Pearl P3000D Eliminator Demon Drive Bass Pedals

I went home for my lunch break today and gave the Demon a serious test drive. I'm returning it to Guitar Center tonight for a refund.

I didn't even bother w/ the "longboard" setting. I packed it up and stapled my receipt to the box.

So long, little demon!

Well that was quick. I thought you had a 30 day trial with it. Seems like a quick lunch break woudn't be enough time to check out all the myriad of adjustments this pedal supposedly has. Does GC give you a hassle if it looks used or something but still within the 30 day return period?

So far this does seem to be a polarizing pedal. But of course no piece of equipment will be able to please everyone.
 
Well that was quick. I thought you had a 30 day trial with it. Seems like a quick lunch break woudn't be enough time to check out all the myriad of adjustments this pedal supposedly has. Does GC give you a hassle if it looks used or something but still within the 30 day return period?

So far this does seem to be a polarizing pedal. But of course no piece of equipment will be able to please everyone.

In total I spent about 2 hrs. with it. I was worried after I tinkered w/ it last night for about 30 min...I didn't like the feel of it right out of the box. Today I spent over an hour trying the few adjust points it has. The only thing I didn't try was the longboard conversion. The other settings changed the feel a bit but nothing dramatic.

To me, a pedal is like a pair of sticks...or a throne...you know right away if something isn't right. I can tell this is a pedal that requires a lot of "re-training". It instantly struck me as something that was much *harder* to use than the pedal that I have, not easier.

I love my 5000...I fell in love w/ it the minute I tried one on a friend's kit a couple of years ago. The DD just ain't for me!

They didn't give me any trouble but of course, it was as new as it was when they handed it to me yesterday. Their policy is a full refund within 30 days but I'm sure that's contingent upon you not destroying the item and their ability to sell it again.
 
In total I spent about 2 hrs. with it. I was worried after I tinkered w/ it last night for about 30 min...I didn't like the feel of it right out of the box. Today I spent over an hour trying the few adjust points it has. The only thing I didn't try was the longboard conversion. The other settings changed the feel a bit but nothing dramatic.

To me, a pedal is like a pair of sticks...or a throne...you know right away if something isn't right. I can tell this is a pedal that requires a lot of "re-training". It instantly struck me as something that was much *harder* to use than the pedal that I have, not easier.

I love my 5000...I fell in love w/ it the minute I tried one on a friend's kit a couple of years ago. The DD just ain't for me!

They didn't give me any trouble but of course, it was as new as it was when they handed it to me yesterday. Their policy is a full refund within 30 days but I'm sure that's contingent upon you not destroying the item and their ability to sell it again.

Dude, I am in shock. I have now played the DD double pedal three times, and it is seriously the greatest thing ever. I still haven't bought one (wiped my account out on the new DWs), but I can't wait to. I can do things I never could do before with the DD, and could from the moment I sat down with it.

Huh, to each their own, I suppose. I still think it's the best damn pedal ever, at least for me!
 
Dude, I am in shock. I have now played the DD double pedal three times, and it is seriously the greatest thing ever. I still haven't bought one (wiped my account out on the new DWs), but I can't wait to. I can do things I never could do before with the DD, and could from the moment I sat down with it.

Huh, to each their own, I suppose. I still think it's the best damn pedal ever, at least for me!

Yeah...I bought it entirely on faith...mostly because of YOU! :) Someone said it earlier, it'll be one of those divisive, love/hate pedals. At least we have a few years of redundant "Demon Drive vs. <insert name here>" to look forward to.
 
Git yerself one of these and you'll never have to bother with that new -fangled stuff they put out these days. All the adjustments you'd ever want to make, and smooth as silk. ;-)
 

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Git yerself one of these and you'll never have to bother with that new -fangled stuff they put out these days. All the adjustments you'd ever want to make, and smooth as silk. ;-)

Please.....That's like comparing an old Mustang to a new Porsche. What's up with that?
 
Git yerself one of these and you'll never have to bother with that new -fangled stuff they put out these days. All the adjustments you'd ever want to make, and smooth as silk. ;-)

Sure...but does it have a slick, mega-buck marketing campaign behind it? I can't buy something that doesn't.
 
Git yerself one of these and you'll never have to bother with that new -fangled stuff they put out these days. All the adjustments you'd ever want to make, and smooth as silk. ;-)
I had a leather drive Slingerland pedal from the sixties that was similar to that pedal. I liked it. I replaced it with a Speed King in the early seventies. I broke the leather strap a few times so I ditched it. I have a Cobra now but I still play my old noisy Speed King now and then. I also still like the Speed King in spite of its issues. It is a classic after all. I don't recognize your old pedal. I can't see the name on the pic. Just kidding! Please share more info about it. I kinda like the design of it. It looks like the spring is a bit worn though. It also looks as though you can pivot the foot board from side to side. I like that idea if it is true.
 
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Please.....That's like comparing an old Mustang to a new Porsche. What's up with that?


I also own and have used more modern chain drive pedals, but the Rogers is still my go-to baby. So perhaps it won't work for most...but, hey, don't knock it 'till ya tried one.

It remains an extermely sensitive pedal and the rebound is positively as smooth and quick as one would want. So the Ninja bearings in the DD are a vast improvement over traditional bearings, but since I can't play any faster than I already do, I surely don't need a faster pedal.

