Evans UV1 Coated Heads

92
GEAR REVIEW
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S
ince Chick Evans produced the fi rst
synthetic ‘weatherproof’ drum head
in 1956, the company has stayed at
the forefront of the development of
the modern heads that we know today. Since
acquiring Evans in 1995, the D’Addario
company has taken on this duty of innovation
and aims to take things to the next level with
the release of the UV1 drum head.
Build
The unique UV1s get their name from the
patented UV curing method used to coat the
head. Beyond the implied, the exact details of
the process are unclear, but to be fair it’s likely
a pretty closely guarded secret. What Evans
does claim though is that this new method
gives “the most consistently applied coating
ever seen on any drum head”. Interestingly,
the coating does not run all the way out to the
fl esh hoop but instead stops just shy of the
collar; so around the far edges of the head the
untouched clear fi lm can be seen. Once
seated on the drum, this border line sits
pretty much directly over the bearing edge
and is only noticeable up close.
At a glance the coating appears identical
to that of a regular spray-coated head, until
under closer inspection where the playing
surface seems more even, thinner and much
less coarse than standard coated heads.
Not only do these new heads utilise a
different coating but they are in fact also
made of a new type of fi lm, designed to offer
“exceptional strength and versatility for a full
range of musical applications”. Just like a
standard Evans G1 or Remo Ambassador, the
UV1s are constructed from a single-ply of
10-mil fi lm which is notoriously fragile in
comparison to a thicker head. For reference, a
double-ply skin like a G2 or Emperor uses two
layers of 7-mil fi lm which makes them the
preferred choice for heavier hitters. For those
that are interested, one mil (not to be
confused with a millimetre) is a measurement
defi ned as 1,000th of an inch.
Hands On
For review purposes we have received 10",
12", 13", 14" and 16" models which cover
From £18.30 Could this be another
game-changing innovation from Evans?
EVANS UV1
COATED HEADS
WORDS: TOM BRADLEY
nearly the whole range of available sizes,
except for 15" and 18". These sizes are
perfect for putting to the test with my Tama
Starclassic Bubinga (10", 12", 14" and 16"
toms) plus a 13" Benny Greb signature snare.
Before mounting the UV1s to the kit, I give
them each a little tap with my fi nger out of the
box. The natural tone is a low and grizzly one
(even from the small 10") which bodes well for
UNSURPRISINGLY, AS I TUNE THE
TOMS HIGHER, THE NOTE BECOMES
LONGER YET STAYS SNAPPY AND
ARTICULATE AS I WORK MY WAY INTO
MORE LATIN-JAZZ TERRITORIES
SIZES
The UV1 is currently
available as a 10",
12", 13", 14", 15",
16" or 18"
the next few hours of experimentation.
Getting stuck straight into the snare drum
fi rst; with the bottom head cranked nice and
tight for a snappy wire defi nition, I take the
batter head barely past a quarter-turn before
being rewarded with a super fat-back style
thump. The head even feels nice to play despite
the lack of tension, which is a bonus. Moving to
a medium tuning, I am reminded how much of
1
EVANS CALFTONE
‘56 SERIES
HEADS
We say: “With Calftones
you enter a different
sonic world, one with
many fans in today’s
music which
encompasses
world-jazz-folk-acoustic
elements. ”
2
REMO
AMBASSADOR
X14
We say: “ Quite simply,
what’s not to like?
Supremely playable;
open, powerful sound;
substantially more
durable than a regular
Ambassador. ”
| MAY 2017 WWW.MUSICRADAR.COM/RHYTHM
RHY267.gear_evans.indd 92 23/03/2017 19:43