Noobie cowbell question...

MaryO

Platinum Member
So I just received not one, but two cowbells as gifts for Christmas. One is 5" long the other is 8". Here's my question, where's the best place on kit to mount a cowbell? I have a simple kit with my snare, 2 toms, a floor tom, bass drum, 14" high hats and one 20" crash/ride.

I know it's often set to where you are most comfortable with them but since I've no experience with one on my kit I was just wondering where the most common location would be.

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I would appreciate your help.

Thanks!
 
As with everything.....where ever it's most comfortable and withing easy reach. I've flown 'em off a cymbal stand to my right before, but I've also had one flying off the hat stand between it and the high tom. You'll need a clamp and cow bell mount to do this.

Another popular place is off the top of the bass drum hoop directly above your knee. You can buy clamps that are specifically desgined to mount them there as well.
 
As with everything.....where ever it's most comfortable and withing easy reach. I've flown 'em off a cymbal stand to my right before, but I've also had one flying off the hat stand between it and the high tom. You'll need a clamp and cow bell mount to do this.

Another popular place is off the top of the bass drum hoop directly above your knee. You can buy clamps that are specifically desgined to mount them there as well.

Ladies and gentlemen, P-FOG for the WIN!!!

Whenever I play accessories with the kit, like for a musical, I'll mount them to the left of my high tom, above the hats, but below the left crash, but that's when I'm playing jam blocks and other effects. When I play cowbell for Latin gigs, it is usually mounted with a bass drum clip. That's a good location to be able to play all over the cowbell--when you play rhythms where you need to get, like, 3 different sounds out of a single cowbell.
 
I place mine, along with a wood block between my two mounted toms.
 
How does Christmas get to Cincinnati 12 days earlier than for everybody else? Hmm....

Yes, the usual place would be right on your bass drum hoop above your knee. Start there and see how you like it. Actually, it'll the cheapest place to put it because cowbell brackets for the bass drum hoop are plentiful and cheap ('bout $10). The price just goes up from there depending on where you want to mount the cowbell.
 
How does Christmas get to Cincinnati 12 days earlier than for everybody else? Hmm....

Well, it's actually the Fed Ex man's fault. My brother had sent my gift directly to the house but when FedEx came to deliver it no one was home so they left it on the front porch. When the bf got home, he saw the clear fed ex bag hanging on the door but nothing else. He looked around and found the box 2 yards away. He went and got it and opened it to make sure everything was there. By then, the cat was out of the bag so to speak. And once he saw that my brother had sent me a bell, he went got the one he had already bought for me as well...lol. The rest of Christmas will wait until the normal time - I promise!

As for the brackets, I was given those as well so I'll have to check and see if I have the ones to mount on the bass. Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll try different locations and see what seems to work best. I guess trial and error is the best way to go!

Thanks!
Mary
 
I had mine mounted on my floor tom to the right. However, I found that it was too out-of-the-way for me so I moved it between my high tom and hi-hat using a boom stand bracket off of my crash. As others have said, it's really just where it's comfortable for you.
 
If you want to mount the bell on anything else, like tom rims, the LP Claw is the way to go. But those run around $35. LP also makes a Gajate bracket where you can put the bell on it vertically, and attach a bass drum pedal to it. Other companies make simple clamsp that you can attach to a cymbal stand and mount the bell on that too.

And the neat thing is, since it's made for musicians, thereby making it special, the price on it will be slightly higher. I bet cowbells for actual cows are pretty cheap too ;)
 
I mount mine on the bass drum hoop. I know both LP and Gibraltar make a clamp for this for about $12. I use the Tama one which is about $20. It's just a bit more sturdy and allows further positioning options.
 
Looking thru my stuff again I realized that I was sent clamps with both bells and one of them is the Gibraltor clamp that will work on the Bass drum hoop. So I'm ready to go. I think my plan is to mount it on the bass drum in between my two high toms. Seems like as good as place as any to start with and I can move it around from there.

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. I'll let you know how it works out.
 
How does Christmas get to Cincinnati 12 days earlier than for everybody else? Hmm....

Do you really think Santa gets it all done in one night? Gotta start somewhere! Even it's in Buckeye land................ although I have been rooting for the Bengals.
 
Do you really think Santa gets it all done in one night? Gotta start somewhere! Even it's in Buckeye land................ although I have been rooting for the Bengals.

Don't kill my magic, man! He's supposed to do it all in one night. Somebody is seriously slackin' if he has to start early ;)
 
Mary, I have 2 cowbells I mount on the kick hoop with a cheapie LP mount. I just point them opposite directions so I can reach them both.

If I remember I'll snap a pic at my gig tonight.

Ted, when I first read that thought you were talking about Buckeye, AZ. Hah! I don't suppose you don't want to come to a gig tonight... :-D
 
Ted T;although I have been rooting for the Bengals.[/QUOTE said:
Wow, you are a glutton for punishment, aren't you?
 
Shucks MaryO, that's not the first time I've been asked that question this week, I wonder what that means...

Hey Red, I'm busy tonight. Who do you play with?

Don't you work for Disney Bo? You should have unlimited amounts of magic, lol.
 
I have one mounted near the high hats as I have found some of the songs that I have covered that use them require alternating beats between the cow bell and the high hat, I also have a larger one that I have mounted on a foot pedal bracket positioned just left of my high hat pedal.
 
I have a bass drum clamp/mount for mine, the location is fine but you've got to be careful if you're a hard hitter, (if it's a really cheap one like mine), that they don't wriggle about.

I have tried other loctions on my kit and used boom arms to mount it etc, but on top of the bass drum by comparison is such a hassle free location.
 
I like authenticity, so I have mine mounted on a real cow.

Gibraltar sells them, pickup only.

I also perform milking feats on break, with warm, fresh squeezed milk as the refreshment.

If the crowd is really liking it, I'll whip out my butter churner and get the hottest woman there to do a sexy churn dance.
 
I like authenticity, so I have mine mounted on a real cow.

Gibraltar sells them, pickup only.

I also perform milking feats on break, with warm, fresh squeezed milk as the refreshment.

If the crowd is really liking it, I'll whip out my butter churner and get the hottest woman there to do a sexy churn dance.

That's the best reply in this thread by a million miles Larry, I just collapsed on my computer's keyboard, brilliant. :))
 
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