should i get a rack

jakester

Senior Member
i was wondering if i should i get a rack
 

Attachments

  • my kit.jpg
    my kit.jpg
    38.3 KB · Views: 386
It is entirely up to you.
Have you tried racks before? I mean played kits that had racks. Have you set them up.

Some drummers swear by them.
I personally don't see the use for one with a five piece kit.
 
i also added two more toms to the set up and 2 cymbals since the picture was taken i dont know if i should get a rack. i have played racks before at guitar center and other places and i liked them
 
If you don't feel like there is anything else on your kit which needs an upgrade or replacement then do it. I picked up a curved Gib rack a couple weeks ago and I have nothing but kind words to say about it. It was used (like new condition though) with several extra clamps, memory locks and 2 Tama tom arms for a steal. I went in to buy a double tom stand and walked out with this for not much more. I have used a rack on a smaller drum set up with more cymbals, and I love the positioning and ease of set up.
 
I would say you are darn close to needing one. I had a Tama rack for years and loved it. It has been years since I've had one and now playing a fairly large kit made me purchase a new one. I need extra clamps and cymbal arms to finish up. Was torn between getting more stands to complete my new kit or rack it. Once you get it all set up the way you want, everything is pretty much in the exact same spot each time you set up. To some they look like they take up more space but without all the extra cymbal stands I think they are more compact IMO.
 
I say you should get one to find out if you need one! It's an investment, but you won't really know if you like having one until you've actually brought one home and put everything on it and saw how efficient or inefficient it is for you. Perhaps you can find a used one eBay or something and then add the parts you need to it?
 
I'd say no, but then again I don't like racks and find they actually take more time to set up. This being said, I own a rack and use it in practice spaces when that kit doesn't move. I just would not gig them ever.
 
I'd say no, but then again I don't like racks and find they actually take more time to set up. This being said, I own a rack and use it in practice spaces when that kit doesn't move. I just would not gig them ever.

Different strokes for different folks I guess, and if they don't work for you it's ok. I had set up at 12 minutes fully mic'd or 10 using kick and overhead mics with my old stand set up; this included time to uncase everything. This would be a 4-5 piece kit with hh, 2 crashes, 2 rides and miscellaneous china or splashes (depending on what I was called for some cymbals/drums were not necessary). With my new rack set up I have shaved off maybe 2 minutes, but I have decreased my hardware weight by about 50 lbs. This is significant for me because I gig 4-7 times a week and I have bad knees. I had surgery on my left about 2 1/2 months ago and I am waiting until I am healed to go in for repair on the right one. I like mine and I won't go back to regular stands unless I am using one of my scaled down set ups with kick/hat/snare/floor tom.
 
Sure why not. You & I have about the same size set. I love having a rack Plus I'm working on expanding very soon. So I say go for it Rack up!
 
First of all: Does your kit ever move, or are you just playing at home? If your kit is permanently set up in one place, there's no point in getting a rack.
 
my kit does move i have about 2-5 shows a month
 
Well in that case, it's really up to your preferences. I'll point out that not a lot of drummers with a setup like yours use a rack, and possibly for good reason.

I had a rack on my kit a few years back, and for a 5-piece kit with three crashes it just proved too much of a hassle. For a large kit, racks can be a great timesaver, but for a smaller kit (like mine) I found it to be quite the opposite. I sold my rack and went back to stands, and I'm glad I did.

However, I've been pondering the new Gibraltar Stealth Side Rack lately, which seem to offer the best of both worlds: The smaller stage footprint of the rack and the flexibility and easy setup of stands. I might just test that out at some point.
 
i put some pictures up this afternoon of my new setup
 
Racks rule because everything is setup the same way every time. I have a trailer for moving my drums. My rack for my electronic kit goes into the trailer completely in tack. All I have to do is unfold it and tighten it up. Naigewron mentioned that he finds stands easy to set up. I find the opposite. They seem to be different every time you set them up. Some stands have memory locks which helps, but the placement of the feet still has to be found each time.
 
I used a rack for years and eventually got tired of dealing with it. Plus I started to prefer the look of a kit with stands (not to mention sizing down from a 12 piece double bass to a 5-6 piece at most!). If you opt for stands, all you have to do is get an outdoor rug and mark with tape where your stands go. That way, placement and angles are saved for quick set up. Using "codes" or "notes" is another effective idea. For instance, to differentiate between a crash stand, ride stand, bass drum spurs and rack tom stand, the tape surrounding those stands would be marked CS, RS, BS and RT. Whatever helps you remember is fine; it works for me at least. Also, memory lock your stand legs, boom angles, etc. as much as you can.
After that, going rack or stands comes down simply to personal taste.
 
In the tight little jam space that you seem to have, I would say "yes" ... you are a candidate for a rack ... simply because it will actually shrink the overall footprint of your kit.​
Other than that ... if you simply "want" a rack, is a good enough reason to buy one.​
How do you climb back there, anyhow ?​
 
Last edited:
Racks are awesome, especially if you gig out regularly. As pointed out above, your setup ends up EXACTLY the same everytime, with everything ALWAYS in the perfect position. And, you are unlimited on what you can put on a rack. Even better is the fact that a rack takes up LESS of a footprint than even a small 4 piece setup. And, if you do it right, you can get rid of all those stinking stand legs that stick out all over the place in a setup with cymbals stands, mic stands, etc. Even my snare and hi-hat stands are connected to my rack and neither have legs. Take a look at what I have on my rack in the photos below, and note how EVERYTHING fits in a footprint that's less than 5'x5' because I have no stand legs to deal with, at all. This is a HUGE benefit if you ever find yourself in limited space at a gig. Check out the pic of my band crammed onto a very small stage.

10" tom
12" tom
13" tom
16" floor - only thing NOT mounted
4 old-school Simmons electric triggers
4 cymbals
hi-hat
snare
6 mics for acoustic drums - not on rack in these pics
2 overhead mics - not on rack in these pics
1 vocal mic - not on rack in these pics

Front View.jpg


Behind View.jpg


Side View.jpg


Drums 4 Mod.jpg
 
Last edited:
Back
Top