Looking for a drum rack

boneskeys

Junior Member
I have a tama rockstar 8 piece double bass drum kit. I dont know what kind of rack I should get I've seen so many different ones. Also I would like to know when you buy the rack does it come with all the hardware to mount the toms or would I have to buy that seperatly? What would you guys recommend? thanks
2011-11-09202443.jpg
 
Welcome to the DW forum!

The Pearl ICON and Yamaha Hexracks are two of the most highly recommended racks on this forum, due to their not-round tubes which provide greater security against slippage. However, Gibraltar and DW both make round-tube racks that perform well and are also highly regarded. There are of course many other manufacturers, but these are the "big four".

Most rack packages purchased new come with at least a couple of multi-clamps to secure your drums and cymbal holders on the rack. Your set as you have it now would probably take at least four clamps (if you mounted the drums using the double tom holders you have now) - two for the double tom holder and two for cymbals. If you got individual tom arms for each drum (recommended for flexibility) you would need two more. Most racks nowadays come with fittings on the vertical legs which accept cymbal holder tubes, negating the need for some of those clamps.

The subject of drum racks has been covered extensively in many threads on this forum. I suggest you do a search for threads, you will find a wealth of opinions. Also, I recommend looking at a drum rack in person, with a drumset on it, and if possible asking the owner or the clerk in the store about how it works.
 
I bought a pearl icon rack with the curved style bars. I wanted this because of the square tubes.

IMO gibraltar makes the most accessories and is the most universal with fitting all brands. Pearl icon will be more expensive.

A new rack will come with clamps to mount hardware to the rack, but it won't come with the hardware to mount to the drums/cymbals.
 
Tama also makes a rack if you want to stay with them. Don't buy a Pearl Icon, or Yamaha Hexrack until you see it in person. They are an acquired taste. I have a DW and it is very expensive, but very well made with stainless pipe like the Gibraltor. The Gibraltor is your best bang for your buck, and probably the most widely used. Good luck.
 
In no way am I bashing DW, Yamaha, or Tamas offerings, but none of those brands racks are very widely sold. It's much harder to shop around. You can find good used deals on both pearl and Gibraltar.
Gibraltars are FAR more customizable than the pearls. The icons are large, I'm probably going to cut mine down to fit a single kick tighter.
 
For those of you who have the Pearl curved Icon rack, can you tell me the length of the curved horizontal bar. I've seen reports of anywhere between 36 and 48 inches and the Pearl website hasn't been of much help. Is it possible that they offer different lengths for the curved rack bars?
 
For those of you who have the Pearl curved Icon rack, can you tell me the length of the curved horizontal bar. I've seen reports of anywhere between 36 and 48 inches and the Pearl website hasn't been of much help. Is it possible that they offer different lengths for the curved rack bars?

The curved bar is 46".
 
WARNING: MANY LARGE PICS (to help the OP see what I'm talking about)

I would stay away from the square tubes because of parts and accessories issues. Because there are more companie that offer round tubes, there are more parts and accessories that are more widely available, and there there is a wider variety of styles of parts. Additionally, parts from all manufacturers are interchangable. I've been using a rack for 28 years now, and I can tell you that you WILL change setup configurations from time to time, and it's nice to be able to easily find parts for round tubes whenever you need or want one.

For example, I started with a Tama Power Tower in the early 80s, which I still have today. It is brushed stainless steel, just like the DWs, but much less expensive. This rack came with a handful of clamps which I still have and use. Over the years, I added more clamps of various styles. I now have a mix of Tama, DW, Sound Percussion, PDP, Gibraltar and Peace clamps (although I wouldn't get Peace clamps again, because of their design). I also added some Gibraltar tubes to it.

Round tube bars come in a variety of styles, too. You can get long ones, short ones, straight bars, curved bars, and v-bars. I use a combination of straight and curved. You can also get round tubes directly from tubing manufacturers, if you like, which offers even greater flexibility. If you went that route, you can get them bent in any angle or circular profile you want, and your clamps will still work. Try that with a square tube rack.

Another benefit to round tubes is the adjustabililty and placement of items on the rack. Square tubes have four sides, which presents placement issues. If you want to tweak the positioning of a tom, cymbal, microphone or whatever else you mount on a rack, by a hair to get just the right angle, you won't be able to do so on a square tube. On the other hand, a round tube allows for infinite adjustment.

As far as security of positioning goes, memory clamps are great to have. Not only do they ensure that you get the exact same placement time and time again after breaking down and setting up again, if you have extra heavy pieces mounted, like big toms, or large cymbals set at precarious angles, like I do, memory locks serve to prevent movement of any kind.

Here are a few pics to show how I've changed configurations over time, and/or for specific applications:

This pic was taken during a pre-gig rehearsal. Note the setup has 3 tiers, because I needed electric triggers because the gig was heavy-laden with 80s material. Note the extension bars that allow for the top tier. Also note the severe angle of those cymbals. You'd be hard-pressed to get those angles with a square tube. That big cymbal is a heavy sizzle. Do you think I'd have that perched like that if it was going to slip? That thing would serve as a guilliotine and cut off my left hand if it did. Memory clamps ensure that it is going nowhere. ;-)
Drums 4 Mod.jpg


Without tier for electrics, but note that I'm flying 2 overhead mics and a vocal mic from the top tier.
Swabbies2tiers.jpg


Here's a close-up in which you can better see the 2 overhead mics and a vocal mic on the top tier. Look at the assortment of clamp styles just on that top tier alone.
No Second Tier Close Up.jpg


