Evans Drumheads from a Drummers point of view

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Joseph Timmons in drums, Instruments, Music Instruments, New Instruments // 0 Comments

Editorial by Joseph Timmons: IndiePulse Music Magazine Journalist and Drummer

As a drummer, I have tried and played on many types of drumheads. Some have lasted a long time, some, well… not worth the investment. I am not going to say and one brand today is better than the other but I have, and will always be an Evans enthusiast. I started playing in the 70’s, when there were only a few national brands, no boutique brands and few outlets to try and buy. And we have definitely come a long way from there. A couple years ago, I set up my double bass kit with all Evans skins, primarily the ONYX series.

Evans Onyx drumheads feature two plies of 7.5mil film that will deliver enhanced durability, plus a frost coating that appears matte black on the Onyx heads to increase low-end response and attack. These drum heads incorporate Evans Level 360 Technology for ease of tuning, extended pitch range, and optimum quality of sound.

As a Rock Drummer, I love the Dark and massive “Thud”, deep and rich with no overtones to hinder my style, but I also like to make some variance in the heads. Using the Power Dot Snare give a crisp snap and general all around Coated heads for the rest.

Now, with so many options, the questions most ask is Coated vs. uncoated—a decision most drummers are confronted with when choosing drumheads. The difference? Coated heads are typically powder white and offer a warmer, more focused sound, while uncoated heads are clear and tend to have more attack and sustain with brighter overtones.

Traditionally, coated heads are created by spraying a textured paint onto an uncoated head and letting them cure, or dry on the surface of the film. While this process has been the standard for 50-60 years, it’s left much to be desired, from both the manufacturer and drummer’s perspective.

Now, new for 2021, Evans Drumheads and the good people at D’Addario & Co., who were tired of seeing the cheap, inconsistent powder-coating chip or flake off and cause premature tone loss and breakage. So, following years of development, Evans introduced the world to their UV-cured Coating in 2016 with the release of UV1.

Through a new silk-screen application and specially formulated inks that are instantly cured with UV light, they created a new coating process that dramatically enhances the durability of the coating and, in turn, the life of the drum head overall. The result is a coating that resists strikes, brushstrokes and rim shots better than any other, which means drummers get to play with fresh heads for longer and spend less time tuning, modifying and changing heads.

After the success of UV1, Evans Drum heads knew there would be a demand for a 2-ply head with the same coating treatment and so, UV2 was born. UV2 creates a deep, punchy, articulate tone with lots of attack. Between the coating and the reinforced film, these are some of the most durable heads available. It is designed with heavy hitters in mind and is exceptional at medium to high volume situations.

If that’s not enough for you, the UV-cured technology can also be found in a range of Bass Batter heads, as well as the 14” Hydraulic Coated Snare heads in Red, Black, and Blue.

But, what about the Bass Head, I love the new Evans UV EMAD, this is a killer, deep and rich, perfect for all styles, designed with style in mind and extreme durability as a foundation.

As soon as I can, I plan to update many of the heads to the UV series, but I will always love the ONYX

Check out this video with Dave Lombardo