I like them both with a slight preference towards the 6 ply toms over the 3 ply toms. The 3 ply bass has a better sound on this vid IMO. The 6ply bass is too boomy, not enough muffling and its a bit higher than I care for my bass tuning. And thats my :2Cents:

I had the same EXACT take on this. Nice tom sounds on that 6 ply. Love the larger boom from those. Hate the bass sound on the 6 ply. LOVE the bass sound on the 3 ply. Cool.

Its odd to me, since I love my own 6 ply bass drum....but then again I know how I like it tuned and muffled and still have a good sound. Also, I have not been a fan of my own 3 ply drums....until recently though that is. I reheaded them (again!) using the same heads I use on the 6ply kit. Aquarian Performance IIs on the batters and a super kick II on the bass. Much more full sound out of them now. I was using Ludwig coated weathermaster heavy for batters before....and they needed a lot of work to tame them down a bit. And the bass was smooth white with felt strips and it was just too flappy sounding @ low tuning and too boingy @ higher tunings. They sound similar to the 6ply kit now, just with a bit less sustain.

I guess I'm a 6ply guy at heart, I just wish they were as light as my 3ply kit is for ease of gigging! LoLoLoLo

I think the 6-ply drums sound better because he is using a rather low tuning. I think if the tuning was higher the 3-ply drums would show their true nature. The 3-ply drums in that clip sound too floppy and low. I think bigger 3-ply drums would have facilitated the lower tuning better.

Therefore, I think the test was interesting but didn't really indicate much about what the 3-ply sound can be. I don't know what heads he is using, either, but they sound thicker than Diplomats. And Dips are the same thickness of the Weathermaster heads that would have been equipped on those 3-ply drums when they were new

Love it,

I have'nt played my 6-plys yet, lotsa work to do. Been playing the 3-ply for years.

6-ply pics,

Apples and oranges. IMO there are way too many variables in this video to accurately judge tonal differences. Miking, tuning, drum sizes etc.

So does that mean that 3 ply vs 6 ply doesn't really matter that much? With the right combination of heads and tuning you can get the warm vintage vibe regardless?????

Actually...yes. You can get pretty much any sound with the right combination of heads, tensioning, mics, studio trickery, etc.

This was just a neato side by side that really doesn't prove anything other than it's neat. I've never seen one done before and thought I would share it.

I bought a new set of ludwigs in 1980 and got rid of them because I never liked their sound. If I could have got them to sound like those 6 plies I would have never dumped them.