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There is much confusion and discussion on how to treat a new head. Here's the lowdown.
First of all, do NOT get the head wet. This is the biggest misconception people have about drum heads. The only time you would dampen the head is if the head will NOT fit on the drum because it's a bit too small (the skin wire would still have to align though.)
 1. Remove the old head.
2. Wipe down the bearing edge with a towel. Remove any residue and oils from bearing edge.
3. Lightly wipe the bearing edge with candle wax. You can also use a white candle (no color). This will keep you bearing edge smooth as glass, giving you better tone and sustain. This also fills in any imperfections the bearing edge may have.
4. Wipe down the inside of the rim. Make sure it is clean and free of debris.
5. Wipe down all the lugs. Apply LP Lug Lube to all the lugs and inside the nuts. This will help keep you lugs performing at their best.
 6. Put the head on the drum. Make sure it sits evenly. Align the LP logo exactly how you want it to face.
7. Put the rim on, making sure that the rim and the sideplates are perfectly lined up.
8. Put all the lugs on. Remember to put the shell protectors on. Tighten the nut on each lug so that the bottom of the lug is even with the bottom of the nut.
9. Begin tuning the lugs one-half turn per log until you get the desire pitch. It doesn't matter if you go clockwise or counter clockwise as long as you continue in the same direction as you started. Make sure that the head stays level during the tuning process.
10. Tune the head one to two half turns past the desired pitch. Hit the center of the head hard with the bottom of your fist. Now tune down to the desire pitch. This process is called "flex the head". You will notice that the tone of the drum is now full and round. You are now ready to play!
Please remember to de-tune the drum all the way when your finished playing. This will extend the life of your heads and keep the stress of the hardware.
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