Maple vs. Birch

[Nubus]

What's up? I have some seven ply maple drums that are allright. My buddy Jason just got a Birch kit though that I would say pretty much gives my kit a run for it's money. Maybe mine are just old, or it's his new heads, but I like his sound better. I'd always heard Maples were best though.. now I dunno.

[Whoopysnorp]

The types of woods used in drum kits is something I don't really know a lot about. Could some knowledgeable person run down the tonal differences between birch, maple, and whatever else people commonly use to make drums?

[smopo24]

i've actually seen and heard drums made of fiber glass. they were made by the north drum company and sounded fantastic! good luck finding a set though!

[Whoopysnorp]

Originally Posted by smopo24

i've actually seen and heard drums made of fiber glass. they were made by the north drum company and sounded fantastic! good luck finding a set though!

Oh yeah, Ludwig made some of those too. Those are the Vistalite kits, like that Bonham reissue kit. And of course, Danny Carey has that kit made from melted down Paiste 2002 cymbals. I wonder how that one sounds...

[lukedavo]

The fiber density, water content, growing region all have to do with how a woods tonal characteristics translate to "wow that sounds good". Different species have different variances in the options above, all directly relating to the resonance and how sound travels through and reacts to the material.
Its very basic in the fact that a wood with a high fiber density, is going to be tough, hard to mend, and extremely resonant. Maple for example, usually a bit more expensive than others, due to the fact that it is hard to work with, and takes a bit more care to shape. It sounds very vibrant which in drums is a very good characteristic. Birch is a little less dense, therefore a little less vibrant, mahogany a little less, and so on and so forth...

It was found that the greater amount of wood substance in one wood versus another is reflected in the presence of a larger proportion of cells with thick cell walls and smaller cavities, a condition that naturally leads to greater strength on the part of the denser wood. This density has been determined to be approximately 93.6 lbs/cu. ft..

Although each kind of wood is characterized by a definite structural pattern, its density values may exhibit decided departures from the mean. Within a particular species, these variations in density may be traceable to the factors that affect the growth rate of the tree, to its age, or to the place in the log from which the wood came. For example, Douglas fir from the Pacific Northwest has been shown to be somewhat denser and stronger than that from the Rocky Mountain states and the density of Aspen may vary almost 100% depending on its growing site.

For example pine is classified as a soft wood, low fiber density, there for almost never used in drums. and in case you didnt know heres a little tid-bit about pines... The soft, moist, white inner bark, or cambium, found clinging to the dead, woody outer bark is edible and very high in vitamins A and C. It can be eaten in slices raw as a snack or dried and ground up into a powder for use as a thickener/flavoring in stews, soups, and other foods. The bunches of young green cones found at the ends of branches make a tasty, healthy hiking snack. A tea made by steeping young, green pine needles in boiling water is delicious and high in vitamins A and C. Just in case

That concludes our lesson in wood.

[Nubus]

Now I want to get all new heads and see what happens.

[Nubus]

Shoot now I want to go home and take better care of my drums. They're on their sides in the damp basement next to the furnace.

[smopo24]

now i want to go home and have me some pine stew.....i need the vitamins!

[Arnieinthesky]

Maple = Big, Bottom End, Resonant
Birch = Fast, 'Attacky'

Birch drums used to be popular in the studio cause of their quick decay. Personally I find birch a little lacking in mid-range and power but hey, if you don't like mid-range, you might be partial to Birch. (I'm not gonna argue with Steve Gadd!)

jl

[Whoopysnorp]

I personally would much have a huge-sounding kit with lots of midrange to a sparse-sounding '80s type kit. I guess if I ever buy more drums I should try to make sure they're maple. I wonder what my old Slingerlands are made out of...