Your Drums Aren't the Problem. Your Heads Might Be.
Fresh Evans drumheads have landed at Musicmaker Dublin. Before you buy another drum kit, there's something we need to talk about.
There's a moment, often enough, in every drummer's life when they become convinced their kit has lost its magic. The toms sound like cardboard boxes. The snare has developed an unpleasant metallic opinion about everything. The kick drum has all the authority of somebody knocking politely on a bedroom door.
Naturally, the solution is to start researching new drums. Hold on there, Keith Moon. Before you start selling furniture to finance a new set of shells, take a look at the things you've been hitting for the last eighteen months.
Your drumheads.
We've just received a massive fresh delivery of Evans drumheads at Musicmaker Dublin, including snare heads, tom heads, bass drum heads, head packs and useful accessories. And it couldn't have arrived at a better time. Because changing your drumheads is one of the most effective ways to transform the sound, response and personality of the kit you already own.
Let's get into it.
Why Drumheads Matter More Than You Think
A drum shell has an enormous influence on tone. Its material, dimensions, bearing edges and construction all matter.
But the drumhead is where the action begins. It's the vibrating surface that receives the energy from your stick. Its thickness, construction, coating and tension help determine how the drum attacks, resonates and decays. And unlike your shell, the head is a wearing part. After enough rehearsals, gigs and enthusiastic attempts to play like Dave Grohl, a batter head can become dented, stretched or simply difficult to tune consistently.
That's when drummers start blaming the kit.
The truth is that a well-tuned, modest drum set with carefully chosen fresh heads can sound astonishingly good. And Evans have spent decades refining exactly how those heads behave. Their Level 360 technology is designed to help the head seat evenly against the bearing edge, improving tuning consistency and expanding the usable tuning range. It's clever engineering applied to something beautifully simple.
Hit drum.
Make glorious noise.
Evans G2 and EC2: Make Those Toms Sing
Let's start with the toms, because nothing transforms a drum fill quite like a set of heads that actually want to resonate.
The Evans G2 is a modern classic: two plies of 7mil film, designed to balance durability, attack and a satisfyingly full tone. It's an excellent choice for drummers who want their toms to retain musical body while standing up to energetic playing. But suppose you want a little more control.
That's where the Evans EC2 comes in.
EC2 heads use two plies of film alongside Evans' edge-control technology to reduce unwanted overtones and focus the drum's response.
The result is a punchy, defined tom sound that feels particularly at home in modern rock, pop and studio recordings. That familiar DOOM-DOOM-DOOM as a drummer moves around the kit? That's the territory we're exploring. We've got clear and coated EC2 heads in a range of sizes, plus convenient tom packs for players looking to refresh several drums together.
Clear heads generally offer a brighter, more immediate attack. Coated heads tend towards a slightly warmer, drier character.
Neither is automatically better. It's about the sound in your head.
And the sound coming out of your drums.
Shop Evans EC2, G2 and tom drumheads at Musicmaker
Evans UV2 and Black Chrome: Built for Serious Hitting
Some drummers play with finesse. Others approach their kit as though it owes them money. For the latter group, we'd like to introduce Evans UV2.
These heads feature two plies of 7mil film with Evans' patented UV-cured coating, designed to resist wear and maintain a consistent playing surface. They're particularly appealing to hard-hitting rock and metal drummers who want the feel of a coated head without seeing the coating disappear halfway through a run of gigs. The sound is controlled, articulate and full of attack, with enough warmth to keep things musical.
And then there's Evans Black Chrome.
These striking dark heads use a two-ply construction with a thicker lower ply, creating a focused response with reduced sustain and a pronounced attack. They're unapologetically modern. The visual effect is rather spectacular too. A set of Black Chrome tom heads can make a drum kit look like it's just joined a particularly aggressive touring band. But the real attraction is their tight, powerful voice.
If your toms are producing more unwanted ring than useful note, these are well worth investigating.
Explore Evans UV2, Black Chrome and other tom heads
Evans EMAD: The Bass Drum Upgrade That Changes Everything
Now for the big one. The kick drum.
The heartbeat of the kit. The thing the bass player locks onto. The low-frequency thump that makes the room feel alive. And occasionally, the drum that sounds suspiciously like somebody kicking a suitcase.
Enter the Evans EMAD.
