Speed King Pedals is all I know!

Toad

Toad

Member
I'm an old timer lol, and all I've ever played on was Speed King pedals. Reason being when I was a kid and played I bought Speed Kings because: there was no leather strap to break, they said Ludwig on them, they were called Speed King (sounded cool) and I didn't know anything else.

Due to the way life goes I quit playin' drums for a long time.

Way later in life I took up the drums again. When I went to buy pedals I was flabbergasted by the selection. After much research and window (price) shopping I just got Speed Kings again because it was a known thing for me. I didn't want to buy some new whiz-bang expensive pedals only to hate them and kick myself. At least I knew how Speed Kings were.

My son # 2 now has drums also and we broke down and got him some DW 8000 pedals. They are awesomely smooth and solid and nice lol. My instant impression when I played them was, "Oh, maaaaaan! How nice!" And he loves 'em.

(On a side note, after only a few weeks, on his right pedal, the spring broke on the bottom loop right where it attaches into the tension adjustment eyelet. I promptly bought a slew of replacement springs.)

At any rate, I read somewhere that Speed Kings were Ludwigs' very first product. It's my understanding that back then all drummers played heel down all the time...

...now here's the thing - the article went on to say that the "speed" of a Speed King was in the return of the beater, not the forward beating motion.

The internal dual springs in a Speed King push instead of pull like most other pedals.

The only things you can adjust are the spring pressures and somewhat the length of the beater rod.

They are a very durable no-fuss pedal. I've never broken one. Just buy some spray silicone lubricant lol.

Well, heck I just thought I'd throw in a couple of facts and opinions for any kids who wonder if they should get a Speed King.

Keep in mind this is coming from somebody (older dude) who's not too fancy with the footwork, never have been, never will be. Powerful, yes. Fancy, intricate, subtle and technical, no. If I can't do it I don't do it.
 
Speed King.....hmmm, sounds familiar.
 

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I played a few speed kings when I first started. When I got my kit I got the speed king because that's what the guy I was taking lessons from played. Mine were before the newer footplate like shown in Harry's post which helped remedy the problem of that bottom strap breaking which is what happened to mine. Great pedals, heck John Bonham used them. It is amazing the choices now available
 
I've always liked Speed King's great pedal. I've always wondered if Deep Purple named the song after it? i'm sure that's what Ian Paice played at that time.

Bonzolead
 
I freaking love the Speed King pedal. I'm a young guy, and have seen a whole butt load of pedals with countless adjustments and and the like which are great, but not worth $500-600 in my opinion. I've also noticed a difference in the motion/dynamics of the SK compared to modern day pedals. To me, the SK feels like it's more of a vertical/up and down motion. As opposed to the modern pedals where it feels like the motion is more angled back or rotated in a sense, kind of like a diagonal motion or on an axis (not the pedal).
 
Toad said:
I'm an old timer lol, and all I've ever played on was Speed King pedals. Reason being when I was a kid and played I bought Speed Kings because: there was no leather strap to break, they said Ludwig on them, they were called Speed King (sounded cool) and I didn't know anything else.

Due to the way life goes I quit playin' drums for a long time.

Way later in life I took up the drums again. When I went to buy pedals I was flabbergasted by the selection. After much research and window (price) shopping I just got Speed Kings again because it was a known thing for me. I didn't want to buy some new whiz-bang expensive pedals only to hate them and kick myself. At least I knew how Speed Kings were.

My son # 2 now has drums also and we broke down and got him some DW 8000 pedals. They are awesomely smooth and solid and nice lol. My instant impression when I played them was, "Oh, maaaaaan! How nice!" And he loves 'em.

(On a side note, after only a few weeks, on his right pedal, the spring broke on the bottom loop right where it attaches into the tension adjustment eyelet. I promptly bought a slew of replacement springs.)

At any rate, I read somewhere that Speed Kings were Ludwigs' very first product. It's my understanding that back then all drummers played heel down all the time...

...now here's the thing - the article went on to say that the "speed" of a Speed King was in the return of the beater, not the forward beating motion.

The internal dual springs in a Speed King push instead of pull like most other pedals.

The only things you can adjust are the spring pressures and somewhat the length of the beater rod.

