Pedals - Which and Why?

**peter c** · August 18th, 2003, 02:16 AM

Can we talk about kick pedals?
Which do you use and why? What
do you know about the pedal that
makes a difference and not because
someone uses it, please. I'd like
to get into the real differences.

If it's going to be the Eliminators,
tell me about the cams or whatever
it is that is actually making the
difference for you.

Pedals like these and the Axis go
for big bucks and if people are go-
ing to buy them, they need good
reasons to shell out the money.

Your input will be appreciate by many,
I'm sure. Thanks.

[img]graemlins/smarty.gif[/img]

[ August 17, 2003 11:17 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]

[ August 17, 2003 11:18 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]

**FlamTriplet** · August 18th, 2003, 06:02 AM

Pedals!

I have a double bass kit I use with my metal band. I use Axis longboard pedals with the E Kit triggers. Since the group plays real fast and I play a lot of double bass, this is the only set up that will work.
As a matter of fact, the Axis triggers are the best in the market. They do not have any sympathetic double triggering from the snare or toms as they are screwed into the pedal.

When I play other gigs, I use a traditional double pedal. Lately I've been using a Cadeson, which gives a nice wallop, and has a large dynamic range. I also like the Pearl Eliminators and plan on getting one of those someday.

**Jean-Paul** · August 18th, 2003, 06:34 AM

Hi Peter,

I play the Eliminators with blue cam. It is an inbetween kind of feel. Not really linear and not really accelerator which I prefer. But I have changed my footboard already and my chain!!! So if you want durability I would check out the Tama's which play a little bit more heavy or Axis (I don't have experiences with them). DW's are good too (except for the older hinges) which I have also but the Pearl is playing lighter. JP

**buga** · August 18th, 2003, 12:32 PM

ll of the major brands will run about the same price, the Axis will run almost double what the others run. The Axis are smooth and uberfast, but if they break you' re screwed and you just can' t switch from Axis to " regular" pedals because they feel so much different than all the others.

I would suggest for price and quality either DWs or Tama Iron Cobras. Always keep an eye on Musician' s Friend because they always seem to be putting up some wicked good deals (Two months ago I got two DW5000TH Turbo Delta pedals for $89 a piece... and they are sa-weeeet

**peter c** · August 18th, 2003, 01:10 PM

Well, guys...

I actually play the Axis-A Longboard pedals.

I have found that the VDL (Variable Drive Levers)
make a HUGE difference in the "feel" of the
pedal and this option allows for the easy change
of that "feel".

Over the past few months, I have spent a lot
of time with different pedals, trying to analyze
just what it is that makes the good ones dif-
ferent from the bad ones.

I have changed springs, moved beaters around etc.
I did a lot of this with my Axis too but what I
determined about these particular pedals is that
the angle of beater lever, attached to the beat-
er itself made a huge difference and that's
what the VDL has to do with.

The best pedals have that lever, chain, strap
at an angle of 90-degrees or less, when foot-
board is depressed. Everything else is higher
than 90-degrees.

Changing the spring you use and then the distance
from the head of the beater can make huge im-
provements in the lower end pedals but many
times, these pedals do NOT allow options for
the individual movement of the beater.

These Axis pedals are specialized and they are
expensive. For the road, you have to have pedals
that are tougher, I suppose, especially if you
are a heavy kicker BUT I am finding that I can
get serious action and sensitivity from these
pedals and since I am modifying my approach to
to kicking (moving from heel-down to heel-up and
strictly for double-kick work) and for the in-
corporation of double-strokes...

www.thediametrixletter.com/dogpoops4.mp3

...I find the sensitivity, especially as I am
playing barefoot, to be very helpful because I
can really "feel" that difference. I will keep
on experimenting with these and other pedals in
the future and encourage to do so as well.

Incidentally, I did NOT get a chance to work on
the Eliminators but would like to. I have had
photos taken of them with the beaters depressed
and I found a 90-degree angle.

