Can you explain what the powerstroke isn't or is doing that bothers you?

I can't seem to get any low end going on. Tuned low it just doesn't have any tone. Tuned up high sounds thin and crappy.

Is that a 3-ply with rerings or the later 6-ply shell? Ambassador coated both sides, no holes in the reso head. That should do it. If you cannot get any low end with that combo on a 3-ply, I certainly cannot help you.

And teardrop 3-plies don't tune highly very well.

/Magnus

Thanks Magnus, it's a 3ply but has no rings on bassdrum, floor tom. The rack tom has rings. Glad to hear they don't like to be tuned up high cuz I like drums tuned nice and low. Looks like I am going to go and buy me some new heads.

it's a 20", right? those Powerstroke 3 heads have that plastic strip around the perimeter, to control overtones. Ever since drum companies saw fit to not put in mufflers (our drums don't need mufflers!!) , head companies and musicians have been stepping all over each other to find ways to control overtones.Pillows, blankets,damping rings,foam pads,ducttape and gauze,killer rings,tampons neighbours cats,rice pudding, strawbales and insulation bats but the best way , I have found, is to buy another brand of drum.

The problem with the Powerstroke 3 is that it works well on big open drums that make children run for cover but on drums that are already under control and have nice built in muffling systems, like most of the German drums a Powerstroke 3 takes away too many midtones and deadens the drum.

When I first started listening to Sonors, in the 60's----they sounded great with their own heads----which were likely custom made RKBs from Tromsa. Later I was around some kits with coated Emperors on them and they sounded great. I have a lot of bass drums around me(no Sonor at present), that are made from the same wood as Sonors are(European Beech) and they vary in length from 12" to 18". All are thin with rerings . Outside of the ones that are fitted with custom skin( moose,deer), the heads that perform the best consistently with these drums are Emperor(coated), Encore Pinstripe(clear) and Remo Pinstripe(clear). In ways, I give the nod to Encores because in this incarnation, anyway , they perform just as well as the much more expensive first line Remo heads. Try an Ambassador on the front or as Magnus_N suggests as a batter----I find them a little high but then some of the drums I am fitting are 12" deep. I always use a patch, put slightly offcentre so I can rotate to another strikepoint, when needed and I keep the beater dead centre. It is amazing how much lowend can get lost with an off centre beater.

It is a 20", I think you are onto something there, as I use Powerstroke clear on my two other 22 inchers and they sound great. Unfortunately somebody removed the muffler from the Sonor BD, I'd love to get one and put it back in(if some kind soul would sell me one). When I got the kit she was a real sick puppy but i fell in love with it and fixed it up, and sure am glad i did. Cuz it looks and sounds amazing. Well the toms sound amazing and after switching the head on BD hoping it will too. Thanks for the advice folks, y'all kick ass. Boogie on...BowingBowing

FWIW, as far as I know the 3-plies always had re-rings. I am pretty sure that no 3 plies were made without them.

Please post some pics of your drums, particularly the badges may be helpful in dating them.

/Magnus

Those mufflers are really hard to find, once removed, I agree. Is your drum drilled for the so-called Pratt muffler on thee batter side too? A lot of the Sonors were and almost all of the Trixons. Those really turn your drum into a major instrument.

Drilled just on batter side for muffler. Hope to get some pics up soon, gotta figure out how to do it. BTW badge says "Made in Western Germany". Tom mount is in middle of BD