They are a very durable no-fuss pedal. I've never broken one. Just buy some spray silicone lubricant lol.

Well, heck I just thought I'd throw in a couple of facts and opinions for any kids who wonder if they should get a Speed King.

Keep in mind this is coming from somebody (older dude) who's not too fancy with the footwork, never have been, never will be. Powerful, yes. Fancy, intricate, subtle and technical, no. If I can't do it I don't do it.
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Variety is the spice of life. Look at the new gear as inspiration. I could never go back to a speed king, or even a ludwig 400 series snare... too much past-life connected.

People usually want what they don't have (or haven't had), so kids are going to be the market for speed kings Ludwig hopes.
 
bonzolead said:
I've always liked Speed King's great pedal. I've always wondered if Deep Purple named the song after it? i'm sure that's what Ian Paice played at that time.

Bonzolead
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Yeah it is. I was doing some general drum history research just to read up on stuff and it's the first song to ever be named after a drum product. There may have been many since then but that is the first.
 
I used Speed Kings in the early '80s when I was a beginner, partly because that's what Neil Peart was using at the time. After a few years away from my own drums (while in the Navy) I came back to my Speed Kings, and for me, they just didn't compare to the newer Yamaha's I'd been playing on while stationed in Japan.

What I like about newer pedals is that the chain drives (can) have cam rollers on them. I like the feel of that - that burst of acceleration at the end of the stroke. Round chain drive rollers (and Speed Kings) don't have that.

As for the Ludwig 400s, Les - I just got my first one, so it's new to me. but I know what you mean; you can never go back home.
 
Intersting thread. TS, well i think you were unlucky if the spring broke on the right pedal of that DW. They're very reliable, i've had mine nearly 2 years now and everything still works fine, i think at least 25% of the regular users on here would testify to that too! It's one of the most popular pedals in existence. I haven't heard of a DW 8000 though? I thought it was just 4, 5, 7 and 9000?

Great idea to put a footplate on the speedking, it's such a simple thing that makes any pedal so much more stable imo. It's amazing to think that it was patented in '38. That thing you said about it pushing instead of pulling sounds a lot like the idea that trick are using on their direct drive pedals which are supposed to be the fastest and most direct feeling bass pedals you can buy today.
 
freebirdgdw said:
The songs not about the pedal but it is named after it.
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While I certainly don't want to get into a "pissing match" over it, I find that a little hard to believe. Richie Blackmore, guitarist for DP, was refered to as the "Speed King", and also the "Black Knight". Speed King was also a very popular term to describe any hot rodder or motorcycle hellion who loved generous use of the throttle. And also a slang term for a drug user, as in the anti-drug campaign "speed kills". As Deep Purple In Rock was released in 1970 (I was a freshman in high school), I read plenty about that band, and not one interview ever mentioned Ian's drum pedal as the source of the songs name.
 
I played and enjoyed my Speed King for thirty years. It is bullet prof! I don't play it much anymore. It is primitive as compared to my silent smooth Iron Cobra. I like all of the adjustments that my newer pedal has. The Speed King had its day!
 
harryconway said:
While I certainly don't want to get into a "pissing match" over it, I find that a little hard to believe. Richie Blackmore, guitarist for DP, was refered to as the "Speed King", and also the "Black Knight". Speed King was also a very popular term to describe any hot rodder or motorcycle hellion who loved generous use of the throttle. And also a slang term for a drug user, as in the anti-drug campaign "speed kills". As Deep Purple In Rock was released in 1970 (I was a freshman in high school), I read plenty about that band, and not one interview ever mentioned Ian's drum pedal as the source of the songs name.
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I might be wrong then but I'm just sure I remember reading it or seeing it in a documentary or something (I think). You're explanation makes sense though.
 
lol, freebird, but I bet they named their album Machine Head for... "machine head - a peg mechanism on the head of musical instruments such as the guitar, banjo, or double bass, used for tightening the strings".
 
Toad said:
lol, freebird, but I bet they named their album Machine Head for... "machine head - a peg mechanism on the head of musical instruments such as the guitar, banjo, or double bass, used for tightening the strings".
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They did! I erm, read it in a magazine, no wait! I heard that, no... Ian Paice told me so! yeah!
 
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