[ August 18, 2003 10:11 AM: Message edited by: peter c ]

**buga** · August 18th, 2003, 01:40 PM

Truth be told, I think alot of people pay WAY to much attention to equipment, i'm quite aware everyone is looking for an "edge" and taking it to the next level, but IMO alot of the pedal makers seem to overhype alot, for what hat they offer. It's like the computer business where a company like Dell releases a "model" and 3 months later they release ANOTHER model with basically the same features...it's a complete HOAX...

Still to this day, I think it all boils down to actual technique, would I play Dogboots exactly like Virgil if I had his same pedal "configuration"?(same straps, same pedal tension, beater angle etc etc) HELL NO! Would sum amateur golfer drive it more straight and far than Tiger Woods if he was playing a Titleist 975 with 6.5 Loft? That pretty much answers itself [img]wink.gif[/img]

[ August 18, 2003 10:44 AM: Message edited by: Bozzio ]

**peter c** · August 18th, 2003, 02:53 PM

I partly share your view, Boz.
Many drummers think that the
equipment will make them and
you're right. It doesn't. You
need the required skill.

At the same time, what different
equipment does offer you is a
potentially better "fit". Every
one wears different shoes, while
still wearing shoes. Some fit me
better. Some fit you better. The
differences may be subtle but
they exist.

If they do, what I am suggesting
is to find out what the actual
differences are and more import-
antly, to find out if they matter.
Without knowing what the dif-
ferences are, it's harder to be
objective about it.

I'm not here trying to sell you on
Axis. If you have tried them, then
you might think, as you do, that
these higher-end pedals are hyped-up
promotion and that the actual differ-
ences do not warrant the same in the
price tag.

I'm sure you play a certain brand
name drum. Does it apply to to them
too? Drums vary in price. What makes
one different from the other? There
are subtle differences in materiels
etc. and these may matter to you.

Whatever the differences are in
pedals, I think it pays to know them
and to look into them if these areas
matter to you.

Conventional action is available from
just about every pedal on the market
and a decent kick will perform on al-
most all of them.

If that's what is needed, then the
$29.99 special from Sonor is all that
is required. I tried this pedal and I
found a difference in it in comparison
to the higher end pedals like the DW
and Axis. I prefer the higher-end.

For me, action, comfort and design
are key issues. The longboard is a
necessity for me for my subtle heel-
down applications.

The control of the beater is crucial
too. After the strike, that beater
needs to come back and controlled. I
notice that this pedal functions very
nicely in that regard.

To each his own.

[img]graemlins/chat.gif[/img]

[ August 18, 2003 11:56 AM: Message edited by: peter c ]

**royerin** · August 19th, 2003, 01:31 AM

Which? - Pearl Eliminator dbl pedal with nylon straps and red cam.

Why? - I bought it because it was on sale at a low price and through playing and practicing with it have got used to it. It really is a great pedal. I use the red cam for a little more resistance....don't know why exactly, other than it just feels good to me.

**peter c** · August 19th, 2003, 01:35 AM

Just what I'm looking for, Roy.
Can you describe what each of
the cams do? It sounds, from
what you've said, so far, that
each of these has a different
resistance. Is that right?

Are they different sizes? When
you depress the pedal, is the
nylon strap pointing straight
up at 90-degrees or perhaps
slightly back or less than 90-
degrees? I'm wondering.

Thanks for taking the time.

[img]biggrin.gif[/img]

**Flamaque** · August 19th, 2003, 01:55 AM

I use the Yamaha DFP-9310 Chain drive pedals.
I was thinking about getting the new ones with the solid levers where the chain would go, but when they opened a new box to show me, the lever was broken.
So I figured if they break in the box...then they will REALLY break on the road.

Anyway, they are great pedals with tons-o-adjustments.

I need to check out the Axis pedals though. I see a lot of peeps playing them and they, like you, have high praise of them.

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