Double Bass or Double Pedal

iTsNotTim

Junior Member
Im planning to buy a new drum set. Right now i'm using a Dw 7000 but should i stick with double pedal or try Double bass?
Has anyone try both? Please tell which one you prefer
 
Double pedal:
Less expensive. easier to move if gigging, less floor space

Double bass:
Can be tuned differently, looks cool to some. That's it.
 
Double pedal:
Less expensive. easier to move if gigging, less floor space

Double bass:
Can be tuned differently, looks cool to some. That's it.
Different tuning can be very effective but only in the right setting and you'll need to have very advanced independence skills to get the best out of that feature. Another benefit to some is the more coherent feel of two kicks. You don't get the cross head bounce effect that many feel from a double pedal. Otherwise, as GD above.

I've played both ways. My favourite was 24" + 20". Not only a very different double kick sound but also gave me extreme single kick kit selection flexibility. Purely from a playing perspective, I'd go back to my double kick in a heartbeat. With my practical head on, and also in the knowledge my playing is now much less double kick reliant, I'm content with a double pedal. I hardly even use that these days. Mainly fill effects and a few select grooves, but I'm no metal player!
 
Also It's more comfortable to play with two kicks - you are centered as opposed to axed out with one kick so you feel (well at least I do...) more balanced. I feel it's easier to get around my kit... And yes, it looks really cool!

But depending on what you are planning to do with that kit well, you can't only take into account the cool factor... If I had everything my way I'd always use my double kick setup (it's a bit stupid but it was my dream as a kid to have two kicks like Aldrigde, Van Halen and many others)
 
Last edited:
I play in a metalcore band with 1 kick, 1 hi-tom and 1 floor-tom. I wouldn't ever consider getting 2 kick drums or getting a massive kit. It's just unnecessary. I get along fine with what I've got, I think 'metal' drummers think it looks cool and is more part of the image to have double kick drums.
 
Double pedal. Period.
 
Although it looks as badass as Bruce Willis' ass and gives you some more tom and cymbal mounting options, i'm with freebird on this one.

If you're regularly gigging (or even occasionally) it'll be a bitch to bring around and it'll be your responsibilty. And unless you're headlining every show and have enough time to move around the whole kit to put in another kick, other bands will have to put up with it there too.

If you have the money, by all means get 2 kicks, but it'd be preferable to get a double pedal that can convert into 2 singles. I believe (someone correct me) the DW 9000 has this feature. That means you can use double kick at home and double pedal at gigs.

Or try the Sonor pedal that 'mimics' the feel of having two kicks but on one. If that makes sense. I can't remember what it's called but the beaters face the head as usual but the footboards are either side of them. If you like double kick this may appeal but keep in mind there's then the eternal debate to consider about secondary pedals not feeling as natural as main pedals.

The big metal bands' drummers use double kicks because they can and know it. They could easily use a double pedal but most of it is about the looks, but then some metal drummers have 2 different sized kicks at different tunings.

Although he's not a metal drummer, check out Terry Bozzio. It's ridiculous.

That's my $0.02

More like $1.00 but you know, i have a lot to say ;D
xoxo
 
I would only get two kicks if I had a roadie and drum tech to carry & set them up for me. Plus at that point I'd probably be playing stadiums anyway, so space isn't really an issue.

Until then, double pedal.
 
Im planning to buy a new drum set. Right now i'm using a Dw 7000 but should i stick with double pedal or try Double bass?
Has anyone try both? Please tell which one you prefer
I've done both (but now do neither) and I like two bass drums for the sound and the feel off the left kick head, but definitely prefer the double pedal for transporting and setting up. Also, it's really hard to conveniently position toms and cymbals with that 2nd kick sitting there unless you get a rack.

I would stick with the double pedal. The pluses outweigh the minuses by a mile, IMO.
 
I dunno', I just think the double kick is just a bit outdated. We now have the double pedal technology which makes lugging around an extra of the biggest part of your kit pretty superfluous. If you feel unbalanced on your kit, just rotate your orientation around your snare and double pedal as if you had two kicks (i.e. Travis Barker live). And if it is about tom-mounting, you shouldn't be mounting toms on your kick anyway; you should be using a rack, so extra tom options shouldn't even come into play.

