DW 5000 Strap Pedal & DW 9000 Strap Pedal Input

Vintage Old School

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Anybody here who has owned/played both a DW 5000 strap pedal and a DW 9000 strap pedal I could use your insight and input.

Backstory is I purchased a new DW 9000 dual-chain pedal around 1990. While I was glad I got it, I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. I sold
that pedal with my last kit in 2000. The next pedal I picked up was a like new, used DW 5000 strap drive which I'm thrilled about. It's the best pedal I've
used to date.

I'm currently in need of a backup pedal and am curious how the DW 9000 strap pedal feels in comparison to the DW 5000 pedal. I don't know anyone who
owns the DW 9000 strap to borrow one, and if I go to test a new 9000 pedal out at a pro shop, the 9000 doesn't come built up with the strap (although parts
are included with the pedal purchase for an owner to do a conversion).

My first inclination is to purchase another DW 5000 pedal and convert it to strap, but before I do that I'm hoping to hear how many here like the way the 9000 strap feels in comparison to the 5000 strap.
 
I own 2 DW 5000 strap drives but I've played the DW9000 with the strap a couple of times. I'm not overly thrilled with the 9000, it feels heavier and less responsive than the 5000.

The beauty of the 5000 strap drive is the simplicity. The 9000 seems really over-engineered.

The DW5000 strap drive is crazy sought after, it took me years to get hold of a 2nd one and got it for a bargain £80 (like yours hardly used). I don't know why DW don't still offer it as standard.

Take your time and get a second DW5000NX
 
Keep toying with trying the straps on my 9000's
 
My first inclination is to purchase another DW 5000 pedal and convert it to strap, but before I do that I'm hoping to hear how many here like the way the 9000 strap feels in comparison to the 5000 strap.

While I've never owned the 9000, I do have a 5000 that I converted to strap with absolutely no regrets. I agree with your first inclination: it's going to be cheaper for you to convert another 5000. Just perusing the internet, the standard 5000 looks to run about $199, vs. $339 for the 9000. Add another $15-$20 for the conversion parts (cam and strap) and you've saved yourself about $120 for a very smooth, reliable and quiet pedal.
 
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I have a 5000 strap, but it is the original, smaller footboard, rounder heel version.
I love it. Super smooth and fluid.

Probably a year or so older than when they changed to the wider footboard, and square heel.

When I got another 5000 strap, it changed to the different footboard and heel.
I hated it. It felt sluggish, like there was gunk in it, but it was a NIB.
Everything between the two was the same (plate, delta hinge) except the footboard size and heel. I was bummed.
DW offers an "original" version of the 5000 footboard/heel with the single chain, but putting the strap cam on instead is no big thing. If it felt the same as my old one, I would get it. I just haven't seen one in the shop.
 
Thanks for the responses. Here's a photo of my DW 5000 pedal (USA made at the DW factory). It was listed as a 5000ND Delta II Strap Drive.

Will the current generation DW 5000 single chain Accelerator pedal with a strap cam conversion have the same feel as the USA made version?
 

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If it doesn't have to be DW then check out the Pearl eliminator redline with the strap. It's lighter and faster than the DW9000 with strap and Sonor Jojo pedal, I've owned all.
 
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Get in touch with DW. They should hook you up with whatever you need...probably for free.
 
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UPDATE: I bit the bullet on a lightly used demo 5000 Accelerator pedal (single chain) and did a strap conversion with brand new DW parts. I used identical Danmar beaters and set up the new pedal as close as possible to my old USA DW 5000 strap drive. There are some very minor differences between the old and new pedals, but they are close enough to where the comparison is essentially that of one type of apple to another type of apple.

Out of the box I played around with the Accelerator single chain pedal for awhile when it arrived, and quite honestly I wasn't a fan of the feel.

After completing the strap conversion--without doing much dialing in of the new DW 5000 pedal--it was a totally different beast. Nice and fluid. The converted pedal had about 95% of the overall feel of my USA pedal out of the gate. The primary difference between the two is that the new pedal has a narrower footboard and the USA pedal has a wider footboard. The new pedal feels a tad bit lighter under foot, but the USA pedal has the edge with a slightly more fluid feel.

