Hardware: my diva requests

wizard sticks

Senior Member
All,

On the off-chance that manufactures are reading, here are my diva requests for hardware-makers from a nightmare drummer:

1) Pearl made gearless snare/cymbal tilters 30 years ago. In this twitter-world, why are there stands with gears still on them? It might be patent laws. Or plain laziness. I have noticed that some manufacturers have gearless stands but only for their heavy ranges, like it is some sort of luxury. I have heard one manufacturer hint that them becoming loose is a problem, but this must be nonsense because the same manufacturer has them on their top lines. Gearless stands as standard, please!

2) Lightweight hardware does not mean rubbish hardware, or for people "on a budget". At last, some are seeing the light. Pearl, take note. Not all drummers have a roadie.

3) Make the throne as a part of your series of stands. Drummers need to sit down. And they don't have to weight a ton, and they all don't have to have the threaded pole design, which I really hate.

4) Tell people how much the stands weigh. It is helpful.

5) Tell people the tube sizes. Some drummers have to mix and match to get want they want!

6) Single braced stands are strong enough for most people. Only Yamaha make them as far as I am aware (apart from the flat ranges), but they are geared stands.

7) Stop using floorplates for pedals as standard - I have never had a problem with a wired base. This might be a case of over-engineering. For example, you cannot even buy a direct drive bass pedal without an annoying floorplate. As I said before, not every drummer has a roadie and they have to carry their stuff up stairs, in lifts, through kitchens, etc.

8) How about using Aluminium to make them ultra-light? For people with money of course. I know Gibraltar have started to do this, all credit to them.

9) Have cases/bags that are not the size of a tent. A sensible choice would be to have a system where drummers can carry everything in 2 bags, and we all know what we carry in them. The normal variance is the number of cymbal stands we have.

10) I think that is enough - oh, apart from that I would a buy a series of stands that are gearless, lightweight, direct drive, wire-based pedals, and including a seat to sit down. This would be good enough for most people, apart from metalheads.
 
I agree with you on all points.
Lightweight single braced gear-less hardware is a wonderful thing.
Most hardware manufacturers offer a set screw lock so gear-less tilters won't slip once set to desired position.
My fav single pedal is a Tama/Camco with a wire frame. I do understand the need for flat pedal bases for doubles though.
I use small hardware bags that are 36" long x15" round.
I wish that someone would make a sturdy lightweight throne with a backrest.
All of my thrones are heavy. A screw height adjuster works well but I do admit that the gas ones are more convenient.
Yes, knowing the tube specs on hardware is a good idea for those who want to mix and match.
 
I agree with you on all points.
Lightweight single braced gear-less hardware is a wonderful thing.
Most hardware manufacturers offer a set screw lock so gear-less tilters won't slip once set to desired position.
My fav single pedal is a Tama/Camco with a wire frame. I do understand the need for flat pedal bases for doubles though.
I use small hardware bags that are 36" long x15" round.
I wish that someone would make a sturdy lightweight throne with a backrest.
All of my thrones are heavy. A screw height adjuster works well but I do admit that the gas ones are more convenient.
Yes, knowing the tube specs on hardware is a good idea for those who want to mix and match.

Cool - I think Gibraltar do a universal backrest thing that will fit a lightweight throne that they do. This throne has been recommended to me:
http://www.gibraltarhardware.com/?fa=detail&mid=1182&sid=691&cid=37

The floorplate is an interesting issue - yes, I can see why one is needed for double pedals and stability for the stompers. Actually, my favourite pedal that I am looking at is the Pearl Eliminator Direct Drive - a fabulous pedal, but it needs the floorplate because of the single post. It comes with a nice bag so it is not a terrible problem.

I think Gibraltar are certainly getting there, and I think I will be able to construct a setup from a lot of their stuff.

But I do love the quality and engineering of Pearl - if I had a roadie, I would use all Pearl stuff!
 
I agree on all of your points except for possibly the pedal floor plate. I have multiple Ghost pedals to which I actually added floor plates. It makes them more stable, easier to install on the drum and they stay together when the rare occasion happens that you have to move the drum with pedal attached (Hey, drummer, can you move your gear a couple of feet so there is room for the ___________).