Unless you are just ultra advanced and looking to do some Bozio-esque work, I'd suggest you save your money and stick with the double pedal (or spend your saved money on upgrading to a DW 9002). It's lighter, easier to lug, easier to tune (as you only tune one drum instead of trying to match 4 heads) and just as effective unless you are using really advanced tuning techniques, styles, etc. or if you're just loaded to the teeth with money and wanna' get an extra kick just for shits, giggles, looks, and brags.
 
Last edited:
I moved from double bass to double pedal, what does that tell ya? lol

As for feeling more balanced etc that's easily fixed all you need to do is put your bass drum angling away from you and have the slave pedal brought to the other side and angled away from you, this imitates the feel of a double bass kit and it is how i use mine.

Pedals are so much easier to transport, the only thing I would say it is disadvantaged on is the rebound when doing fast 16ths as the head is still vibrating from your last stroke, but this doesn't pose much of a problem to me and I don't think to many others either.
 
I moved from double bass to double pedal, what does that tell ya? lol

Not much considering that's just one opinion but it has been repeated by everyone else that getting a double pedal is best.
 
I own both. I have plenty of room to transport, size and weight isn't a problem. Floorspace is never a problem.

When I use my single kick I have to cram the toms in to fit my hats, and I can't (well, comfortably) use all of my cymbals, because there just isn't enough room to reach all around without putting them in front of me. On the downside, I can't (comfortably) squeeze in my two floor toms if I have two basses, but using my second bass allows me to space out my toms and cymbals, and makes ME feel cooler.

And I think that we'd all agree that when you feel better about the kit you're sitting behind, you play better. Sometimes I have to practice on another drummer's kit, and he has a completely different setup. I'm just not comfortable behind it, and don't like it, and I usually don't play as good.

The main reason I own both is because I like to change my setup every other week or so, keep me on my toes! If you FEEL cooler/better about using two basses, and have the freedom to do it, I say go for it... If it doesn't make that much of a difference, or you don't have the ability to transport it (c'mon guys, its ONE more bass, not THAT big) don't do it.

:)
 
Not much considering that's just one opinion but it has been repeated by everyone else that getting a double pedal is best.

Well let me put it this way and I think everyone will agree, if I were a pro touring drummer and I didn't have to lug everything around, I would play 2 bass drums.

Truth of the matter is that a pedal takes up less floor space, makes it easier to position other bits of gear, no where near as heavy as a second bass drum and feels just as good on the feet. For those reasons I would stick to a double pedal.
 
This is just an opinion - I don't use double anything (barring floor toms) and I have no desire to.

Drum:
Heavy
Hard to carry around
Pain to set up
If you play on a small stage, takes up more room than needed

Pedal:
Less footprint
Lighter
Less expensive (unless you buy one that's ridiculously expensive)
Easier to move

Not exactly hard to see which I'd go for. =D
 
I dunno', I just think the double kick is just a bit outdated


I feel the same way about 4 piece kits, tinted windows, and monster trucks.

A double pedal feels awkward compared to two kicks. As I mentioned somewhere else, I ditched my double pedal, and Ill never use one again. The 5 extra minutes it takes you to walk out to the van, grab the 2nd kick and set it up isnt really a big deal.
 
It is if you don't have much time to setup and soundcheck and if the stage is very small.
Not everyone has that much space. I and others on here certainly don't.

And besides, all the gigs i've played have been played on one kit. The headlining bands one. So you'll have to rearrange THEY'RE setup and somehow find another mic for the kick, hook it up to the PA, rearrange it to suit your playing and how you feel comfortable, then put the pedal on, setup the stands and toms around it and 90% of the time it's just much more hassle then buying a double pedal which is much lighter, much less expensive, much easier and quicker to setup and not many people will have enough time between 2 bands' sets to put on another kick. And also at my age (17) We don't have a van or a car. Because we're all the same age and the oldest of use is just getting driving lessons. So we have to carry our gear to gigs. Our guitarist carries his guitar on his back and, more than half the time, his amp in both arms as well, the same with our singer/guitarist as well as leads and pedals for the two of them and our bassist has his guitar, a bag with pedals and merch in it and my snare while i carry my double pedal and cymbals on each shoulder. So who else is there to carry another kick?

It's not always feasible for everyone.
xoxo
 
I play in a hardcore band, and I play double pedal and 1 rack and floor toms. Hauling two bass drums around would be a very big pain in the ass if your gigging and if you ever got to the point of touring, trailers arent that big, so your taking up precious band gear space. The only reason I think to have two bass drums is if you tune the differently, and that can only be applied to certain things. So I'd stick with the double pedal
 
Back
Top