With T-towels the choice is manageable: two sizes. Even so, it is worth a minute of thought before you order.
Which goes where
- 12" — Rack Toms
- 16" — snare and Floor Toms
The size refers to the cloth, not to the drum diameter. So a 16" T-towel does not belong exclusively on a 16" Floor Tom — it is simply the larger cloth and covers more head area.
Why the snare gets the large cloth
Because the snare is where most happens. The classic 1960s sound lives off a large piece of fabric lying on the batter head, taking out the overtones without killing the attack. With the small cloth you only get half of that effect.
How many do I need?
For a typical kit with snare, two Rack Toms and one Floor Tom:
- Minimum: one 16" on the snare — that is the biggest audible difference for €32.99
- Sensible: 2-piece combo (12" + 16") for €56.99 — snare and one tom
- Complete: 3-piece combo (1× 12", 2× 16") for €84.99 — snare, Rack Tom, Floor Tom
What T-towels do differently from Drops
Drops shorten the sustain and leave the fundamental standing. T-towels also lower the perceived pitch and smooth the highs — the tone gets darker, not just shorter. And they make the kit audibly quieter: by 2.6 dB on average. That is the difference between “controlled” and “practised without waking the neighbours”.
If you want both, take the Sampler bundle.
The magnetic closure
It is the actual reason this works and a tea towel does not: the T-towel folds identically every time. That makes the sound repeatable — at soundcheck just as much as two cities later.
Compatibility
Same as with Drops: not suitable for wood hoops and for oversized vintage tension rods (round, slotted), as found on some older Sonor kits.