Weird drum gadgets

[Deathmetalconga]

I love 'em. I define "drum gadget" as something that costs under $100 and is meant provide a new way of doing something, possibly making it easier or faster, or allowing you to do something you couldn't have otherwise. You could get by just fine without a gadget, but they're nice to have and use.

Some drum gadgets are useful and have advanced drumming, while others are just plain weird but fun to check out anyway. Drum gadgets I have include www.drumdial.com, www.slicknut.com and www.tightscrew.com. Drum keys, beaters, metronomes, tuner and stick holders are all fertile areas for gadgets. Fourstringdrums mentioned a new one for me earlier today: www.theslapstick.com.

Here are some others I've run across: www.themillermachine.com and www.stickflip.com. Sites with cool gadget collections include www.slugdrums and www.danmarpercussion.com. Gibraltar has a stand-clamped ashtray which looks pretty odd - who's going to smoke and drum at the same time??

People have been making drum gadgets for as long as they have been making drums, Maybe the first drum gadgets ever were the foot pedal and hi hat stand, because they existed before the drum set as we know it. But they evolved right along with the Western trap drum set and are now core parts of it and I would no longer consider them gadgets. If you took either of them away, you would no longer have a drum set - maybe something else, but not a Western trap drum set.

The Holy Grail of drum gadgets would be a mouth-activated electronic trigger.

Any other drum gadget fans out there?

[fourstringdrums]

The Holy Grail of drum gadgets would be a mouth-activated electronic trigger.

I actually have a guy that makes and designs electronic devices for drummers who come to me needing one. His name is Ron Hampton and he made the Hyper-Bass (www.hyper-bass.com) He's designed a few bite triggers now that you mention it.

[Walfin]

Gibraltar has a stand-clamped ashtray which looks pretty odd - who's going to smoke and drum at the same time??

Phil Rudd comes to mind : )

[Ozzy Biz]

Phil Rudd comes to mind : )

I was thinking the exact same thing. Ty Smith from Guttermouth also does it, and i think I've seen Josh Freese do it too. I reckon I'd keep accidentally ashing it on my lap and burning myself if I tried.

[Velimor]

Wasn't there someone on this forum that had a cup holder attached to his hi-hat stand?

[drummerchick435]

I have seen "special" rag holders that you attach to a stand...waste of money really.

[jhawk4lyfe]

i usualy rig something up myself and not pay for one like a cup holder well i took one from a car at the junk yard then put some clamps on it from my garage and there u go so u could basicly make anything guys oh and nice thread

[razorx]

tommy lee uses the gibralter ash tray and he uses the cup holder to put his powerade in it while he plays.

[Fur drummer]

Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick used to smoke while playing. I don't know if he still does. Another gadget is a little battery powered clip on fan.

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

who's going to smoke and drum at the same time??

Back in my smoking days I did that plenty of times. It was a challenge. Hah! At that time, I normally kept the cigs in my mouth for extended periods. Playing pool was another challenge. Now I can barely stand the smoke clouds in the bar.

Nice list of gadgets. I plugged Tight Screw over at the Tape Op board but they seem to have been over looked by those plastic washer locks. I'm not sure how well you can adjust tuning with the Tight Screws, but I didn't like the idea of having to pull the washers off to adjust tuning. I like to change my tuning frequently.

I would like to have some of those Slicknuts. They look very handy for the gigging drummer. The Miller Machine reminds me of Rube Goldberg. If I had a triangle in my setup (cool idea), I think I'd just tape a metal rode to the butt end of one of my sticks so I could just flip it real quick for the strike.

[fourstringdrums]

Matt Abts from Govt. Mule has Willie Nelson's Chilli Pot in his on stage arsenal. I wrote him an email about the bell sound on "Unring the Bell" on the High & Mighty album and he told me they were at Willie Nelson's house recording and they found his chilli pot in the kitchen and it made it on the album.

[Johnest]

I have found this gadget lately... I don't know if it really works but the idea seems interesting. http://www.drumtech.com/dts/

[xush]

www.drumdial.com, www.slicknut.com www.theslapstick.com.

Any other drum gadget fans out there?

I dig gadgets; willing to try out anything that doesn't look too far-fetched. I own the above mentioned products too.
I LOVE Slicknuts- they are awesome for gigging. Big fan
The SlapStick; eh, it's interesting but hasn't ended up being as useful as I'd thought.

I also endorse/enjoy http://qwikstix.com/

by far my favorite and most useful discovery has been http://www.wingkey.net/
The Wingkey tool is exceptional- I bought a bunch and stash them in several 'emergency' locations. If you're doing your own tech work/load-ins and outs, this thing is wonderful.

[Deathmetalconga]

I dig gadgets; willing to try out anything that doesn't look too far-fetched. I own the above mentioned products too.
I LOVE Slicknuts- they are awesome for gigging. Big fan
The SlapStick; eh, it's interesting but hasn't ended up being as useful as I'd thought.

I also endorse/enjoy http://qwikstix.com/

by far my favorite and most useful discovery has been http://www.wingkey.net/
The Wingkey tool is exceptional- I bought a bunch and stash them in several 'emergency' locations. If you're doing your own tech work/load-ins and outs, this thing is wonderful.

Cool list of gadgets there. I've been to the Wingkey site before and it looks pretty good.

I checked out www.qwikstix.com and they're into a lot of other musical instrument gadgets - impressive. www.gaugerpercussion has some stick holders and other gadets like that.

www.slicknuts.com have to be the most useful gadget for me. I have six of them. There are some people another thread discussing www.hansenfutz.com. That looks like a useful gadget too for practice.

Thanks to everyone who has listed gadgets. Drummergirl, the stand-mounted rag holder looks cool. Where did you see it?

