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Sweetwater
5.0 (1)
$21.95
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$21.95
Amazon
4.8 (1435)
Used
Musician's Friend
4.0 (91)
$22.95 $21.95 $1.00 · All time low
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2.0 (1)
$21.95
Thomann
4.8 (359)
$19.40 $18.90 $0.50 · All time low

Price History

Based on price data from 5 merchants for "Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.

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Description

Experience the perfect blend of warmth and durability with the Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead, a staple in the world of drumming for over 50 years. Crafted with two free-floating plies of 7-mil Mylar film, this drumhead delivers a rich, resonant sound that has made it a favorite among professional drummers worldwide. The medium-weight construction allows for a versatile performance across various musical styles, from rock to jazz, providing a broad tonal range that is both open and controlled.

The Emperor Coated drumhead's distinctive coated finish enhances its tonal warmth while subtly dampening overtones, ensuring a focused and articulate response. This coating not only contributes to the drumhead's signature sound but also adds an extra layer of protection against the rigors of frequent playing. Whether you're on stage or in the studio, these drumheads maintain their integrity and sound quality, making them an ideal choice for any drummer looking for a reliable and versatile addition to their kit.

Designed to withstand the demands of hard-hitting performances, the Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead is known for its exceptional durability and longevity. With its ability to produce full, resonant tones and a bright attack, this drumhead is suited for drummers who require both power and precision.

Key Features:

  • Dual-ply construction with two 7-mil Mylar plies
  • Coated finish for warm, controlled tones
  • Exceptional durability and longevity
  • Suitable for a wide range of musical styles
  • Consistent, resonant sound with controlled sustain

Product specs

Batter/Resonant Batter
Size 12"
Clear/Coated Coated
Thickness 14mil (2 x 7mil)

FAQs

What sound characteristics can I expect from the Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead?

The Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead delivers a warm, controlled sound with a moderate attack and reduced high-frequency overtones due to its coating. It provides balanced, warm tones with moderate sustain, making it ideal for medium to high-volume drumming.

Is the Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead suitable for all music styles?

Yes, the Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead is versatile and suitable for various music styles. Its warm and controlled sound makes it a great choice for rock, jazz, and pop, providing a balanced tone that fits well in many musical settings.

How does the thickness of the Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead affect its performance?

The Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead is 14mil thick, consisting of two 7mil plies. This thickness offers durability and a balanced tone, providing a warm, controlled sound with moderate sustain, suitable for medium to high-volume playing.

Is the Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead durable enough for heavy playing?

Yes, the Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead's two-ply construction enhances its durability, making it suitable for heavy playing and more intense drumming styles while maintaining a warm, controlled sound.

Can the Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead be used as a resonant head?

The Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead is designed as a batter head, which is typically used on the top side of the drum for striking. While it can technically be used as a resonant head, it is optimized for batter applications.

Remo Inc.

Remo Inc.

Emperor Coated Drumhead | Remo

Video thumbnail for Emperor Coated Drumhead | Remo by Remo Inc.

Emperor Coated Drumhead | Remo

Remo Inc.

Remo Inc.

Video thumbnail for REMO Emperor Coated Tom Drum head | Sound Check by Michael Oloyede

REMO Emperor Coated Tom Drum head | Sound Check

Michael Oloyede

Michael Oloyede

Video thumbnail for Coated Emperor vs G2 Coated Remo vs Evans  comparison by Timmy G

Coated Emperor vs G2 Coated Remo vs Evans comparison

Timmy G

Timmy G

Video thumbnail for Drum Review : Remo Emperor Coated Snare Batter Drum Head by Michael Oloyede

Drum Review : Remo Emperor Coated Snare Batter Drum Head

Michael Oloyede

Michael Oloyede

Reviews

PROS

  • Consistently delivers high-quality sound across various genres

  • Coating stays durable and withstands high tensions

  • Offers a punchy, warm sound with great attack

  • Easy to tune, reducing the difficulty for different styles

  • Lasts longer compared to some competing heads

  • Provides a vintage and modern sound simultaneously

  • Favored by professional drummers like Bonham and Grohl

  • Excellent for studio use with warm, dark tones

  • Ideal for experimental tuning and sound customization

  • Made in the USA, ensuring quality craftsmanship

CONS

  • Coating durability may vary; some experience quicker wear

  • Quality control issues; occasional aesthetic defects present

  • Less suitable for live performances due to durability concerns

  • Coating can flake off, affecting brushwork and playing feel

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead.

