Best rack system. Please help.

I have the PDP and attached the V-rack to make a third side (tube diameter is the same). Having heard this music before.....

My not-hex, not square, round tube rack is fine, never slipeed once. I average three or four gigs a month and hit harder than average (I'd say).

I'm not bashing the others cause at the time of my purchase (if a hex rack was available) if the price was right for the Hex rack, I'd probably have bought it. But to say that one is rack system is outright better than the other, is as pointless as me saying Sabian is better than Zildjian. All of them offer plenty of setup options, various clamps and holders and such. Just beware that the hex and square tube racks lock you into buying that company accesories only. Round tube diameter is common among a couple sold varieties and at least gives a couple options.
 
I got in quite a discussion with another poster on another thread about round tube slippage. I had shared my experiences with older Gibraltar gear (early 90's vintage), and the issues I had had with that. However, as parts have worn out, I have upgraded them one at a time with the newer Road Series clamps, and they do a much better job of keeping stuff where it's supposed to be, without having to be cranked down with pliers. My next project with my rack is to replace all the original Power Series T-clamps with Road Series right angle clamps or adjustable angle clamps, and also some vertical tube cymbal holder adapters. I'm weighing the cost of doing that against selling the rack I have on CL and using the money to invest in a Hexrack.

My provisos to the above are: (1) even the older Power Series multiclamps have been fine for most loads; and (2) invest in memory locks for everything, since they're inexpensive and work. Gibraltar even sells a hinged version that can be taken off without dismantling your rack.
 
timmdrum said:
I've had my Gibraltar rack since 2001. At different time periods it's been a gigging setup [assembled & disassembled constantly] and also remained set up for long stretches in a rehearsal room. Never has anything slipped. I don't know about the older rack systems, but from my experience with mine and from many others who have them as well, a round tube rack is not prone to slippage. User error causes it 99.9% of the time. Sure, a clamp could break. None of mine have.

If you have a round tube rack, tighten the clamps sufficiently, and use memory locks for particularly heavily loaded clamps, and you'll be fine.
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Truth spoken. Drummers are some the cheapest musicians out there. How often do you see a guitarist carrying his guitar without a case? Drums without cases? Trying to mount 2 toms on a double tom holder with one clamp and no memory lock is only asking for trouble. Don't be a tight wad, spring for all the necessary gear to do it right. You'll be glad you did later on...

Another reason people have problems with slippage is lack of common sense. They try to hang a 16" tom a foot away from the rack pipe with no support (memory clamps, etc.) Look at it this way, hold any tom with your arm straight out.. Gets heavy pretty quick. Hold the same tom closer to your body and it doesn't seem so bad and can be held a lot longer. The same physics apply to mounting stuff on a rack.

alparrott said:
I got in quite a discussion with another poster on another thread about round tube slippage. I had shared my experiences with older Gibraltar gear (early 90's vintage), and the issues I had had with that. However, as parts have worn out, I have upgraded them one at a time with the newer Road Series clamps, and they do a much better job of keeping stuff where it's supposed to be, without having to be cranked down with pliers. My next project with my rack is to replace all the original Power Series T-clamps with Road Series right angle clamps or adjustable angle clamps, and also some vertical tube cymbal holder adapters. I'm weighing the cost of doing that against selling the rack I have on CL and using the money to invest in a Hexrack.

My provisos to the above are: (1) even the older Power Series multiclamps have been fine for most loads; and (2) invest in memory locks for everything, since they're inexpensive and work. Gibraltar even sells a hinged version that can be taken off without dismantling your rack.
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Great advice..

You shouldn't ever have to tighten with pliers. EVER. All you are doing is bending the hinge pins which will make the clamp seem like it is wearing out. If you think it needs to be tighter, add a memory lock or two...

I have had my racks for 15 years or more and had never had ANYTHING slip. I have even stood on my 16 & 18 floors. Not bad for 200+ lbs and the weight of the toms....
 
scorch whammin said:
No...the hex is hex in shape...albeit, yamaha has incorporated some round shapes with their poly-synthetic resin ball for the tom clamps and a poly-synthetic resin sleeve for the open cross clamps....however, there's really no way for them to slip...and it does provide a means of lowering rack transfer resonance..:)
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Here is a few pic's to go with this.......

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Here is my HXR3L with a Twist...........Still setting it up at the moment

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