But this is bit off topic, so my apologies to the other contributers to the thead.

To Bobadruma: Rogers Swiv-O-Matic foot pedal with hinged heel; model no. 48-0612. This pedal had the Swivel unit upgraded with part no. 610659 (released just prior to the introduction of the big R pedals) which replaced part no. 60-9212-052.

And yes, the footboard pivots.
 
I also own and have used more modern chain drive pedals, but the Rogers is still my go-to baby. So perhaps it won't work for most...but, hey, don't knock it 'till ya tried one.

It remains an extermely sensitive pedal and the rebound is positively as smooth and quick as one would want. So the Ninja bearings in the DD are a vast improvement over traditional bearings, but since I can't play any faster than I already do, I surely don't need a faster pedal.

But this is bit off topic, so my apologies to the other contributers to the thead.

.

It does look extremely light, as in quick. My apologies for being a little harsh. Maybe you can start a "favorite vintage pedal" thread.
 
OK, so I got my DD yesterday. I really didn't have time to mess with it at all yesterday except to install it on my practice set and play them outta the box. My first impression playing them was a little dissappointing, but I hadn't really had time to mess with them at all. This has a happy ending ....read-on.

Today I had some time. So I went into my basement and immediately switched them to long board. Played 1 song on them and I was still not happy. They were rather stiff. The factory spring setting was way too stiff for me. I like the spring setting rather loose as I like to feel and use the rebound off the drum head. I don't like the beaters that came with it, I can't feel sh1t with those felt beaters, plus the way they send the pedal beaters choked up, extended short on the pedal, There was like no feel at all. So I put my old Gibraltar beaters from my Pearl Powershifter Eliminator and extended them out a little. Wow, what a difference that made.

I played about 1 hour with them tonight and I must say that this pedal is allowing me to do single pedal triplets something I was never able to do with my eliminator. I also noticed that my playing was seemingly effortless compared to the eliminator, yet very powerful. But I could also play very lightly just by sliding my foot up the longboard. I liked that a lot too. It kinda reminded me of Moeller for the feet. Something I was never able to accomplish with any other pedal.

This pedal is also fast and powerful, but you wouldn't know it with those spongy beaters they send with it. Change the beaters if you get this pedal, unless you like that spongy feel. I really can't believe they sent that pedal with those beaters.


I'm very very happy with this pedal and I really only started playing with it and barely tweaked it. I'm looking forward to tweaking this thing more, but it's already sweet as hell. I'm looking forward to taking my bass playing to the next level.
 
OK, so I got my DD yesterday. I really didn't have time to mess with it at all yesterday except to install it on my practice set and play them outta the box. My first impression playing them was a little dissappointing, but I hadn't really had time to mess with them at all. This has a happy ending ....read-on.

Today I had some time. So I went into my basement and immediately switched them to long board. Played 1 song on them and I was still not happy. They were rather stiff. The factory spring setting was way too stiff for me. I like the spring setting rather loose as I like to feel and use the rebound off the drum head. I don't like the beaters that came with it, I can't feel sh1t with those felt beaters, plus the way they send the pedal beaters choked up, extended short on the pedal, There was like no feel at all. So I put my old Gibraltar beaters from my Pearl Powershifter Eliminator and extended them out a little. Wow, what a difference that made.

I played about 1 hour with them tonight and I must say that this pedal is allowing me to do single pedal triplets something I was never able to do with my eliminator. I also noticed that my playing was seemingly effortless compared to the eliminator, yet very powerful. But I could also play very lightly just by sliding my foot up the longboard. I liked that a lot too. It kinda reminded me of Moeller for the feet. Something I was never able to accomplish with any other pedal.

This pedal is also fast and powerful, but you wouldn't know it with those spongy beaters they send with it. Change the beaters if you get this pedal, unless you like that spongy feel. I really can't believe they sent that pedal with those beaters.


I'm very very happy with this pedal and I really only started playing with it and barely tweaked it. I'm looking forward to tweaking this thing more, but it's already sweet as hell. I'm looking forward to taking my bass playing to the next level.

Woohoo! I'm feeling slightly less insane right now!

I agree with what has been said before, though. This is apparantly a "no middle ground" pedal. You love it. Or you hate it. And that's all.
 
Woohoo! I'm feeling slightly less insane right now!

I agree with what has been said before, though. This is apparantly a "no middle ground" pedal. You love it. Or you hate it. And that's all.

They must have tweaked it a little at the store. Outta the box it's set up way too stiff for me. The long board setting turned out to be the bees knees for me. I never played a long board before, I was pleasantly surprised at the power flexibility and the feedback I got from the pedal with my beaters. I'm not a fan of the beaters it comes with.
 
is it even possible to ask for the wooden beaters to be sent with the DD instead of the felt ones?
I don't think so. You'll either have to use your own beaters or order some different ones. Who knows...you might like the beaters that come with it.
 
I tried out this pedal, iron cobra, and dw 5000. I didnt really like this pedal. I know this sounds strange, but it was a little too smooth and quick for me. I felt I had little control on it. Plus the price tag was a bit higher than I wanted to spend. Went for the Cobra instead.
 
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