I decided to base the prototype WARHEAD DRUMS kit on the sizes that I’ve preferred to play over the past 25 years which are : 8”, 10”, 12”, 14” diameter (hanging) toms, and a 22” diameter Bass drum. Personally, I like a ‘stand-alone’ Bass drum as it cuts down on ‘sympathetic’ ringing from attached toms.
This being 8”, 10”, 13”, 15” and 25” respectively. This adds resonance & tone to the sound, unlike single-headed, open-ended cylindrical toms that, in my opinion, sound ‘two-dimensional’ and ‘dead’.
Shell thicknesses range from 1/16” for the 8”, through to 1/8” for the 14”, & (at the moment) almost 1/4” for the Bass drum.
Air can escape from each tom by means of a 2” hole cut at such a position as to allow a tom stand arm to pass through the shell (without touching the wall), when utilising an Isolation Mounting System (in this case Pearl), which grips the metal hoop of each drum. This method allows the shell to vibrate with maximum freedom.
The Bass drum has a 4” hole (mimicking one in an outer skin) cut directly underneath it’s body, and at a similar distance from the batter head as would be found on a normal cylindrical 22” Bass drum. Thus, a short, vertical Mic stand can be placed directly under it, holding a Mic at exactly the same distance as usual, whilst being almost invisible to the naked eye. In addition, the 4” hole is barely noticeable to the front & side, therefore allowing the drum to retain it’s smooth, shapely lines.