DW pedals ... kind of crap?

I just got a new Gretsch kit, and for hardware I wanted to go all DW. My ride, crash, and snare stand are the DW 3000 series and they're great. But I have to say, after looking at the DW 3000/5000 level hi-hat stands and kick pedals ... they seem kind of crap, particularly for the price.

I have a Pearl 900 kick pedal and hi-hat stand for my e-kit, and they just seem overall better constructed and more durable than most of DW's lineup. The only benefit I see from going DW is the two-leg setup on the hi-hat. But man, the DW hat just feels so cheap.

Are DW pedals just kind of junk? Or do you have to go to a minimum (expensive) level to get quality that most other manufacturers give you at lower prices?
 
I have a DW5000 pedal that works well and has done across many gigs. It's a reliable workhorse, but I bought some Yamaha pedals last year, & I think they're a much better engineered job. Same with Yamaha hat stands. I have two 2 x legged stands from two different series, & they're unbeatable IMO. Much better construction quality than anything DW, & cheaper too!
 
I played 5000 series pedals for more than 20 years, they are far from "crap" as you put it. The 3000 I can't comment on but the 5000 is a tank and a workhorse. I have a 5000 series two leg stand as well that I've used for 15 years and it's never given me a single problem and feels very sturdy and well constructed. I also have a 9000 series pedal that I've used for 4 years and just got a yamaha flying dragon direct drive and have to say I prefer the feel of the yamaha over my dw's.
 
I'm currently running a DW3002 because in the store it felt solid and responsive. I've been playing it on gigs for over a year now with no real issues. Before that, I played a 7000 single for over two years. Maybe you got a "Monday morning" pedal?
 
My dw2002 double pedal has served me very well so far (1.5 years) with quite some 'flight hours' so far. It's considered a beginner pedal but it does everything. The build quality is totally ok to me. Can't judge on anything else by dw as that pedal is the only thing made by dw which I have.
 
The lesson here it that you should try before you buy.
What I consider to be the perfect piece of hardware for me may not be to your liking.
Price isn't always the answer either.
ATGNAT sampled the hardware and decided that it wasn't for him.
Just because you don't like something isn't reason to call it crap.
As you see from the responses other people like the dw hardware just fine.
I have no problems with dw pedals either.
The single chain dw 5000 pedal is modled after the famous Camco pedal I believe.
I play a Camco and I love it.
I also have a $50 Sonor pedal that I like and an Iron Cobra that I like.
 
I own a DW 5000 chain pedal and also a 5000 three legged hi hat stand and wouldn't put the word "crap" describing either one. I also own the Pearl 900 hi hat stand and think that it's great. Actually I replaced the 900 stand with the DW 5000. With anything that you're concerned about a certain feeling when playing it, research and personal experience is key. If you want to get really critical, check the stands with the same weight cymbals you usually use, at least the same diameter cymbals. I don't buy anything until I've thoroughly checked them out in person. I have many other pedals and stands and when I'm playing them, "crap" never really enters my mind.

Dennis
 
To be fair to our OP though, I found the 3500 hi-hat stand a little on the light side. But on the other hand, that's what they say it is - a light-to-medium hi-hat stand. When you compare the 3000 series to the 5000 series, there is a big difference when you look at the size of the tubing between the two lines. I wouldn't say the 3500 hi-hat is crap though, it is what it is and you just have to adjust accordingly. Alot of people use the 3000 series hardware and I've yet to hear any real complaints. I will allow that because it's DW, you tend to not get as good a discount on their stuff as you would other manufacturers, so you do pay a bit more, but it's par for the territory. Remember when Yamaha had their hey-day in the 80s? Their prices then were a little stiffer than everybody elses' too.
 
DW pedals aren't for everyone, but the 5000 line has been the most popular seller and used by millions of working and top name drummers for 20 years.

I'm not sure what corners they cut for the 3000 series, so maybe that's the issue.

I personally don't care for the 9000 series, too bulky for me, but at lot of big names use them.
 
