How to Choose a Bass Drumhead

The bass drum is the foundation of the drum set. It’s important that you get the right bass drum sound to feel like your set is on solid ground. From deep ‘thuds’ to tight ‘clicks,’ EVANS range of bass batter drumheads can help you find your sound.

When it comes to choosing a bass drumhead, you’ll want to start by picking the correct size. Common bass drum sizes are 18”, 20”, 22”, & 24”, though you may also have a 16” or a 26” head. While EVANS makes a lot of heads in a lot of sizes, not each one will be available in all, so be sure you know your size before you browse too far. 

Now comes the fun part: finding your sound. EVANS makes so many great heads, it’s hard to go wrong. We’ve got all our bass batter options and a short description of their tone here. Maybe you like the adjustability of EMAD, the unique bass drumhead which lets you hone your, attack, focus, and sustain instantly. Or the more traditional option of EQ3 Clear, which delivers a low-end rumble and focused attack. We’ve also got unique heads like Calftone, which imitates real calfskin, and Hydraulics, the only head made with a thin layer of oil between two plies.

As you can tell, EVANS has a lot of options when it comes to bass batter drumheads. You can use the “Sound Profile” tab on each EVANS bass drumhead product page to see where each bass head sits as far as Tone, Attack, Sustain, and Durability, then choose the best option for you.