain about a company that puts out a single ply head with an almost indestructible coating. If I ran Evans, I wouldn’t have even released the UV series, as it drops one’s need/desire to change heads quite drastically.

Not a fan of Evans QC generally, but, I love my UV1 snare batter. Still looks new and sounds excellent. Great for brushes too!

 

[Matched Gripper]

**Update**

Evans has responded to my inquiry. I sent them over the photos and they have responded by saying that these are "within spec" based on the photos. However, will be sending me replacements.

Ok, that's not good! Glad you're getting replacements, though. Would like to see if they have the same issue when they come in.

 

[natchomamma]

Did they specifically say within spec or something that was open for interpetation.

In these brand flame topics that is quite inportant.

Here is the response. You can interpret how you like. Several photos were sent. Keep in mind, I had the exact same issues about a year ago when I re-headed another drum kit. Again, they quickly sent replacements, but it is a hassle to wait to get replacements. I was at my local Sam Ash store yesterday and just did a "spot" check on several Evans heads and I found several rims with the same issue I was having.

I even tried to connect with the Vice President of Percussion at D'Addario thru a professional networking site. I sent him a nice note with my phone number asking him to call me. He viewed my professional profile and has not called me. That was three days ago.

 

[natchomamma]

I decided to give Aquarian a try. I called them directly and immediately got someone on the phone who was able to give me suggestions on what to try. I picked these up at my local Sam Ash and ordered the remaining Response 2 for the tom batter(s). Look ad the quality of the hoop and the weld. Significant difference and everyone I looked at was the same.

 

[musiqman]

Here is the response. You can interpret how you like. Several photos were sent. Keep in mind, I had the exact same issues about a year ago when I re-headed another drum kit. Again, they quickly sent replacements, but it is a hassle to wait to get replacements. I was at my local Sam Ash store yesterday and just did a "spot" check on several Evans heads and I found several rims with the same issue I was having.

I even tried to connect with the Vice President of Percussion at D'Addario thru a professional networking site. I sent him a nice note with my phone number asking him to call me. He viewed my professional profile and has not called me. That was three days ago.
View attachment 491498

Yeah ok, that is not much interpretation left there. I think the picture is clear enough.


Was this a 360 branded head or the new ones? I only have the 360 branded heads. So I'm starting to wonder if the newer heads do have more quality issues.

 

[multijd]

I decided to give Aquarian a try. I called them directly and immediately got someone on the phone who was able to give me suggestions on what to try. I picked these up at my local Sam Ash and ordered the remaining Response 2 for the tom batter(s). Look ad the quality of the hoop and the weld. Significant difference and everyone I looked at was the same.

View attachment 491501 View attachment 491502

Wow you have a local Sam Ash. Lucky you. Where are you located?

 

[fusseltier]

When I got my 8 piece tama star walnut shells, the first thing I did was take off the remo heads and put on Evans heads.
The only time I've seen damage to Evans heads was caused by the shipping, not from the factory.

 

[RIDDIM]

Craft a nice note to your dealer, CC Evans, and include the picture. One of them will leave forward on this.

 

[sixplymaple]

When I got my 8 piece tama star walnut shells, the first thing I did was take off the remo heads and put on Evans heads.
The only time I've seen damage to Evans heads was caused by the shipping, not from the factory.

I’m with you on that one. I have a big stack of like-new Remo heads sitting in my closet for that same reason. I immediately pull Remo heads off of drums I buy and replace them with Evans. Evans just last longer than any Remo I’ve tried and that’s saying a lot. I’ve never really had any quality control issues from Evans other than shipping damage. Plus their customer service is the best and will immediately replace anything incorrect, they want to make customers happy, just have to ask.

 

[David M Scott]

Well for those that say they have not seen issues before. Here is another nugget. This is a small disc that was cut from the mylar and it is trapped between the two plies. These are all brand new heads I purchased to rehead a brand new kit. I've pretty much found something wrong with everyone of them. I tried calling Evans a few minutes ago. Nobody answers the phone. I had to leave a VM. Will be interesting to see if they get back to me today.
View attachment 491080

I had a bad experience with
Evans heads... a 10in Calftone .. surface bubbled and a 14in UV1..supposedly their indestructible product, that pitted. I sent them an email and got an immediate response and they replaced both no problem. But, the new UV1 has lasted only two months and pitted again. I play a lot of brushes and so that's not fun having them grab. I'm 80 and don't hit hard with sticks as in "I've
never broken a head in 65 plus years" so there obviously is a quality issue
either at the mfg or final inspection level at Evans.
As for Remo I have used pretty well all their models including Pre Tuned with never a failure. I do think that the std coated Ambassador surfaces wears faster than I'd like but again I do a lot of brush work. So next replacement, if I live that long will be an Emperor
coated. I don't think I'll bother contacting Evans again as the UV1 replacement may be the same as it's two predecessors.
Cheers from a dedicated Remo fan !

 

[RIDDIM]

Did they specifically say within spec or something that was open for interpetation.

In these brand flame topics that is quite important.

Looks like they too care of you. Great!

 

[musiqman]

Looks like they too care of you. Great!

What now?

 

[MaskingApathy]

The coating that Evans sprays on their coated G1 & G2 batters is essentially just white paint that never fully cures. It's sticky, resulting in white marks on sticktips & cymbals and white paint impressions on the interiors of bags.
Humid conditions will exacerbate this annoyance.

See my thread - Done with coated EVANS! | [DFO] Drum Forum

What? I've never experienced this. Used to use coated G2s on toms and various coated heads on snare until about 3 years ago when I put my Remos on my kit. Never had any problems with the heads at all.

 

[RIDDIM]

I decided to give Aquarian a try. I called them directly and immediately got someone on the phone who was able to give me suggestions on what to try. I picked these up at my local Sam Ash and ordered the remaining Response 2 for the tom batter(s). Look ad the quality of the hoop and the weld. Significant difference and everyone I looked at was the same.

View attachment 491501 View attachment 491502

Wow!

 

[Matched Gripper]

I decided to give Aquarian a try. I called them directly and immediately got someone on the phone who was able to give me suggestions on what to try. I picked these up at my local Sam Ash and ordered the remaining Response 2 for the tom batter(s). Look ad the quality of the hoop and the weld. Significant difference and everyone I looked at was the same.

View attachment 491501 View attachment 491502

Yup! That’s been my experience with Aquarian - consistently excellent build quality.

 

[davezedlee]

What? I've never experienced this. Used to use coated G2s on toms and various coated heads on snare until about 3 years ago when I put my Remos on my kit. Never had any problems with the heads at all.

i have three coated Evans that STILL (after 8 years) do this, even after i waxed them... anything that touches to them sticks, and gets a white tacky residue left behind as a friendly reminder

no problems with the newer ones

 

[EvEnStEvEn]

What? I've never experienced this. Never had any problems with the heads at all.

Everything is outlined in my above thread.
Read the link.
Did you think I was making it all up?