Single-ply or double-ply heads for toms?

Single-ply batter heads are thinner — they give a bright, open sound with a long sustain and rich overtones, well suited to jazz, pop and sensitive playing. Double-ply heads are thicker — they sound 'fatter', with a controlled, shorter sustain and higher durability, so they're a classic for toms in rock music and loud playing. The choice depends on the style and desired sustain. We'll suggest a type for your music.

Coated or clear heads for toms?

Clear heads are very common on toms — they give a bright sound with a pronounced attack and good sustain, which works great for most styles. Coated heads sound warmer, with a slightly muffled, softer attack and add 'body' — they're chosen for a warmer, more vintage character. Both options are popular depending on taste. The coating also affects durability. We'll suggest a coating for your setup and style.

Why a resonant head on a tom?

A tom's resonant (bottom) head takes no strikes but plays a key role in shaping the sound: it determines the sustain, pitch and resonance of the drum. It's usually thinner and clear. Tuning the resonant head relative to the batter lets you control the tone — from an open singing sustain to a focused short sound. If the resonant is worn or damaged, the tom loses its character. We'll suggest resonant heads for your toms.

A head pack is a ready set of batter heads in several sizes at once for all the toms of your kit (for example, 10″, 12″, 14″ or 12″, 13″, 16″). It's better value than buying separately and guarantees a matched sound across the whole set, since all the heads are from the same series. Packs are handy for a full kit refresh before recording or a gig. We'll suggest a pack for your tom configuration.

How do you choose a tom head size?

A tom head is chosen exactly by the drum diameter: rack toms are usually 8″, 10″, 12″, 13″; floor toms — 14″, 16″, 18″. The head size must match the tom diameter, otherwise it won't fit. Measure the drum shell or check the marking on the old head. For a full set, ready packs of the needed sizes are convenient. If you write the tom sizes, we'll pick the heads. This guarantees an exact fit.

Which brands do you offer and where to buy?

Tom heads from Remo (Ambassador, Emperor, Pinstripe), Evans (G1, G2, EC2), Aquarian and other brands — batter and resonant, single- and double-ply, coated and clear, individually and in packs, sizes 8–18″. We select by size, type and your style. Delivery across Ukraine; pickup in Kyiv (Olzhycha St, 15). Warranty, instalments, Prozorro tenders. Phone +380 (73) 060 01 01.

Tom drum heads

Q: What heads do you need for toms?

Toms are double-headed drums, so they need a batter head on top, which you play, and a resonant head on the bottom. The batter determines the attack and main character of the sound, while the resonant shapes the sustain, pitch and resonance of the drum. Both heads together set the overall tom sound. For a full replacement, you take both, but often only the batter is refreshed, as it wears faster. We'll suggest a combination for your toms and style.

Q: How do you tune a tom with heads?

A tom's sound depends on the head choice and their tuning. Single-ply give a higher, more singing tone, double-ply — lower, more controlled. Tuning the batter and resonant relative to each other changes the pitch and sustain: matching the tuning of both gives maximum sustain, a different one — more attack or pitch decay. Experiment with tension for the sound you want. We'll suggest heads and basic tuning tips.

Batter and resonant, single- and double-ply — Remo, Evans, Aquarian

Toms are double-headed drums, so they need a batter head on top (attack, main sound) and a resonant head on the bottom (sustain, pitch, resonance). They come single-ply (bright, open, long sustain) and double-ply (controlled, 'fat', for rock), coated (warm) and clear (bright, with attack). Head packs for the whole tom set are very popular. Sizes 8–18″. At SoundsGood — Remo, Evans, Aquarian. Genuine heads, delivery across Ukraine.

🥁Batter and resonant
Top and bottom

📑Single- and double-ply
Sustain or control

⚪Coated and clear
Warm or attack

📦Packs and sizes
8–18″, head pack

🥁 Popular tom heads

Remo

Single-ply clear batter

A single-ply clear batter head for a tom — a bright, open sound with a long sustain and rich overtones.

Learn more → Remo

Double-ply batter (controlled)

A double-ply batter head for a tom — a 'fatter', controlled sound with a shorter sustain. A classic for rock.

Learn more → Remo

Coated batter for a tom

A coated batter head for a tom — a warmer, slightly muffled sound with a softer attack. For a warmer character.

Learn more → Evans

Resonant head for a tom

A thin clear resonant (bottom) head for a tom — shapes the sustain, pitch and resonance of the drum.

Learn more → Aquarian

Tom head pack

A ready pack of batter heads for toms in several sizes — a great-value, matched way to replace the whole drum set.