EMAD stands for Externally Mounted Adjustable Damping, and the idea is wonderfully practical. Instead of endlessly experimenting with pillows, blankets and whatever else you can find backstage, EMAD uses an external damping system with interchangeable foam rings. You can adjust the amount of control to suit the room, the music and your preferred playing feel.
Want a short, punchy kick with a focused attack? Easy. Want a little more resonance and body? You've got options.
The range includes clear and coated EMAD heads, heavier-duty EMAD2 versions, and specialist finishes for different tonal preferences.
It's one of those genuinely useful inventions that makes you wonder why drum tuning ever involved stuffing half the contents of a linen cupboard into a bass drum.
Shop Evans EMAD bass drum heads at Musicmaker
Don't Forget the Snare. Or the Bottom Heads.
Your snare drum is probably the most expressive voice on the entire kit. It's also the one that can become irritating remarkably quickly when the heads aren't behaving. Evans offers a wide range of snare batter heads, including controlled options such as the ST Dry, designed to produce a powerful attack with reduced unwanted ring.
For players chasing a crisp, focused backbeat, the right snare head can be transformative. But here's something worth remembering.
The bottom head matters too.
That thin snare-side head responds to the movement of air inside the drum and helps activate the snare wires. The Evans Clear 300 is a versatile snare-side option that balances sensitivity and durability.
And while we're talking about the underside of the kit, remember that tom resonant heads also influence pitch, sustain and the way each drum speaks. You don't necessarily need to replace every resonant head whenever you change a batter head. But if they're ancient, damaged or impossible to tune properly, they deserve some attention.
Sometimes the sound you've been chasing is hiding underneath the drum.
Explore Evans snare and resonant drumheads
The Little Extras That Make a Big Difference
A proper drumhead refresh isn't always limited to new skins. Damping accessories can help tame an unruly snare or shorten the sustain of a tom without forcing you to change the head itself.
A good drum key makes the tuning process considerably less frustrating.
And for drummers who need to practise without upsetting everybody within a three-house radius, Evans' dB One low-volume heads offer a different approach, using specialist mesh construction to reduce acoustic volume while retaining a useful playing response. There are also Evans RealFeel practice pads for developing technique without firing up the entire kit.
These aren't particularly glamorous purchases.
Nobody walks into a drum shop and announces they've always dreamed of owning a damping accessory.
But ask an experienced drum tech what lives in their bag, and you'll quickly discover how valuable the small stuff can be.
Explore Evans drumheads and accessories at Musicmaker
Which Evans Drumheads Should You Choose?
The answer depends on the sound you're chasing.
For open, versatile toms with plenty of body, start with G2.
For focused modern attack and tighter sustain, investigate EC2.
For coated durability and a strong, controlled response, UV2 deserves a look.
For darker, shorter tom tones, Black Chrome is a fascinating option.
For a bass drum that needs punch without an afternoon of experimental pillow placement, try EMAD.
And for snare drums, remember that the choice of batter head and snare-side head work together.
One last piece of advice: measure your drums before ordering.
A 12-inch tom needs a 12-inch head, and a 14-inch snare needs a 14-inch head. It sounds obvious until somebody discovers they've bought a beautiful new skin that doesn't fit.
Ask us if you're unsure. We'd much rather help you get the right head the first time.
Fresh Evans Drumheads Have Landed at Musicmaker Dublin
There's something enormously satisfying about putting fresh heads on a familiar kit. The first proper snare crack. The first tom fill where every drum speaks clearly. The first kick drum note that actually sounds like the one you've been hearing in your head.
It's a reminder that great drum sounds aren't always about expensive shells or elaborate hardware.
Sometimes they're about getting the fundamentals right.
And right now, with a huge fresh shipment of Evans drum skins, tom heads, snare heads, bass drum heads and accessories through the doors, it's a particularly good time to do exactly that.
Drop into Musicmaker, 29 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2, and have a chat with our drum department.
Tell us what kit you're playing, what music you're making and what you wish your drums sounded like.
We'll help you find the right heads.
Free shipping around Ireland on orders over €15.
Or explore the full Evans range online:
Shop Evans Drumheads and Skins at Musicmaker Ireland
Before you replace your drums, replace the things you're hitting.
Your kit might have a lot more to say.
Musicmaker — Independent minds. Serious gear. Glorious noise.
