Pearl Cymbal Holders (Boom Arms)

I'm sick of the limitations of standard-fare boom arms on my rack. I've tried all kinds of Gibraltar and Tama, and have even bastardized Remo, Gibraltar, Tama, Ludwig, and Pearl full stands ovet the years. I currently am using a hodge-podge of the best I could come up with from all of this, and even have some parts interchanged between the brands to have gotten what I needed.

What I learned from all this is that Pearl seems to have the most solid and flexible you-can-count-on-not-to-fail tilters and boom angle adjusters. In fact, my best boom rod is a bastardized top of a full stand from the 70s, which has a gearless tilter and a one-touch angle-and-length ratchet. The only problem is that because it is the top sectionof a cymbal stand, the downtube is only 5/8", so it is a bit lacking when used with heavier cymbals when the downtube is "flown" horizontally off a rack upright, instead of positioned vertically on a crossbar.

I am in the market for another boom or two, and because of my experience, I find myself leaning toward Pearl. Unfortunately, I am finding that the very best one they've made to date, the CH-2000, was recently discontinued. I've come across a few in the retail channel, but specs are thin. Does anyone happen to know if the knurled rod on this model is indeed today's standard 12mm (1/2")? One site says they are 3/8" which I find hard to believe with Pearl's reputation for solid heavy hardware.

FWIW, spare parts descriptions say the removable Gyrolock tilter fits certain Pearl boom models, as well as other boom rods that are 12mm. Could it be that the decription I saw on one site is mistaken, or is that the spare parts describes a newer version of the Gyrolock? As far as I can tell, the part in teh catalog looks exactly the same as the previous model, but sports a different model number.

Also, if anyone on this forum has a CH-2000 (not 2000S), I would appreciate knowing the lengths of the two tubes and the boom rod, not including the two angle ratchets and the tilter.

Oh, and I would also like to know the difference between the newer models CH-830 and CH-930. All descriptions, including Pearl's site state the exact same description for both models, and the pics don't show anything different, either. The only thing that I can see is that the CH-930 is more expensive.

Thanks a bunch.

OK, for those who care, I ended up finding what appears to have been the last new Pearl CH-2000 cymbal holder in the US retail channel since the model was discontinued by Pearl. I received it last night, and in a word, "WOW"! As I predicted, I've never seen a better cymbal arm, or stand, for that matter, or anything close to it.. But, it's definitely not for the faint of heart. With counterweight, this bad boy weighs 7.66 lbs. The counterweight itself weighs in at 1.69 lbs. So, with the counterweight removed it is just under 6 lbs. Its versatility is unsurpassed, and I seriously can't find a position that I want that it can NOT achieve. Over other cymbals, around other cymbals, under other cymbals, you name it. Oh wait, it won't go THROUGH other cymbals.... darn!

Here are the details on this boom arm, for those of you in Europe that might still be lucky enough to get their hands on one. Starting from the top of the piece:

1) Gearless Uni-lock tilter with Wing Loc topper, 8mm,. Tillter itself can be removed and replaced in multiple positions to accommodate a plethora of configurations, including standard and inverted mounting of typical cymbals, Chinas and gongs. You can also leave it off and mount percussion items instead. You can also acquire additional tilters if you want to use it for a combo of cymbals and/or effects. Nice touch!

2) Top boom rod is 17" long (not including tilter), and is knurled from end to end, so for once there is no limit to angle positions that are limited on all other hideaway designs. For example, I have several Tama and Gibraltar hideaway designs, and the problem with all of these is that you simply cannot position the boom rod at anything less than about 35 degrees from vertical. Why? Because the hideaway design is such that the rod has to be positioned on-center of the tube (so it can slide into the tube for straight applications). This makes it so that if you try to position the boom rod angle less than 35 degrees the rod hits the outside of the downtube itself. And, if you try to extend the boom rod all the way out to prevent it from contacting the downtube, while you can then indeed then rotate the angle wherever you want, because the knurl on the boom rods stop 2" from the end of the rod, the angle adjuster clamp has no knurl to grip onto, and you end up with slippage. Not so with this Pearl unit. They thought this all the way through, and knurled the rod from end to end, so you CAN extend it all the way and get whatever angle you want. Obviously, real drummers were involved with the design. Two memory locks are included for the top boom; one for removable tilter positioing, the other for the boom rod itself at the angle adjuster.

3) Middle boom is 14" long (not including angle adjuster), has its own memory lock, and a removable counter-weight. This means that, not including tilter length, combined with the top boom rod, you can have 31" of boom arm length!

4) Downtube is 15" long (not including angle adjuster), is 7/8" diameter, and also includes it's own memory lock.

If my math is right, this cymbal boom is capable of more than a whopping 46" overall length, not including angle adjuster and tilter lengths, which is unbelievable, and likely enough to route OVER and around other cymbals if you like. That's more than any other boom I know of, including the Gibraltar Ultra Adjust Double Boom. And, because it includes two joints with memory locks, it is MUCH easier to get perfect positioning without having to re-adjust it every time, gig after gig (like you would with ball joints), even if you configure it to go around other items!

Although Pearl discontinued the CH-2000, it was not because of bad design because they use this same assembly on thier new top of the line BC-2030 full cymbal stand, The only difference is that because the CH-2000 is designed for rack clamps, the post is 7/8", whereas on the BC-2030 I believe it is 5/8" to fit into the full stand middle tube. But, this at least shows that they still strongly believe in the design, and that replacement parts are readily available should someone need to take advantage of their new Lifetime Warranty. But, the way this thing is built I can't see it failing in my lifetime!

I don't know why I didn't stick with Pearl all this time. Probably because of price, but to think of all the time and energy I would have saved trying to make things work that inevitable wouldn'tm work, the higher price would have been worth it.

I had plans for two of these simply awesome cymbal holders, but after using just the one, I was able to remove some of the other Mickey Mousing I was doing with other stuff, and now I really may not need the other one I bought that is due to arrive next week! Oh well, I'll try to come up with a way to make use of it, if only because these arms are so beautiful. Too bad Pearl discontinued them. I feel sorry for all the other drummers who never had the opportunity to try one of these! At the very least I will have an extra unused one and save it as a collector's item! ;-)