Learn more → Evans

Batter for a floor tom 16″

A batter head for a floor tom (16–18″) — a deep, powerful sound with a rich low end. An exact fit.

Learn more →

Not sure what to choose? Write your tom sizes and playing style — we'll match heads or a ready pack.

🧩 Types of tom head

🥁 Batter

The top head you play on — determines the attack and main character of the tom's sound. Wears faster than the resonant.

🔄 Resonant

The bottom head — takes no strikes but shapes the sustain, pitch and resonance. Usually thinner and clear.

📑 Single- vs double-ply

Single-ply — bright, open, long sustain; double-ply — 'fat', controlled, shorter sustain, a classic for rock.

⚪ Coated vs clear

Clear — bright attack and sustain, very common on toms; coated — warmer, slightly muffled, for a vintage character.

🎯 How to choose a tom head

🔼 Position

Batter (top) — for playing and attack; resonant (bottom) — for sustain and pitch. Often only the batter is refreshed.

📑 Number of plies

Single-ply — a bright singing tone for jazz and pop; double-ply — control and 'fat' for rock and loud playing.

⚪ Coating

Clear — brighter attack and sustain; coated — warmer, softer sound. Depends on the desired character.

🥁 Rack or floor tom

Rack toms (8–13″) — a higher tone; floor toms (14–18″) — a deeper, powerful low end. Each its own head size.

📏 Size (diameter)

Chosen exactly by the tom diameter (8–18″). Measure the shell or check the marking on the old head.

📦 Individually or in a pack

For a full kit refresh, head packs are great value — a matched sound across the whole tom set.

📊 Tom heads by purpose

Head	Type	Sound and purpose
Single-ply clear	Batter, 1 ply	Bright, long sustain
Double-ply	Batter, 2 plies	'Fat', control, rock
Coated	Batter, coating	Warm, soft attack
Resonant	Thin, bottom	Sustain, pitch, resonance
Head pack	Several sizes	Matched set replacement
Floor tom 16″	Batter, large	Deep, powerful low end

Not sure what you need? Write your tom sizes and music style, and we'll match heads.

⭐ Drums and hardware

Heads

All drumheads

Batter and resonant for toms, snare and bass drum.

Learn more → Heads

For the snare drum

Coated batters and snare-side resonant.

Learn more → Kits

Acoustic kits

Complete kits and shell packs for your heads.

Learn more → Sticks

Drumsticks

The main tool for playing on the head.

Learn more → Cymbals

Drum cymbals

Hi-hat, crash, ride, splash and packs.

Learn more → All

Drums & percussion

Kits, drums, cymbals and accessories.

Learn more →

🏆 Delivery, warranty and instalments

🛡️

Official warranty

Genuine heads with a warranty

🥁

Global brands

Remo, Evans, Aquarian

🎯

Help choosing

We'll suggest the type, coating and size

🏛️

Prozorro tenders

Supplies for schools and cultural institutions

🚚

Delivery across Ukraine

Nova Poshta; free from ₴4,000

💳

Instalment payments

PrivatBank, monobank — up to 12 payments

❓ Frequently asked questions

What heads do you need for toms?

A tom is a double-headed drum: a batter on top for attack and main sound + a resonant on the bottom for sustain, pitch and resonance. Both set the sound. Often only the batter is refreshed.

Single-ply or double-ply?

Single-ply — bright, open, long sustain, for jazz and pop; double-ply — 'fat', controlled, shorter sustain, a classic for rock and loud playing.

Coated or clear?

Clear is very common on toms — bright attack and sustain; coated — warmer, slightly muffled, for a vintage character. Both popular by taste.

Why a resonant head?

The bottom head takes no strikes but shapes the sustain, pitch and resonance of the tom. Usually thinner and clear. A worn resonant — the tom loses character.

What is a head pack?

A ready set of batter heads in several sizes for all the kit's toms. Better value than buying separately and gives a matched sound — all the same series. Handy for a full refresh.

How do you choose the size?

Exactly by the tom diameter: rack toms 8–13″, floor toms 14–18″. The head size must match the diameter. Measure the shell or the old head's marking.

How do you tune a tom with heads?

Single-ply — a higher singing tone, double-ply — lower, more controlled. Tuning the batter and resonant relative to each other changes pitch and sustain. Experiment with tension.

Which brands and where to buy?

Remo (Ambassador, Pinstripe), Evans (G1, G2), Aquarian — batter and resonant, individually and in packs, 8–18″. Delivery across Ukraine; pickup in Kyiv. Phone +380 (73) 060 01 01.