Tom Mounting Systems and Tone
Does the mounting system affect the tone of my drums?
The answer is ABSOLUTELY! The more hardware you physically have on any drum, the more it will cut back on the shell's vibration, creating a lower amount of resonance. The fewer the holes in the shell, the truer the tone and resonance will be. This is why you will find kits with floating hardware. Floating hardware allows the tom mount to be attached from the lugs or rim, rather than being bolted down into the wood. It allows the shell to vibrate more freely. Every drum manufacturer tries to keep the amount of lugs and mounts to a minimum, while still making the drum durable. This will provide more flexibility when trying to find your drum tone.