Setup and maintenance

  • Using a coated Emperor on the snare reso side is discouraged due to its 14 mil thickness, which can hinder snare wire activation.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • Coated Emperor heads can sound boxy and lack tone on the reso side, particularly when too thick.

    Source
  • Emperors maintain stick attack and sustain with added low-end from the second ply, suitable for varied musical styles like indie rock and funk.

    Source

Comparisons

  • Single-ply reso heads are recommended over Emperor for better response and control.

    Source
  • The coating on Remo heads is considered less durable, often flaking off quicker compared to Evans, which maintains its coating longer.

    Source
  • Evans UV series is praised for its longevity and resistance to stick marks, contrasting with Remo's more brittle coating that can chip.

    Source
  • Emperors offer durability and a rounder sound compared to Ambassadors, which are more resonant but may sound "thwappy" when cranked.

    Source

User experience

  • Emperors are praised on snares and toms for their robust sound, though some prefer the brighter tone of thinner heads.

    Source
  • Remo Coated Emperor heads tend to sound better after a few hours of play, as the coating smooths out, enhancing attack and warmth.

    Source
  • Owners recommend Emperors for their ability to handle harder playing, with a suggestion to try a 10" Ambassador for a direct comparison.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • For achieving a 60s/70s sound, pairing coated Emperors with thinner reso heads can offer a more authentic tone.

    Source
  • Remo Coated Emperors are favored for achieving a Gavin Harrison tom sound, appreciated for its articulate attack and warmth.

    Source
  • The coated Emperor heads are preferred for punchy yet open sounds, ideal for 90s rock and Bonham-inspired tones on birch drum kits.

    Source

Mods and upgrades

  • Using a coated single-ply reso can enhance tone control compared to thicker, dual-ply options.

    Source

Critic Reviews

Remo Emperor Coated Review - Drumhead Authority

drumheadauthority.com

The Remo Emperor Coated drumhead shines in studio and medium-volume settings, delivering a warm, moderate attack with controlled overtones. Its dual-ply construction and coating offer a responsive surface for both sticks and brushes, making it a versatile choice for drummers. While it excels in balanced tones and sustain, it might struggle in extremely high-volume live gigs without microphones. Overall, it's a durable, adaptable option for drummers seeking a warm, balanced sound.

positive
Add

4.5 out of 5

Based on 3 Reviews and 21 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
bradrummer

Great for any drum at any gig with any tuning.

If you don't know where to start or what head you want to end up with, just go with this one for any drum

tgifribae

Snare and Toms

I use these on my snares and toms sometimes.

rumpujamppa

Great head.

Great head. I have these on my Pearl Export Series kit.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Max Weinberg uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Max Weinberg

Drummer

E Street Band

...
Verified via YouTube

In a video titled "Max Weinberg - Bruce Springsteen - Tour Kit Rundown", at the 19:29 mark, Max Weinberg's drum technician, Matt Payne, confirms the use of Remo Emperor Coated Drumheads on Weinberg's drums during the 2023 Springsteen & E Street Band tour. Payne specifically mentions that Emperor heads are also utilized on the tops of the toms.

See how Frank Ferrer uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Frank Ferrer

Drummer

Guns N' Roses

...
Verified via Frank Ferrer

As mentioned on Ferrer's official website.

See how Eric Kretz uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Eric Kretz

Drummer

Stone Temple Pilots

...
Verified

Eric Kretz is confirmed to use Remo Emperor Coated Drumheads, as listed on his artist profile on the Remo website.

