Hi John, I'll try to help you with a few suggestions.

Surprising that the Lead Guitarist is moaning? Usually, they got these Amps, which at 1-1/2 on the volume have your ears bleeding. :-)

The Powertone is not too unlike other COB 5x14's such as the Slingy Sound King, Luddy Supra. A darn good Drum IMO.

First, for the least amount of effect, use your Muffler, and this will kill some ring, projection, and sustain. Will slightly knock down the volume.

Second option, and this will considerably mute the drum, get one of those Tone Rings, such as the Remo-O's, or the Aquarian Studio Ring in 14" size. This will kill a lot of the volume, ring, without having to resort to strange heads, which might wind up feeling like junk to you. They are inexpensive, are on, and off in a flash, and stay put when you play.

Cheapest option, a small Hankerchief at the edge of the Drum, and can perhaps be affixed with a little bit of masking tape. Hope this helps, Mark

Funny how its always the guitarist whose eyes cross when a Rogers drum begins to sing.

I use Ambassador coated on top, and either an ambassador or diplomat on bottom for all my rogers snares.

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the tips. I have used O'Rings in the past and always keep one on hand.

I cut them down to the thinnest possible size in order not to mute the drum too much. I am not a big fan of using them, and will continue to work with the internal muffler to keep my band brothers happy. In all honesty, the rest of the band could care less about it, but our lead guitarist has asked for a quieter drum on occassion.

I will use the Powertone at gigs, and break out my DW for recordings.

I also just bought a late 60's Supra (not COB) that should be arriving any day now.....can't wait for that one to get here

Hi John, You'll find the Supra a great drum too, with lots of awesome attack, and definition. I've owned a few, including once, a mint '60 Supra 5x14 COB.

I've personally found the older original Luddy Snares like on the '60 sounded great, but on later snares were sometimes iffy. Some were good in mid-late 60's, and on my '75 6-1/2x14 LM-402, I didn't really care for the stock wires, and it appeared somewhere along the line Ludwig changed metals and/or manufacture. I used Puresounds in this particular instance with a nice improvement, even though I've typically found Puresound Snares to be usually a bit dark.

Another option I didn't think of at the time to reduce volume, is of course very light sticks, and I mean featherweights.

Like a 7A?, or something like a Jake Hanna Regal Tip?

Mark

Just to advise, we played a gig the other night and I used the Powertone with internal muffler only,,,, it sounded great. Even our lead guitar agreed.

Next show, the Supra...........

Thanks, John

I always keep a few pieces of blue painter's masking tape around to deaden any unwanted overtones on the bass drum. I use the internal mufflers for toms and snares when I need to and if I am playing my vintage stuff (as the newer stuff doesn't even have internal muffling options ! Why is that?) ...but, I'll tell ya what....I tend to LIKE overtones! heh heh Go figure! Anyway...it's always a "six of one, half a dozen of the other" kind of thing when it comes opinions about sound or when it comes to A/B'ing drums that are built differently. I owned a COB Dynasonic and I didn't like it very much. I mean...I WANTED it to sound better than those "plain, old" Supras....but, they just never did. Plus, the Dyna always felt stiff and less comfortable to play. The Supra was much more "squishy" to hit than was the Dyna -in my opinion. It probably had to do with the Supra's snare beds and the Dyna's lack of them...or maybe the fact that I was never able to truly comprehend the Rogers snare mechanism at that time! :)

So, inevitabely, as I started to collect drums, I had to gravitate towards my TRUE love -Ludwig. I also love the vintage Rogers, too...but the Luds just had a sound that went right into my mind -like a familiar voice that was instantly recognizable after years and years of not hearing it. When I found a Supra on sale at an antique shop, I bought it, polished it up and withing 2 minutes, I was 'back home and it was forty years earlier! heh heh