I have a spare wide footboard in my parts bin that I will ultimately install on the new converted pedal to see if that evens things out a bit or not for feel. Otherwise I can only think that any difference in feel may be due to a difference in the bearings or that the new pedal needs to be dialed in and broken in a bit. This was definitely worth the investment for me to have as a back-up pedal.

If you are thinking of converting a new DW 5000 pedal to strap drive I think it will be worth it, especially if you prefer the narrower footboard and the modern clamping to protect the bass drum hoop. Just adjust, fine tune and dial it in and it should prove to be the closest feeling pedal to the older USA strap drive you can find.

Photo One: Old USA pedal is on the left, new converted 5000 pedal is on the right.
Photo Two: Side shot of the older version strap cam where both sides flow and taper from front to back.
Photo Three: Side shot of new 5000 strap cam where both sides terminate about halfway across the top of the cam.
 

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Doug,

Nice write up! My main pedal is a Sonor Perfect Balance, with a DW 5000 chain drive as back up. I'm seriously thinking of onverting the DW to strap, time to order some parts from DW. ;-)


Greg
 
I don't doubt that you like the strap better Doug, but I'm not understanding something...If the cams are the same, why does a strap feel better than a chain? I can't imagine feeling a difference if I didn't know the difference. They both pull the beater towards the head, where are the differences felt? OK the strap is lighter, but I can't imagine the weight of the chain making that much difference, but maybe I just don't get it.
 
I don't doubt that you like the strap better Doug, but I'm not understanding something...If the cams are the same, why does a strap feel better than a chain? I can't imagine feeling a difference if I didn't know the difference. They both pull the beater towards the head, where are the differences felt? OK the strap is lighter, but I can't imagine the weight of the chain making that much difference, but maybe I just don't get it.

Yeah, it would seem that way Larry until you try them both side by side. Basic explanation is there is more friction with a chain than a strap. Don't get me wrong, the chain drive is still smooth, but the strap feeling is lighter and more fluid to me. A less than fair comparison would be driving a car most of your life with manual steering and then driving a car with power steering. That's an over-generalization in this case. Also the strap cam is shaped differently from the chain cam.

Years ago I was trying out all sorts of pedals, all different brands, starting with a blank canvas. The top pedals for me were the DW MDD pedal, the Sonor Jojo Mayer Perfect Balance pedal and the Yamaha FP-8500B pedal (and I was on and off the fence with the DW 9000). I stumbled across a post on another drum forum about someone's friend working at the DW factory and he could choose any pedal he wanted for his personal use. The only pedal he uses is the DW 5000 USA strap drive pedal. As fate would have it, I went straight to Reverb and located that exact model pedal in like new condition, had a Las Vegas moment, and decided to roll the dice on purchasing it. I rarely make impulsive purchases but this is one of the best decisions I've ever made on drum gear. Fantastic pedal! I was blown away by the feel. Game over for the other pedals on my list.

When it's all said and done it comes down to personal preference on what we each like. I'll be shocked if I ever play a different pedal in my lifetime.
 
I don't doubt that you like the strap better Doug, but I'm not understanding something...If the cams are the same, why does a strap feel better than a chain? I can't imagine feeling a difference if I didn't know the difference. They both pull the beater towards the head, where are the differences felt? OK the strap is lighter, but I can't imagine the weight of the chain making that much difference, but maybe I just don't get it.

You're right. There is no technical difference between the chain and the strap when playing. What many (most) refer to as feel is nothing but the noise of the chain.
 
Of course I'm assuming that the same cam is used.

Also the strap cam is shaped differently from the chain cam.

It's not fair to compare pedals with different cams. This has to be the main part of the difference, right?

I'm still having a hard time imagining the weight of the chain being a factor. The spring pulls the footboard back, my foot just has to get out of the way, so I'm not working when the beater is on the return path. Meaning the chain weight isn't a factor. On the return path.
 
You're right. There is no technical difference between the chain and the strap when playing. What many (most) refer to as feel is nothing but the noise of the chain.