See how Jason Bonham uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Jason Bonham

Drummer

Led Zeppelin

...
Verified via Photo

Remo Coated Emperor drumhead with Jason's signe https://store.jasonbonham.net/104233/Drum-Head-signed-Accessory

See how Brent Fitz uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Brent Fitz

Drummer

BulletBoys

...
Verified via Photo

Here you can see Remo Coated Emperor on Brent's tom drums

See how Clem Burke uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Clem Burke

Drummer

Ramones

...
Verified via YouTube

In the video "Clem Burke - Blondie - Tour Kit Rundown" by Modern Drummer Official, Clem Burke states at 1:50 that he uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumheads on all his drums except for the snare drum.

See how Alex Rüdinger uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Alex Rüdinger

Drummer

Trivium

...
Verified via YouTube

To anyone that doesn't know - Ordinance is a studio side-project that I've been working in since I was a teenager, alongside some of my best friends from Maryland. We self-released our debut album 'Internal Monologues' back in 2011, and started working on a follow-up shortly thereafter. Life has taken many different turns for all of us since then, but we decided a long time ago to keep this project alive as a studio effort, just for fun.

This drum play-through acts as the debut for "Of The Fatherland" taken from our upcoming album 'The Ides Of March', available worldwide 2/26/16. Being that this is a drum video, I chose to keep the audio here instrumental. The album version does indeed have vocals!

To pre-order 'The Ides Of March', click here -

http://ordinanceofficial.bandcamp.com

Mixing for this video was done by Adam 'Nolly' Getgood. As always, it's super hella mad sick. I am particularly fond of what he was able to do with the snare in this mix - gotta love that Bell Brass! Drums are all natural, minus the kick which is a blend of trigger/mic (Beta91).

This is also the first video I've done using my Tama Silverstar. Specs are as followed...

Tama Silverstar in Transparent Red Burst -

8x7 Rack Tom 10x8 Rack Tom 14x12 Floor Tom 16x14 Floor Tom 20x18 Kick Drum

14x6.5 Tama Re-Issue Bell Brass Snare

Meinl Cymbal Setup (from left to right if sitting behind the kit) -

18" Byzance Traditional Medium Crash 13" Byzance Brilliant Fast Hats 10" MB20 Rock Splash 10" Byzance Traditional Splash 20" MB20 Heavy Bell Ride 19" Byzance Brilliant Medium/Thin Crash 18" Byzance Brilliant China

Drumhead Selection as followed -

Toms - Remo Coated Emperors Top, Clear Ambassadors Bottom Snare - Remo Coated X14 Top, Hazy Ambassador Bottom Kick - Clear Powerstroke 3 Batter, Coated/White PS3 Tama Logo-Head Reso. (with 5" Port)

For more information & updates on Ordinance, please follow us online -

https://www.facebook.com/OrdinanceOff... https://www.instagram.com/ordinancemusic https://twitter.com/ordinancemusic

Ordinance is...

Mike Semesky Greg Macklin Gunter Ostendorp Alex Rudinger

I proudly endorse Tama Drums, Meinl Cymbals, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Remo Drumheads, 1964 In-Ears, Gator Cases, 2Box Electronics, & Vratim Drumshoes.

See how Niles Vandenberg uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Niles Vandenberg

Drummer

Kensington

...
Verified via Bax-blog.nl

Niles uses the coated emperor's on his toms

See how Tony Allen uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Tony Allen

Drummer

Africa '70

...
Verified via Lublin

Used live for Allen's toms, as specified in this May 1, 2015 contact rider by Sasa Music.

Drums: Drum PEARL Master Custom series

  • 1 snare signature Denis Chember 14’’x6 (skin REMO Ambassador coated and new) - 1 Bass Drum 22’’ (skin Powerstroke 3 new)

  • 1 Tom 12’’ (mounted on bass drum) (skin REMO Emperor coated or G2 Evans new)

  • 1 Tom 14’’(mounted on bass drum) (skin REMO Emperor coated or G2 Evans new) - 1 Tom Bass 16’’ (skin REMO Emperor coated or G2 Evans new)