Here's a minimal setup with only one tier for tiny stages. Although a multi-tier setup doesn't take up any more of a footprint, I didn't want to look "too big" on this stage.
Jans.jpg


This pic is the same setup as above, for examination purposes. Note the angle at which the long tube is coming off one of the uprights down low. My snare is actually mounted to that tube. Try get that kind of angle on a square tube rack. As a matter of fact, note that all 4 cymbals are mounted to the uprights with only cymbal arms. Ratcheting boom arms are completely unnecessary. Why? Because I can position the cymbal arms at any angle I need on the uprights. Try that on a square tube. Wish you could see, but on my hi-hat side is a 30" side wing. To this I have mounted a leg-less hi-hat, an electric snare trigger, a fan, a small sheet music holder, and my vocal mic. Imagine how many different types of clamps I have there, along with memory clamps. Another example of why you want a style of rack for which there are a variety of different types of clamps easily available. ;-)
Mapex.jpg


These next pics were taken just yesterday of yet another configuration, which I think could be here to stay for awhile. I learned quite a bit from all the other setups. One thing I don't like about the single-tier setup is that it puts all the cymbals down at face height which obstructs the view. Sure, I could use cymbal boom attachments, but by doing so, while the cymbals can indeed be raised higher out of the way, you end up with a bunch of vertical posts blocking you instead. This particular config allows for a more open presentation, and also enabled me to eliminate some hardware, even though it doesn't look like it. Starting from the top, notice how I simply re-oriented the same extension brackets to position the top tier closer to me, subsequently allowing me to use much shorter extension bars, which incidentally were taken from a pair of Gibraltar's shorter 12" t-leg bases, which I bought used via Craigslist for like $10 (remember "easily available"?). From this angle, you can also see the side wing, although sheet music holder is not in place. Neither is the fan, because it's winter, but the post for the fan is still there.
Saturn1.jpg


I did away with all the cymbal ratcheting booms, and use only cymbal arms. Not only that, since the extensions are now closer to me, I was able to move the sizzle from the top tier to one of the extensions, enabling me to use a shorter cymbal arm there. Note the overhead mics are now mounted into ends of the extensions, rather than being clamped to the top tier. That eliminated two clamps and two memory locks from the top tier. My vocal mic is now mounted on the top tier again, but since the top tier is closer now, I don't need as long of a boom. All in all, shorter extension bars, less cymbal hardware, reduced number of clamps, and shorter mic boom. It all adds up to less pieces and less weight. While it may look big, since I also have no legs on hi-hat and snare stands, my 4.5 x 5 ft. footprint is still smaller than a traditional setup, there are less individual pieces to carry, and I never have to worry about stand-leg clutter. No offense to the square-tube rack folks, but if I had a square tube rack, it would have given me less options in what I've done over the years.
Saturn2.jpg
 
Last edited:
I would stay away from the square tubes because of parts and accessories issues.

Another benefit to round tubes is the adjustabililty and placement of items on the rack. Square tubes have four sides, which presents placement issues. If you want to tweak the positioning of a tom, cymbal, microphone or whatever else you mount on a rack, by a hair to get just the right angle, you won't be able to do so on a square tube. On the other hand, a round tube allows for infinite adjustment.

Very good points and good pics to illustrate the possibilites. Interchangeability with other racks is definitely a plus and the slippage doesn't seem to be an issue...Tama and Gibraltar make quality hardware.

However I will disagree with you on the angles you can achieve with a square rack. Every extreme angle in your pics is possible with the Pearl Icon.
 
How is that possible? For example, a square tube only allows a clamp to be rotated to 4 fixed 90 degree positions. Sure, when mounting a cymbal, you can then use a ratcheting boom attachment to compensate. On the other hand, a round tube allows for infinite positioning along the entire circumference of the tube, so you can rotate the clamp to literally any position you want. Then, you only need a cymbal arm instead of a multi-piece ratcheting boom arm. Less pieces means less to carry, and less expense.

Or, maybe I am unaware that someone has come out with some square rack clamp that somehow allows for adjustments as low as 1 degree.

Is there indeed something different than this?
http://www.steveweissmusic.com/product/30652/drum-racks

If I am wrong, someone please educate me. :)
 
Last edited:
The PCX200. Along with the adjustable clamp combined with cymbal boom ends or tom mounts, really doesn't present any limitations.
 
Good to know they have something like that. Can't tell, but I suspect that it's gear-driven, since an infinitely adjustable brake tilter would likely not hold a heavy tom well. But, it's sure beats being limited to four 90 degree positions. :) Do they also make something that allows you to mount other rack bars at different angles?

Not that I personally NEED to know, but anyone considering a square tube rack would definitely benefit from knowing. ;-)

As an aside, Pearl's site sucks at displaying clamps and accessories. Is that really all there is, or is their marketing dept. head too lame to know that they should show us consumers everything? :) FWIW, Tama is the same way. It's no wonder Gibraltar dominates the rack market. Brent, over there, at least has the wherewithal to show everything, and even make videos. ;-)
 
I just noticed in that one of my pics you can see my circa 1979 ghetto blaster up on a shelf. Instead of telling people I use IEMs, I should tell them I use that for my monitor! :)
 
this would be said clamp.....
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2011-12-09 at 9.06.02 PM.png
    Screen Shot 2011-12-09 at 9.06.02 PM.png
    101.4 KB · Views: 2,945
Back
Top