Talking hardware here, I personally think (for the price point) there are other companies making better hardware than DW. Pearl, Tama, Mapex, and now Ludwig coming out with new hardware Dw I think are going to have problems. Sure it's good stuff but take individual pieces of hardware and compare there is way better more sturdy and reliable hardware out there for a heck of a lot less money.
Snare stands, Pearls s1000, s 2000 are more sturdy and durable for a ton less, the eliminator pedals are much less than the comparable 5000, and cost less and have twice the features, etc..
I love Dw drums, and they are hard to beat, but the hardware I believe is very beatable.
Sorry I guess we were just talking pedals here... I kinda went off a bit.
 
How are the Yamaha pedals and HH stands compared to Sonor's, KIS?
I've no idea my friend, because I haven't seen up to date Sonor hardware for a good few years. I did have some Sonor hardware back in the day, & it was always right up there from a construction quality point of view.

The big surprise to me was the Yamaha pedals. I've used Yamaha d for years, & believe it to be consistently the best out there, but I always regarded their pedals as a bit cumbersome & uninspiring. Their latest 9000 series are very well made & also very smooth & responsive. Constructional quality is certainly a cut above the DW5000 series, and, at least in the UK, cheaper too.
 
Well I figured I'd get some full-throated defense from DW fans, and after all it is just an opinion ... and all my other stands are DW, so I have nothing against the company. They generally seem to make great stuff (I prefer Gretsch drums, but if I didn't DW would be my drums of choice).

But I really can't wrap my head around what I see as the shoddiness of the 3000 pedal series in particular. They cost over $100 and don't feel like quality to me. I'm not trying to start a Pearl-vs-DW war, and I'm not a Pearl fanboy (I don't care for their drums and don't generally look to buy their hardware, I just bought the Pearl pedal b/c it was cheap) but my $69 Pearl kick pedal just feels sturdier. It has a chain guard and if I put my foot on it I can't sway the footboard back and forth - unlike the DW 3000, which feels loose and cheap. In fact, the cheapest Pearl pedal feels about the same build quality as the DW 5000, which is three times the price!

This might all be moot because with my size-13 feet I've been thinking of trying a longboard or something similar, but I was just surprised at the seeming lack of bang-for-buck in the DW series.
 
In fact, the cheapest Pearl pedal feels about the same build quality as the DW 5000, which is three times the price!

LOL, I don't think so dude. You only seem to have experience with the 3000, which is a budget line. If you haven't really tried the 5000 don't speak for it; a really solid all-around pedal at an excellent price point.


Fox.
 
Own a DW 8002 longboard double pedal, i debated for a while between the 5000 double and this one as i found both were of superb build quality. The same day i also tried out the Pearl Demon Drive pedals, but found that they did not have the right feel, im not going to say "cheap" or "frail" because it wasnt a build quality issue, they just felt...light. It could have just been the difference between chain and direct drive as well.

In my experience as far as pedals go, i find that once you get into a decent price range there are no clear losers. I personally cant stand the feel of iron cobras, they are the pedals that i replaced with my 8002's. But there are a lot of people out there who think that DW pedals are way too heavy .etc .etc.

I think youre mistaking feel for build quality....i have not seen a set of DW pedals, even the 2000 series that i would describe as "crap" when put up against comparable pedals of other companies
 
I owned the 9000's for a bit. Really liked the feel and action, very smooth, and fairly light, after I changed over to the Yamaha felt beaters. Traded it eventually. Hate the design of that heel plate and hinge joint. Heel plate is way too bulky for me.

Same thing with the IC, great pedal, heel plate too bulky.

Been using the Yamaha flying dragons for years now. Always keep coming back to that pedal. Its all personal preference I guess, once you're used to something, its tough to change.
 
I've no idea my friend, because I haven't seen up to date Sonor hardware for a good few years. I did have some Sonor hardware back in the day, & it was always right up there from a construction quality point of view.
Thanks KIS. I don't have too much experience with older Sonor hardware, but as far as
I know they were the same top notch quality, but endlessly heavy :).
 
Not a dw fanboi here. I have owned Pearl Eliminators, Yammy flying dragon, dw 5k and 9k and pdp pedals. I currently own a dw9k double and 2 dw5k singles. I like them. I have size 13 feet and play barefoot.. There all fine pedals I just like the feel of the dw's most. To be honest I thought the plastic cams on the elimators were kind of cheap. The only issue I had was with the 9k double's drive shaft, it was a pin and not ball bearing connections. I replaced it with a Axis universal drive shaft. So with a little work it's exactly what I want. perfect? no, but close enough for me.
 
Back
Top