Bad Experiences w/ Janus Ergo Double Pedal

[MykeyInChains]

Being the loyal Mapex follower that I am, when time came around to search around for a brand spankin new double pedal, the Janus immediately stood out to me. I also like to break the mold and try something new for a change. So I purchased them about a year and a half ago, probably only a few months before the Janus company folded. Just my luck, huh? The action of the pedals are fabulous. They are pretty heavy and obviously well built. I had no problem adjusting them to my liking. Everything went smoothly until a couple weeks ago.

My problem started in the middle of a band practice. Playing my primary right foot pedal only, I suddenly realized that the beater was not rebounding and was just pressed up against the head. I noticed that the metal piece that adjusts the beater angle and attaches to the spring was loose. No big deal, right? I grabbed my trusty drum key and proceeded to tighting the offending screw. I experience no tension whatsoever as the screw strips out the threads on the highlighted part in the attached photo. I want to stress to you that the threads more or less stripped themselves. Odd.

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/1553/621brq6.jpg

Luckily I quickly snatched the one off my old single pedal, attached it and went on with practice.

Just the other day at practice I experienced the same exact situation with my slave pedal. the left pedal's beater angle adjustment thing managed to strip itself, leaving me with no slave pedal for the rest of practice.

I don't understand how this could happen. How could they not have designed it with strong enough metal to withstand proper tightening force? I understand that it could have been a manufacturing defect, but on both sides of my pedal?

I luckily had some heli-coils of the right diameter so I managed to take the offending parts, drill them out, tap them, insert the heli-coils and now i'm using slightly larger allen bolts.

Frustrating to say the least, considering the money I paid. I am just waiting for the same thing to happen on the universal joints on the drive shaft for the slave pedal.

I'm curious to hear your reactions or if anyone else had any other similar problems with their Janus pedals. Thanks for reading.

[Les Ismore]

Ergo's are basically s**t. Janus should have put an insert in there, its a common problem for them to strip out there. Call Mapex and bill them for the Heli-coils, they'll probably pay.

I am just waiting for the same thing to happen on the universal joints on the drive shaft for the slave pedal.

It'll happen, you know it. Hard to Heli-coil a blind (and small) hole.


How about the heel plate hinge(s)? Slide right out when playing, especially if its wet, here's a situatiuon where you don't want to lube, let it get rusty. Piece of garbage.

Beater-foot board angle are not independantly adjustable, a no no for a hi-end pedal.
Machining is substandard too (china). On the pair I used for awhile, the barrels that hold the bearings were machined 'over', bearings didn't fit snug and there was slop as a result.

Oh, and how's about that classy bag that came with them? What trash.

Stay away from these pedals!

[MykeyInChains]

Thanks for the reply.

Live and learn I guess. Besides the issue with threads, I don't have much to complain about. Yeah, they lack a footboard adjuster but it could be worse. I'd rather just try to be happy because I really can't afford to buy another.

When they seriously start breaking down, i'll upgrade to a DW 9000 or another high end model.

[Les Ismore]

Honestly MykeyInChains, I would call Mapex, explain the problem and tell them your situation...working drummer, on a bunch of drum forums etc.

I'm sure they're aware they blew it on the Ergo and they should be willing to do something for you. Once the shaft strips out, its 'problem city' and there's no real cure for the hinge pin, as I remember its an odd metric size and besides, you shouldn't have to go through the hassle of modifying it anyway.