gretsch 20/12/14 for hard rock??

[bon viesta]

is such a thing doable? i’m looking to get new drums, and being a bit jazz oriented i’m looking at 12/14/20 configs from gretsch and liking what i see. but my band plays hard rock music, though i’m totally into it and contributing heavily to the heaviness of our sound. granted, i’m not talking van halen, late 70s thuddy hair metal type hard rock but more tapping into the that era of early 70s blues.

 

[fenrir]

Yes that can work. I remember a metal drummer from the early 00s was rocking a double 18" Gretsch Round Badge.

They're just drums. If you want to do the civil war re-enactment thing that so many insist on, you absolutely need the exact model and sizes of x drummer, but if you're a musician you can make anything work - no rules.

There are exceptions and extremes - I wouldn't want to do a cocktail piano trio gig with a Z Mega Bell and a 10" snare but you're not proposing that.

The heads, tuning, sticks, technique and mics will make those sizes as versatile as you need them to be.

 

[Tornado]

You're going to get a lot of opinions, but here's mine. I don't think that 14" floor tom is going to give you what you want. It will work, but it would leave me feeling unsatisfied.

 

[Lamontsdad]

Very capable sizes for early rock.

 

[mtarrani]

is such a thing doable? i’m looking to get new drums, and being a bit jazz oriented i’m looking at 12/14/20 configs from gretsch and liking what i see. but my band plays hard rock music, though i’m totally into it and contributing heavily to the heaviness of our sound. granted, i’m not talking van halen, late 70s thuddy hair metal type hard rock but more tapping into the that era of early 70s blues.

Early 70s blues? It will absolutely work. Hell, I have been playing electric blues with a 16/10/13 and an 18/12/14 kit. Will post video examples if you like. If you are afraid that it won't be loud enough, mic them. But the tone of the 20/12/14 will be authentic. The house kit in Chess Records back in the day was those sizes, and if I am not mistaken John Densmore of The Doors played those sizes (at least early on) live.

 

[Rich K.]

I think the drummer for the Black Crows played a vintage progressive jazz set for a while.

 

[Houndog]

22/13/16 …..That’s the size for 90% of hard rock albums I bet …….

 

[mtarrani]

22/13/16 …..That’s the size for 90% of hard rock albums I bet …….

For genuine rock, yes. He mentioned that he would be playing along the lines of 70s blues. To many, including me, that is hard rock

 

[Tornado]

For genuine rock, yes. He mentioned that he would be playing along the lines of 70s blues. To many, including me, that is hard rock

But he's tapping into the blues influenced early 70s hard rock is my take. So Black Sabbath and Zeppelin to my mind. Yeah, you can do it on those sizes all day, every day. But man, you gotta live with it if you're shelling out for a Gretsch kit.

 

[mtarrani]

But he's tapping into the blues influenced early 70s hard rock is my take. So Black Sabbath and Zeppelin to my mind. Yeah, you can do it on those sizes all day, every day. But man, you gotta live with it if you're shelling out for a Gretsch kit.

I was thinking Clapton, Johnny Winter, Allman Bros and Canned Heat, etc., but, yeah, Zep would probably fit what he will be playing. I am not familiar with what Sabbath played (I doubt I ever listened to them but may have accidentally heard them.)

 

[drummingbulldog]

I recorded punk with that kit as well as many other heavier things. The floor tom mic'd as well as the kick can all be tuned low for those sizes and get a nice tone. If you're not mic'd up and are beating the snot outta them to be heard, then the tone will suffer along with your heads.

 

[healthie1]

Peart played 18" kick drums for a bit.

 

[mtarrani]

Correction to an above post. I must have had a senior moment when I said that I could provide video examples of 16/10/13 and 18/12/14 kits. I can, but most of the videos I have are me on an Odery Cafe kit (14/10/12 + 12 snare). How the fact that I had been mainly using that kit for the past two years slipped my mind I don't know.

 

[AtlantaDrumGuy]

I think it could work. You may try tuning them down a bit.

 

[JDA]

wind the clock back to pre-internet and maybe with the bottom heads off;
but No

wouldn't be my first pick

 

[RogersLudwig]

I make it work, but I have a 16x16 FT I can add on occasion for a bit more bottom on my fills.

 

[glaze148]

I just heard a Gretsch stop sign set in those sizes with a 4 pc horn band.
2 guitars etc, etc .
It sounded fantastic. Great player miced well, and hitting very hard.
Drums were tuned beautifully.
Rock repertoire

 

[1988fxlr]

It can be done but 20/12/16 would be more satisfying to me for that

 

[bpaluzzi]

Peart played 18" kick drums for a bit.

No he didn't.

He started out with two 22", then switched to dual 24" in 1977, then back to a single 22" in 91, then a single 23" in 2006, then double 23" in 2015

He had an 18" on the rear-facing electronic kit, but never on his main "rock" drums

Tim Alexander (Primus) did use dual 18s for "Sailing the Seas of Cheese", before switching to 20" for "Pork Soda"

 

[JazzDrumGuy]

New drums or "new" (to you) drums? My gigging kit is a 12/15/20 vintage Ludwig. It's nice but not pristine. I have gigged my nice pristine vintage 20" Gretsch but with 13/16 toms. It was fine sound wise but I didn't want to get it damaged hence the Ludwig kit.

I think you could do it but heads will be key. Thinking pinstripes or clear emperors for some more "beef"....

Plenty of good kits that are used though. I don't know if I would drop $3K on a new one.