Ideal Depth for a 13" Tom?

[Drums]

The Inde Wayfarer six inch depth looks pretty ideal to me if you’re going for lightweight. Gotta get me a set!

 

[chakosticks]

Have a bunch of 60's Slingerlands and an 80's Tama in 9x13, have a DW in 10x13. The DW is the easiest to tune but they're all very similar aside from the older, darker-sounding wood of the Slingerlands. Really depends on the particular drum you are using, the Slingerlands are the same era but they all have their own character.

 

[Rockdrum]

I've always enjoyed the 9x13" size. Fits everywhere. Long gone are the 1980s where I've seen 5'7" tall drummers running 13x14" rack toms over 26" bass drums.

 

[Owwlz51]

9" depth works best for me, both sonically and mounting-wise. But have tried as shallow as an 8" and owned 11" and 12". Any shallower or deeper than that is either hard to tune in relation to other drums, and mounting, especially with a square 13", is just stupid. That said, normally a one rack-tom drummer, so usually not a problem, as it can be on a snare stand as well. But the standard/traditional is still the best depth of tone, quickness of response, and doesn't take too weird of positioning to work. Sorry that was so long-winded.

 

[Owwlz51]

I've always enjoyed the 9x13" size. Fits everywhere. Long gone are the 1980s where I've seen 5'7" tall drummers running 13x14" rack toms over 26" bass drums.

I will run a 13x14 to the side (upside down on a Tama Air Ride stand, gasp!) of a 26" once or twice this year, but tried to run it on top and quickly just gave up!

 

[ChuckAkeley]

I recently replaced a mounted 12x8 with a 13x9 and love it. Even on a small Yamaha kit with a 14" floor tom, I'm still able to get a nice differentiation in pitch.

 

[Six-Ply]

A 13" tom should be 9" or 10". 10" deep is my preference. I learned to play drums with a 13 x 12 and ended up with a 13 x 9 for one of my current kits.

 

[Slingerland3ply]

9x 13

 

[DavedrumsTX]

What, in your opinion, is an ideal depth for a 13" rack tom? I'm playing contemporary music.

9x13 is so standard and so good. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. With that said, I’m only 5 11 and that one inch in height makes a difference. I’ve heard the Sonor 8x13 and I was totally impressed.

 

[jwfergsn]

For me this has just as much (or more) to do with positioning as with sound. If you use it mounted on (or above) the BD then a classic 13*9 is fine, but I'd love to try a 13*8 in that position. I have 12, 13 and 14 toms that I most often mount low, in "floor tom" territory, and then I see no problems with going all the way to square sizes. So in that case a 13*13 could be interesting, though probably out of fashion these days.

I run a 13x13 floor Tom and LOVE IT

 

[Slingwig26]

9x13

 

[kevmill70]

OK. I'm the odd-ball. I like deep toms. I'll take the 11x13 any day.

ME too! And, dare I say, are they coming back? It seems like the trend is going away from the short toms

 

[karlcrafton]

ME too! And, dare I say, are they coming back? It seems like the trend is going away from the short toms

Probably. It's been close to 20 years of more traditional sizes, so some name drummer will probably use a deeper tom or two to stand out, and power toms will become a thing again.
They've tried "concert toms are coming back" in the last year or so, but that hasn't caught on as far as I can see.

 

[kevmill70]

Probably. It's been close to 20 years of more traditional sizes, so some name drummer will probably use a deeper tom or two to stand out, and power toms will become a thing again.
They've tried "concert toms are coming back" in the last year or so, but that hasn't caught on as far as I can see.

I have noticed that the "short stack" tom has kinda gone away, so maybe the deep sizes will follow. One would think there would be a snap back to traditional sizes, but the industry wants to have us buying new drumsets every 10 years, so that'll never happen

 

[Tubwompus]

9” has always worked for me, although my 10” Sonors are just fine for me, too. Not a power tom guy. I’ll take 9”, just like Krupa’s original lampshades.

 

[Monday317]

What, in your opinion, is an ideal depth for a 13" rack tom? I'm playing contemporary music.

Whatever works for you. Whether a Roto-Tom, or a square tom viz., 13” x 13”, if it sounds good, it is good, per Duke Ellington. Or, if it fits, play it.

For my part, I play 10 x 9/13 x 9/16 x 16 (floor), with a 28 x 14 bass drum, for the reasons outlined above. Ok, except for the bass; yes, I feel insecure and can’t afford a ‘Vette…

 

[spazapproved]

I have a 13x9 on two different kits and a 13x10 on another.

For me it depends on what the other shells are sized

 

[Luddite]

I had a 12x13 cut down by Virtue Drums in Jackson, MI. It wound up with a depth of 9.25.
So, 9.25.

 

[TheDrummerFromAmsterdam]

I have noticed that the "short stack" tom has kinda gone away, so maybe the deep sizes will follow. One would think there would be a snap back to traditional sizes, but the industry wants to have us buying new drumsets every 10 years, so that'll never happen

As far as I know 5/6 is short stack.

7 is middle ground.

8/9 is traditional size.

10 is middle ground.

11/12/13/etc is power size.

 

[nmosko]

9. I remember 11 was the standard when I was growing up from like 1990-2003 or so.