Hi Mark,
Recording almost anything as I see it starts with what you are hearing in the first place. If your source doesn't sound good it would be more difficult for you to achieve the sound you want.
So, is the drum tuned ok? Soes it sound as you would like two?
What kind of music are you recording?

I have found that the way you cover the first tension has a direct relation with the sound you get. Has it got double tension? If it does, have you prooved recording without it?
A way that has worked allright for me is to get all the tension to tune the main tension not so tight and cover it preety much with a blanquet and put somehing heavy over the blanquet so it doesn't move so much in the drum.

I have a lot of thing and tips i could mention but they all refer to specific drum kits and types of music.
I don't want to say lots of thngs maybe you already know, but sometimes one can forget about some basic stuff.
After you get the sound you want in the room try micking it again.

Good luck.

the style of music would be pop/punk at the moment and the kit sounds wonderful especially with the way it's sitting in the room. i'm getting a decent balance of punch and low end from the kick drum but i am getting a slight reverb sound that is taking away the full effect of the initial attack. i will compress as a last resort but i always think it better to get a good sound before "fixing it in the mix".

You might be hearing ring from the toms. Throw another blanket over the kick and mic. FWIW, I usually place mic about 3-6" in front of the outer rim of the drum and use a second mic to mic the clapper from the back and blend the two. Also try using a low rolloff at about 30 Hz. You'll pick up some headroom to work with.

if you don't have a good sound when you hear the kick drum playing (before recording) you'll never be able to put it right! that "fix in the mix" is a myth!
do what jonyoung suggests!
do you have the drums well tuned?
also try hearing your favourite kick drum sounds from your favourite artists and compare between stages...

inLoco, did you read this post carefully?

yes i understand you say that your problem is in the mix but i think your problem ain't there!
if you have problem with that reverb sound is probably because you are getting much more that just the kick...
so when you combine with the rest of the drums it doesn't sound that good but soloed is good...
but just my 2cents...

...

well I'm a drummer in a band...lots of recording experience

I use a 18x22 bas drum/play rock and indie music

Try a 2ply bass drum head (Remo Pinstripe maybe) and keep the batter head fairly loose

Tighten the resonant head slightly more than the batter head and then roll up a towel

Use rolled up towel so that one end touches the batter head and one end touches the resonant head...once you do this place a bass drum mic suspended in the air about 3/4 way towards the batter head pointing up. This has consistently worked for me.

Don't forget to use muting on all the toms (napkin duct taped to each tom trick) and see waht happens!

good luck

http://www.myspace.com/SatoriVA - Those are drums I custom built and recorded....check out the killer bass drum sound on the track called "decoys"!!!

If the toms are mounted on a center post that slides down through the kick drum, you can get a crazy/reverby tone from the hollow post.

I will usually shove a piece of foam or something into the post.

That might be the issue.

Chris

---i'm using a d112 about an inch away from the head aimed directly at the beater---

---Why does it sound like i have reverb on the bass drum?---

Because the sound you are looking for is at the other end of the drum. Move the mic back and you can probably loose the blanket.