Entertain me on the following comment: there are definitely technical differences between chain drive, belt drive and shaft (direct) drive systems in the motorcycle world. Ask any motorcycle engineer or mechanic and they'll tell you the differences. They each have their advantages and disadvantages in power transmission and the "feel" of responsiveness especially at higher speeds. The only thing I can say to your comment "what many (most) refer to as feel is nothing more than the noise of the chain" in either world--motorcycling or drumming--is that your chain is long overdue for lubrication.

There are also technical differences between different types of pedals. A direct drive pedal has two points of contact in it's drive mechanism and offers more control and consistent strike with a heightened sense of speed. Chain drive pedals have multiple points of contact (each link of the chain equals friction) connecting the footboard to the beater which offer a "solid" feel to many players but there can be a bit of footboard lag. Since single chain pedals have fewer points of contact (friction) they can feel different to other players who prefer double chain pedals.

Personally, I place the belt drive pedal somewhere in-between a direct drive pedal and a chain drive as far as feel. Others here on this forum have arrived at the same conclusion while others have not: http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/index.php?threads/strap-vs-chain.90303/

The difference is negligible (0.0something%). Who can feel that is a phenomenon.

Let's take just chain drive pedals. I think most drummers "feel" some semblance of difference even between single chain drive and double chain drive models. Most "feel" semblances of difference between different brands of chain drive pedals. Look at all the forum posts to document different drummers espousing what chain drive pedals feel best to them. But I agree with you in that some players can't feel those differences or nuances of differences.

Here is the point where we are both right: we all play the gear that feels best to us, and our sense of feel is totally subjective. I believe that some drummers can't feel any sense of difference between different types of pedals (chain drive, strap, direct drive). But most drummers can feel the differences, not only between the different types of pedals, but also within the individual camps of pedals. In the end, all that matters is discovering what your personal preference is on gear that helps you enjoy playing better.
 
It's not fair to compare pedals with different cams. This has to be the main part of the difference, right?

I'm still having a hard time imagining the weight of the chain being a factor. The spring pulls the footboard back, my foot just has to get out of the way, so I'm not working when the beater is on the return path. Meaning the chain weight isn't a factor. On the return path.

Here's photos showing the difference between the DW Accelerator single chain cam and the DW strap cam used in the conversion. In the photo on the right the cams are aligned precisely on where they would mount on the shaft. Yes, this contributes to some of the difference in feel no doubt. In a perfect world the cams would be identical for a true A/B test, but the results would be skewed if we didn't use the cams the way DW designed them for. Here, what is being compared is the difference in feel between the strap and single chain because all other components of the same exact DW pedal are identical: spring tension, same bearings, same beater, etc.

I played the new DW 5000 Accelerator single chain for about a half hour, did the strap conversion and played the strap drive immediately without any further dialing in. Night and day difference in my book. Same exact pedal, the only difference being single chain drive and strap drive. I think the difference in feel between the two can be somewhat attributed to the different cams, but I think the "greater" friction of the chain may be the primary difference. I am open to being corrected here.

After trying out numerous other pedals before purchasing my first DW strap drive I honestly thought I would gravitate towards either the DW MDD pedal or back towards the DW 9000 dual chain. The DW 5000 strap drive pedal--feel wise--landed somewhere in-between the direct drive and the dual chain drive for me. The big surprise was how the DW 5000 strap immediately felt under my foot. No other pedal I've tried has compared. But in all fairness I'm still trying to figure out the 5% difference between my older USA DW 5000 strap drive and my newly converted one (the most likely difference being the weight of the two different width footboards and/or more break-in time on the older pedal).

I don't believe strap drive pedals are for everyone. Nor are direct drive pedals. But you honestly can't know until you play them side-by-side what you truly like. We all have different preferences. Some players love the response and feel of a direct drive pedal. Some players swear by the feel and power transfer of a chain drive. Others like the finesse and "smoothness" of a belt drive. Factor into the mix the differences between Brand A and Brand B. And I do believe that some players can't tell the difference at all between the drive systems, or those differences don't amount much of a difference to them. The bottom line is that we're all wired differently.
 

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