Racks... are they worth it?

Dipschmidt

Senior Member
I'm wondering if I should start saving up to invest in a rack. Basically, I've got 4 cymbals (not including hats) but I am gonna add about 2 or 3 more soon, and I'm wondering if a rack would be worth it. Although they do seem really expensive...
 
If you've got the cash, you can't go wrong with a Pearl Icon or a Gibraltar Rack (Better choice IMO). I'd suggest a rack only if you would like to mount 3 - 7 cymbals but its good for pretty much everything. The versatility of it is quite great when it comes to gigging also as its faster to setup.

Just a bit of caution, the Pearl Icon tend to be a bit pricey when it comes to clamps unlike the Gibraltar where Generic Clamps can be used on it. Plus its a alot cheaper.

BTW you can't go wrong with eBay, I bought a Pearl Icon Rack for £49 (Saving of about £70!) and the clamps for about £7.50 each (Saved almost £13 each on clamps) and its still in great condition!
 
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I could have sworn we just barely had a thread on "Racks - are they worth it?" But anyways...

Pros: Setup stays very much the same every time
No "toppling over" issues
Get your toms off the bass drum
Great for large to very large setups

Cons: Heavy
Hard to transport
Can be more time consuming to set up than stands
Not as flexible for quick setup changes

Q: Do I gig a lot, at a lot of different places where the stage size varies wildly?
A: If yes, racks may not be a good option.

Q: Do I have six or fewer drums in my setup, or five or fewer cymbals?
A: If yes to both, you're really not gaining anything.

Also, I notice the previous poster didn't mention the Yamaha Hexrack. Somewhat pricey, but the general consensus is that Yamaha's really done something well.
 
If you are going to have more than 3 cymbals & 3 toms in your kit, then a rack is the only way to go IMO....and I highly recommend the hex rack...best rack on the market!..:)
 
If you are going to have more than 3 cymbals & 3 toms in your kit, then a rack is the only way to go IMO....and I highly recommend the hex rack...best rack on the market!..:)

Not that I disagree with you, but I have that many or more in each of my kits and never saw the need for a rack. Actually in my 49 years behind kits, I never owned one. It's like everything else, just personal preference.

Most of my kits are in this configuration.

DSC_0212.jpg


Dennis
 
I'm wondering if I should start saving up to invest in a rack. Basically, I've got 4 cymbals (not including hats) but I am gonna add about 2 or 3 more soon, and I'm wondering if a rack would be worth it. Although they do seem really expensive...
I have two rack toms, ten cymbals, and an electronic drum mounted on two Pearl ICON 501's with a JR-50 and a 501 extension. Using some clamps and a few Yamaha triple hole receivers, I've been able to mount two rack toms and eight cymbals on two stand bases and a hi hat stand. I would have mounted more if I wanted to use my chinas. When my kit is at it's largest a rack is worth it, but with a kit your size it's not necessary.

As long as you have some high quality heavy duty stand bases, you can mount quite a few cymbals on them. Racks are heavy and cumbersome, so if you're bringing the kit out, a few stands and clamps will be a lot easier. The only benefit of a rack for your kit would be that everything is already in place, but you can achieve the same setup time if you mark your stands and use memory locks.
 
I do use a rack, but not in the conventional sense - I have two side racks that can move around quite easily, and can come on and off the stage in easy trips once assembled. Since they're smaller, they also pack and transport more easily.

There are many "in-between" options that allow for some of the advantages of a rack without all that extra weight.

1) "Cymbal station". Essentially, you take a short length of rack tubing (maybe 18" - 24"0 and attach it to an existing cymbal stand using a rack clamp. Then you can add two or three cymbal booms, toms, what have you, to the stand using rack clamps. This option is even sturdy enough to fly two rack-style floor toms off one double-braced stand.

2) "Rack Bridge". Using two cymbal stands you already have, clamp a rack tube of whatever length between them using two rack clamps. Then use the tube as you would a normal rack. This is pretty sturdy so long as you make sure it's level; I've put three rack toms and four cymbals on such a contraption before.

3) "Stealth" rack. Gibraltar has started marketing the "stealth" rack kits, which are essentially mini-racks with extremely short legs, and the bars run close to the floor. You could actually use two short tubes with feet as the "T-legs", but no vertical bars. Just run the rack directly between the two foot tubes (basically an "H" lying on the floor). Then you can clamp stands or booms directly to the middle tube. These are great because they are flat (meaning low center of gravity) and can slide in and out of tight spots in cars. You can similarly use a floor-running tube to mount your snare without a tripod.

4) "Side Racks" - either stealth or regular two-leg racks, one on either side of the bass drum. See my profile and my photo gallery for examples of these.

The best thing about these solutions is that you can usually buy just the specific parts needed rather than a whole rack kit, and end up with a much cheaper solution than the full package.
 

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I thought about maybe getting a rack just to go across the front of my drumset because I want to place some cymbals in front, but can't because if I use one of the boom clamps that clamp onto an existing stand, it won't go far enough (if that makes sense.) but if I just got one rack to go across the front of my set and not the sides, wouldn't that look somewhat mediocre?
 