  • 1 cymbal ZILDJIAN Avedis medium ride 20’’ + 1 cymbal ZILDJIAN Avedis thin crash 17’’ - 1 Hi-Hat ZILDJIAN Serie K 14’’

  • 2 cymbals stands Boom ‘n’ boom

  • 1 drum Kick PEARL P.201P

  • 1 Snare stand PEARL S985W

  • 1 Hi-Hat stand PEARL H985W

  • 1 Drum throne PEARL D110S

  • 1 black carpet 2mx 2m

  • 2 pillows for drum+ towels

See how Joel Amey uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Joel Amey

Singer, Drummer

Wolf Alice

...
Verified

According to the Remo website, Joel Amey's gear includes the Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead. This is confirmed by the listing of the gear and the photo on the same website, which clearly shows the specific model.

See how Stan Lynch uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Stan Lynch

Drummer, Music Producer

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

...
Verified via Modern Drummer Magazine

Mentioned by Lynch in this February 1984 Modern Drummer Magazine interview.

RF: Would you detail your setups, both live and recording?

SL: They might not always be different. They’re different now because of Jimmy and Tommy. They really like that Damn the Torpedos-esque sound.

RF: What comprises that sound?

SL: That is an older Tama drumset, the Imperial Star, which is a thin composite shell. They’re all stock sizes, a set you can buy off the rack, with a 14 x 24 kick drum, 8 x 12, 9 x 13, and 10 x 14 rack toms, and 16x 16 and 18x 18 floor toms. I never use all those drums at one time. They’re there in case they want to hear specific sizes. The most toms that I use is in a drum fill in the middle of “Don’t Do Me Like That.” I used four tom-toms. Usually Jimmy and Shelly like to hear two rack tom-toms, the 9×13 and the 10 x 14 on top of the kick drum along with the 16 x 16 floor tom. The snare drum I use is an old Ludwig Superphonic. [sic]

RF: You mentioned the “Refugee” snare. Is that the same one?

SL: That’s the one. I have a whole slew of snare drums, but that one snare cuts the majority of records. Occasionally I‘ll get an old brass snare on there. We’ll always use a white coated Diplomat bottom head, and depending on the song, we’ll use Pinstripes or white coated Ambassadors on the top. If we want a more live sound, I go with the white coated heads. I’ve taken all the mufflers out of the drums and I have any new ones made without mufflers. I never put any tape on any of the surfaces. That makes me very honest. I either tune my drum correctly or it sounds terrible.

My cymbal setup is Zildjian. Depending on the song, if you want a little less noise, go to bigger cymbals because they don’t ring as much. If you want things to sound real bright, go to smaller cymbals. Live, last tour I used a smaller set than I record with. I used a 22" bass drum, a 9 x 13 rack tom, a 16 x 16 floor tom and a duplicate of the studio snare.

RF: Why the smaller set live?

SL: I think the smaller set is more fun to play. It’s all part of the growth process too. I was trying to do something different. I just wanted to play a different setup because I thought maybe it would make me play differently. I t did too. Live, I use a 21" ride, a 22" swish, an 18" crash and 13" New Beat hi-hats, which are kind of unusual but they feel great. They’re a lot more fun. The 13" are a little more responsive for live stuff.

In a live show you vary your tempos from song to song like crazy. One song is really fast and the next song is a funeral dirge, so you have to have a kit that will respond to all of that and will work in extremes. Then it will work everything else in the middle. In the studio, you might spend two days working on one song, so you can tailor your setup to make that one song really work. Live you have to go for instant satisfaction.

RF: What about your heads for live playing?

SL: I’m using white coated Ambassadors on top and Diplomats on the bottom, and the same with the snare. The kick drum has the white coated Emperor on the live kit and in the studio I use an Ambassador, white coated. On the live kit I needed a little thicker head just for the security of it.

See how Brian Tichy uses Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead

Brian Tichy

Guitarist, Drummer

Ozzy Osbourne

...
Verified via Photo

Brian Tichy uses a Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead on his floor tom, as seen in his Instagram post during The Dead Daisies' NYC rehearsals.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Remo Emperor Coated Drumhead, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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