DSCF1335.JPG
DSCF1337.JPG
 
Hear hear! Yes gearless tilters FTW. It would seem like it would be less expensive to manufacture a smooth disc than a geared disc too. So it should be good for them, but there's the re-tooling. I just hope there comes a day where gears are gone from most hardware. Light weight, I second that. Single braced stands....just as stable as double braced stands. Tube size, never considered that. OK. Stand weight? As long as it's as light as they can reasonably get it, then I don't need this. But it can't hurt. Throne? I think most companies make a throne already right? But yea, great demand list. You should start a hardware company. You have all the right ideas that drummers crave. I'd say there's a substantial market for a line of hardware with all those features. Getting the majors to do all this....may never happen.
 
Hey Wizard Sticks,

I think you may have just written a sort of Magna Carta for hardware manufacturing!

Three hip hip hoorays for lightweight, quality hardware!
 
Throne? I think most companies make a throne already right?

Thats true, and Gibraltar do have equivalent thrones for their series. But they don't seem to include them in their hardware sets - in fact, I don't think anyone does.

I am having a little dig at Ludwig, because their classic throne weighs a ton and doesn't exactly match the rest of the set in terms of need haha. And I don't like Ludwig because they stopped making Speed Kings (wire base, direct drive classic!). I am not sure why, it was only one of the best pedals ever. Nothing important!!

I have to admit their classic booms stands are pretty impressive - lightweight(ish) and they have them 360 degree tilter things. Very nice.

But it baffles me with Yamaha - for their 700 series, the snare is gearless, but the cymbal stands are not. Why not use the same design? Baffling. And for the gibraltar flats, the cymbal stands are gearless, but the snare stand is not. Very strange!

I think I will use a hotch-potch combination of all sorts.

Yeah, I think the floor-plate is a good point. I love the smoothness of the Pearl direct drive, but I would love to have a Pepsi challenge with a wire-base version just to see!
 
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Hey Wizard Sticks,

I think you may have just written a sort of Magna Carta for hardware manufacturing!

Three hip hip hoorays for lightweight, quality hardware!

Thanks. :)

But I think Gibraltar and Ludwig are certainly getting there - market forces are making them change at last. I have read that Ludwig have been sleep-walking in terms of hardware until the Atlas Classic range, and it is quite nice. A lightweight throne, and direct drive pedal options, and they could rule. In fact they could just make the classic hi-hat a direct drive pedal (surely a metalhead will not be using an item like this!) and a choice between a direct drive or belt drive bass pedal.

Chains and lightweight stands don't mix. :)
 
And I don't like Ludwig because they stopped making Speed Kings (wire base, direct drive classic!). I am not sure why, it was only one of the best pedals ever. Nothing important!!

New Ludwig Speed King:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ludwig-L201...095?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d44fe7fdf

http://www.zzounds.com/item--LUDL201

http://www.samash.com/ludwig-l201-s...&cagpspn=pla&gclid=COTR5NDcyboCFewRMwodQ2EAZQ

http://www.americanmusical.com/Item...2G00SRCHCAPN&gclid=CIWq0N_cyboCFe5cMgodkzYAeQ

http://www.interstatemusic.com/3343...dium=shoppingengine&utm_source=shoppingdotcom

BTW, we metalheads also use light weight gear if we want, and my hi hat stand is direct drive, not chain.
 
Hear hear! Yes gearless tilters FTW. It would seem like it would be less expensive to manufacture a smooth disc than a geared disc too. So it should be good for them, but there's the re-tooling. I just hope there comes a day where gears are gone from most hardware. Light weight, I second that. Single braced stands....just as stable as double braced stands. Tube size, never considered that. OK. Stand weight? As long as it's as light as they can reasonably get it, then I don't need this. But it can't hurt. Throne? I think most companies make a throne already right? But yea, great demand list. You should start a hardware company. You have all the right ideas that drummers crave. I'd say there's a substantial market for a line of hardware with all those features. Getting the majors to do all this....may never happen.

I think YOU should start a hardware company. Then when people ask me what kind of hardware I use, I can say its "Larry's Hardware". It'll be like when I use "Craig's Travelers Cheques". Hahaha!
 
It's no longer on the website, so I presume there is old stock. So why stop?

Yes, I know some heavier stands have direct drives. So what is the point of the chain? Is it more robust? Who knows lol

According to the Ludwig wiki they never stopped making the Speed King (yes I know the wiki isn't an always credible source), but looking at their website, it looks like they are just trying to promote their new Atlas stuff.

My hi hat stand is light weight and old. I'm not even sure what brand it is. Yeah I never understood the chain either.
 
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