I wouldn't say mediocre. You're thinking in terms of "Well, if I have a rack, I need dozens of bars going this way and that, or people will diss my setup". If all you need is one bar going across the front, use a rack bridge with your two sturdiest stands and that'll do you fine. People will notice you've got one rack bar for about five seconds, then they will start playing attention to the music as a whole, not what your kit looks like.
 
I wish I had known about the Stealth racks before buying my full Gibraltar rack setup. They seem more flexible. Ingenious idea, actually.
 
I'm wondering if I should start saving ...
Yes, drums and hardware are addictive.
Basically, I've got 4 cymbals ...
And what do your cymbal stands cost? $50 each? So that's $200.
I am gonna add about 2 or 3 more soon
So add another $150 to that.
and I'm wondering if a rack would be worth it.
Pearl Icon and Yamaha hex can be found for around $250, right now. Gibraltar starter pack, I just saw, was $299. Cost comes out to close to equal. Depending on what you want to do, racks can give you added versatility. And a rack can actually leave a smaller footprint than a tangle of stands. Currently, I'm running the Yamaha hex rack, with my acoustic kit. Best system I've ever owned, (had a Pearl square tube DR-100, that lasted me 15+ years), and probably the last I'll ever need. I've never been a fan of the round tube racks. Owned some, used some, gave 'em away. If you have a rack and have stands, best of both worlds. Then you'll probably always be able to do, what you want (design wise), with your kit.
 

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I don't understand why people say that having a rack means you need more room, I find that statement exactly the latter. I have been to about 30 shows in 2010 so far (in the metal scene) and some of these places are real small, the drummers with racks always get their gear up faster, and take up less space...

You just have to learn how to use it properly and know how to set up your kit to take up less space...
 
Cons: Heavy
Hard to transport
Can be more time consuming to set up than stands
Not as flexible for quick setup changes

I've NEVER heard this. Every single drummer I have ever known that used a rack told me it shaved at least a half hour off of their setup time and made things easier overall.
 
I've NEVER heard this. Every single drummer I have ever known that used a rack told me it shaved at least a half hour off of their setup time and made things easier overall.

They must have some big a$$ kits because racks always take WAAAYYYYYY more time for me to set up.

Even when I was rocking three rack toms, four crashes, two splashes, two chinas, ride, and x-hat I used stands and kept the rack at home.

That being said, if you are practiced in setting something up it becomes fast and easy.
 
I've thought a couple times about getting a rack for home use so I don't have to set up my hardware at home. I really don't see the value in using them for live situations. They take up a lot of room in your car (yes, even broken down), they are heavy, hard to transport (especially if you set it up off stage and "simply" lug it onto the stage), and they take a longer time to set up than stands (that is, unless you're playing a 20+ piece kit, but who does THAT?!?!?!?)
 
That doesn't even make sense though. If you have a rack you can just leave it as is, stand it up, and then bam just throw the cymbals and toms into the spots. Leave all the clamps where you want them and there's no time spent trying to position everything right. I just don't even see HOW a rack could take more time. Stands are all over the place, a rack simplifies it.
 
The setup time issue depends on how fully you tear down and what you have to transfer your gear.....case in point, Ive gigged w/ a rack and without. Whether I was using a rack or stands w/ multi-clamps upon multi-clamps (youd be amazed at what you can fit on one stand!) I always transported my gear in my own van, so I would only do basic tear down. That consisted in folding up the legs of the cymbal stands-and that was it. Any boom or tom arms coming off of that stand stayed setup exactly as they were, but having a full size van, I had the room to do that.

Same goes for the rack - I had a large double bass Gibraltar setup - I would take the 4 sections apart and stop. All the tom and cymbal arms stayed put. Again, I had the room, but Ive even known guys who also had vans or box trucks, but for some reason had this fascination with folding up every boom and tom arm. Some even put their racks in cases. I dont know about you, but Ive got better things to do with my time. Never understood that. The van also afforded me the luxury of having the most basic of drum cases - the cardboard boxes they came in.....vans are a beautiful thing. And when youre not gigging with em you can go to the shore for the weekend and sleep in em!

But back on topic - I recently bought 2 new kits, but one has a "vintage" look to it, and I just cant stomach the way it looks behind my rack, so for that kit Im going the stand route.
 
That doesn't even make sense though. If you have a rack you can just leave it as is, stand it up, and then bam just throw the cymbals and toms into the spots. Leave all the clamps where you want them and there's no time spent trying to position everything right. I just don't even see HOW a rack could take more time. Stands are all over the place, a rack simplifies it.

You seem to be trying to push your point. Probably rightfully so. Either way, I have a few questions, because having a rack seems (to me) as though it would be more of a hassle than using stands:

1. Do YOU use a rack? (I'm assuming yes...)
2. Do you leave it set up when you put it in your car or do you take it apart?
3. How long does it take you to unload your car, load in your gear to the venue, set up and stash your cases?
4. How many total trips do you have to take from your vehicle?
 
I do not at the moment. However, I'm saving up for one because I am really, really getting tired of stands and having seen the... elegance, I guess... of my friends' rack systems I'm just itching to get 'em.

I suppose my enthusiasm in this debate is because I'm tired of clunky stands and don't see how a rack is actually worse.
 
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