[secondking]

Plastic Beaters, or Felt beaters? Which can i use for longer lasting heads? I like plastics better, a deeper louder sound, more focused, and the felt kind of dulls it a lot. But when i tried plastic on my double bass pedals, my head broke! Please, i really don't have that large of a budget to buy a new bass head every weak.

[butter]

how long had you been using the head you broke? i recently broke my head, too, but i had had it in use for almost 6 months and it was a factory head. the plastic beater probably isnt the reason you broke your head, if it happens again then you might have a problem, but i use plastic beaters and ive broken 2 heads in my life.

you could switch to rubber beaters if it keeps up. i think theyre a bit softer than plastic but give you better sound than felt.

[Der Trommler]

Use a bass drum patch and this will extend the life of the bass drum batter head. Here is a link to what I am talking about:

Bass Drum Patch at Guitar Center. | Search Results

[Luke]

I agree with Der I have a patch on my factory bass drum head and use plastic beaters on a double bass and the head is fine

[secondking]

I've kept with the plastic beaters using the broken head with duct tape for about 5 weeks, around that I'd say. its been fine, a little dead sounding but it works. and i will think about getting the bass pad when i get new heads, I've almost got more than enough for a new cymbal, so, I'll wait until i have enough for the heads and the cymbal and a couple cymbal stands.

[mynameisalfred]

The drum pad is a good alternative, I had a drum pad on a cheap, 1-ply factory head and it lasted pretty long, and then one day I took it off, and I continued using the plastic beater and now there are two big, deep dents where the beaters hit, so sad.

[slingerland59]

Dr. Scholl's moleskin pads work as a patch too, but probably not as good as the plastic drum ones. They have a muffling quality that I like, which you might not like, and they aren't exactly cheap.