Size	Standard size of the bass drum has diameter of 18 to 24 inches and depth of 14 to 18 inches. My bass drum's diameter is 22 inches and depth is 16 inches. You will find that most of the drums in studios or live houses are in this size. There are some drums that has 26 inches of diameter. But if it is too big, it will affect the settings of tam. You will have to put the tam in higher position. Also, the beater will not hit the center part of the bass drum. So, it is advisable that you avoid using it. In addition, it will be inconvenient for you to carry such large drum.
Materials	Wood is the main material that is used for the shell (main body). The sound tends to be powerful in fiber shell but I prefer wood shell. My bass drum is made of maple. Wood shell can be affected by the humidity, but as you use it and treasure it for a long time, the sound will get better. Popular Materials Birch Maple Maple Fiber Fiberglass Original Materials Used By Each Maker Birch (Most of the YAMAHA drums) Fiber (Fiber Series of PEARL) Plywood of birch and cordia (Art Star Series of TAMA) I heard that there are some drums made of beech and a poplar.
Head	This is the membrance stretched over the top of a drum. I recommend that you use the thick one. The thick head is called emperor. I also recommend that you use "Pinstripe". This head is made up of 2 heads and oil is applied between them. Clear heads are often used. CS heads with black dots are used if you need more attack sound. Some makers classify the heads as "for bass drum". In other words, "Clear", "Emperor", or "Pinstripe". On the other hand, thin heads are commonly used for the front head of a drum that is seen by the audience.