[Deathmetalconga]

Here are a few more gadgets I've come across. Some have been discussed elsewhere in the forum:

www.bigbangdist.com/moongel.htm sounds like something I could use

www.wedgie.com has interesting drum sticks, drum keys, cymbal washers and shock absorbers for sticks

www.bigbangdist.com/phat_foot.htm is a pretty cool way of securing your bass drum, but I seriously doubt it's "The most revolutionary musical invention since music itself."

www.grippeddler.com has Kenny Aronoff as an endorser

Here's one from Tama: http://www.tamadrum.co.jp/world/products/hardware/hh_stand/cobra_clutch/

This is a well-known gadget: http://www.damicodrums.com/new_cradle.htm

Very heavy sticks for practice at http://www.musicianswarehouse.com/power/main.shtml

These look like a fun way to pimp your kit: http://www.mikehowells.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/beaters.htm

Another version of the ButtKicker: http://www.clarksynthesis.com/prosound.php

[Deathmetalconga]

I actually have a guy that makes and designs electronic devices for drummers who come to me needing one. His name is Ron Hampton and he made the Hyper-Bass (www.hyper-bass.com) He's designed a few bite triggers now that you mention it.

Whoa, that's pretty cool. I can see someone with a disability using, as well as anyone who just wanted to add a fifth "limb."

[Wavelength]

Am I the only one thinking that some of these companies have very dirty names?

[Deathmetalconga]

Am I the only one thinking that some of these companies have very dirty names?

HAHA! I have a Tightscrew sticker on of my gear tubs and my bandmates noticed it last night after practice and demanded I explain. They busted up after I pointed out their motto is "Admit it, you need it."

[joeybeats]

The best gadget on my kit is a Pearl Mountable Trap Tray. I use it for everything from a telephone, ashtray, a lesson manual ... I've laid everything on there at one time or another, even sticks and brushes. Heavy duty, really good quality, looks good, and inexpensive. I have it on the left side of the HH.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Pearl-Mountable-Trap-Table?sku=448749

The second best gadget I have is the Vater Multipair Stick Holder. $10 and used everday. I have one on me ekit and one down to the left side of the stand holding my 8" tom and Sizzle Ride. That way, I can grab a sitck on the left, and on the right from a regular bag I have hanging off my 14" floor tom.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Vater-Multipair-Stick-Holder?sku=443395

Good topic. Better than practicing. Joey

[bodinski]

I love that Vater stick holder. I like to play mine like a cowbell..

[mikeh23]

hahahahahaha "www.slicknuts.com"

[Deathmetalconga]

Just found another one: www.kikbrik.com. I think thicker heads would do the same thing, but maybe this would help some people.

[Deathmetalconga]

Wow, excellent gadget collection at http://store.drumbum.com/all-drums-accessories-drummer.htm.

The spiral metal stick and drink holders are neat!

[xush]

I'd like to know how the Grombals work with Sliknuts; please do let us know if they're compatible, thanks.

I tried one of these 'crazy mallets' triple-wood deals
don't really like it much so far (and they only sell them individually):

http://www.interstatemusic.com/wcsstore/InterstateMusic/ims/ipf/900002240.jpg

http://www.interstatemusic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10051&productId=900002240&langId=-1#

[Deathmetalconga]

I'd like to know how the Grombals work with Sliknuts; please do let us know if they're compatible, thanks.

I tried one of these 'crazy mallets' triple-wood deals
don't really like it much so far (and they only sell them individually):

http://www.interstatemusic.com/wcsstore/InterstateMusic/ims/ipf/900002240.jpg

http://www.interstatemusic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10051&productId=900002240&langId=-1#

As for the Grombal, their site never really explains how they work. I get the impression they are affixed to the cymbal and stay with the cymbal, but do they need the wing nut to hold the cymbal down? Do they stick just fine on their own, without a washer? The site does a poor job of communicating how the Grombal fits in with existing hardware, what it needs to work, what you replace wiht it, etc. As someone who gets paid to communicate, here is my advice: explain how the thing works with a couple of simple diagrams. Explain how it works - not just the result.

[Wavelength]

A video about the Grombals. http://youtube.com/watch?v=NyUjMfWm2WE

[GRUNTERSDAD]

They stay with the cymbal. and from what I can see you still need the two felts. They replace the vertical post protector....the plastic piece.

[Deathmetalconga]

They stay with the cymbal. and from what I can see you still need the two felts. They replace the vertical post protector....the plastic piece.

That seems like a lot of fuss for nothing. Why just not carry around a few post protectors?

What would be cool would having the entire upper/lower felt, post protector and securing hardware all in one piece that stayed on the cymbal, yet took up little room so you could could stack cymbals for storage. The closest gadget to that is the Slicknut, but it only incorporates the top felt and quick-release fastener. It's great because you combine the felt/washer/wing nut into one fast-use item, but it could be improved.

[Deathmetalconga]

This site has a good collection of drum gadgets. The drum pants are freaky - a collection of triggers on different parts of the pants so you can tap our rhythms. The Drumnetics magnetic pedal looks pretty cool. The drum pedal hasn't changed much in 100 years since it went from wood to metal so this is really innovative.

http://www.musicgadgets.net/category/drums/

[Big_Philly]

My coolest drum gadget is still the invincible rubber ducky guardian on my hi-hat stand... ;)

[metalslugger5]

I think DIY is the best!!! do it yourself.

[spartacus1989]

Im quite boring, I can't think of any weird drum gadgets. But stick an optical theremin on a drum kit or some light activated midi trigger to a drum kit and that should be quite something.

[Deathmetalconga]

Im quite boring, I can't think of any weird drum gadgets. But stick an optical theremin on a drum kit or some light activated midi trigger to a drum kit and that should be quite something.

Neat ideas. Do they really have light-activated triggers?