16 inch Floor Tom/Bass Drum Conversion

Fellow Rhythmic Badasses,

I'm interested in converting my 16x14 (mounted) floor tom into a bass drum. The kit is a Pearl Prestige Session Select. I don't have leg brackets... does anybody have experience drilling?

I wanted to add real bass drum spurs to make it legit, but I'm not sure they make something like that for the 16 inch size... ya know, circumference? Is a bass drum conversion kit my only option? Would I have to drill 3 holes?

Lets talk about skins for this bad boy. Dual Ply? Foam? Beater side? Batter Side? The toms all have a great timbre. They are a birch/mahogany blend. Good low tone. Should make for a cool build. Any takers? Picture below.

Re: 16" Bass Drum Conversion

DON'T DRILL IT!

I wouldn't drill my 16x16 Pearl Export. Don't drill those! I'd go with a conversion kit. I'd really just suggest a DW Riser if you can afford it. I wouldn't compromise that shell though. Keep it as a floor tom, ditch the tom mount, get some decent heads, and just mount in on that riser.

http://www.dwdrums.com/info/manuals/DW9909Manual.pdf

For heads, I've been suggested thick heads. I've heard PS3 or Super Kick II on the batter, and a PS3 or Emperor or something similar on the Reso side.

There are only about a million topics on this in the forum. Use the search function and you'll get a lot.

Insert these into the current tom leg holders and you have instant spurs with no drilling.
http://www.drummaker.net/1-800-NEW-...ax=16&-recid=32960&-token.0=3758517002&-find=

It's a hanging tom, doesn't have any brackets for spurs.

This thread had some good options for cradles rather than using spurs.

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68542

I've built a few floor tom bass drums. I've found that drilling the shells is a terrible idea unless the drum is something you just don't care about. That being said, go with the spurs that slide into your leg brackets. I've used floor tom legs as bass "spurs" - I just turned them until they touched the floor. The tom rocked a little, but basically, the legs kept the drum from rolling - not so much a stationary deal. For heads, I always go with the Ambassador coated for the batter side and a Pinstripe for the reso side. I built a cocktail kit last week from a 16X16 and ended up using one of those Black Suede Remo heads for the (top) batter side - and a coated Emperor for the (bottom) batter side. The sound is good. Another trick I've used: I like to go to thrift stores to find "drum" parts. Last week I found a trivet (wooden pot holder) that was huge - 16 inches wide, cradle shaped. I put that on top of a wooden box, put a 14X14 on top, voila, mini-kick drum. I attached the drum to the box/trivet with bungee cords - it's a crappy shell and any loss of tone is not noticeable. The floor tom "jungle" style conversion kits are expensive but work really well. Another consideration is how to hook a bass pedal to the drum once you have figured out how to cradle it. I've added pieces to some (drilled the shell and added a lip) I've used velcro, I've used coat hangers - all dependant on the drum configuration. Keep trying and experimenting - you'll figure it out.

Somewhere out there in the internet I've seen pictures of a wooden stand a guy made that utilizes the existing Pearl mount for a bass drum conversion. I would search for you but I'm at work and don't have much time.

Picture this. The ISS mount is attached to the resonant side hoop. The tom rests on its side with the ISS mount pointed down. The Pearl tom arm comes out toward the floor and then bends at a 90 degree angle so the long portion of the arm is parallel with the floor, running lengthwise down the shell. That portion of the tom arm is clamped to a wooden plate that sits flat on the floor, with integrated spurs that stabilize the apparatus and prevent it moving around when played.

The batter side of the drum is supported using a standard riser that may or may not be attached to the wooden stand (can't remember). The pedal clamps onto this. He of course converted to wooden hoops for this.

Search around and you should be able to find what I'm talking about.

If you went this route it would probably be worth investing in an OptiMount to put all that force coming from your foot and the beater against the lugs and not against the hoop via the ISS mount. And especially if you went with wood hoops, the ISS would be obsolete.

Great things happening here! People helping people!

?uesto, I decided to go with the DW 9909... definitely the quality I was looking for.

On a side note, I've decided to use my 14x12 (pic below) as a floor tom. I will need to drill holes in this drum. I have purchased a set of Pearl LB-40s and LG-40s. Does any body have and tips before drilling? Obviously I'll need a level, but is there anything I need to know to prevent damage to the shell? Should I have this professionally done? Its something like 3 dollars a hole...

Also, does anybody know anything about these Remo Renaissance heads? I've always wanted to give them a shot. Renaissance Ambassadors for the toms and a Renaissance Powerstroke 3 for the kick. Maybe a Fiberskin Powerstroke 3 for the reso side... just brainstorming. I don't want the kick to ring too much... might have to use some foam.

A drill press is a good way to drill those holes, makes cracking far less likely.

I'm worried about harming the shell. I think I'm going to have a professional do the drilling. Hardware and heads are on the way. Need to act soon so I can post some pics.

Build (or buy) a cradle...


...or build a riser. This one is made from a Pearl ISS mount. There is an actual riser you can buy using this mount and a tom arm. I've seen it before but don't remember where. Might try one of the online shops like Musician's Friend.

Lots of ways to do it without drilling the shell. Do a general search for 'bass drum riser' (or bass drum lifter, or bass drum cradle) to get some ideas.

Here's my stab at a 16" drum riser.

I wasn't sure if this was something I would use regularly, so I didn't really want to spend any money. I was determined to make something out of whatever I had laying around, and this is what I came up with.





Built from a piece of 2x4, a piece of cork wood flooring, and some carpet. The front cradle piece has a hole in the center. The leg mount on the tom sits snugly inside the hole and keeps the drum centered . The two sections are spaced so if just fits between the top and bottom lugs. Between the two, the drum stays nice and secure, but there is nothing physically attaching it to the riser.
My 16" is a junker and just has a rattle can finish on it, so I'm not concerned about the carpet contact with the shell. If this had a nice finish on it, I wouldn't have made this design.

Not sure if my thought process was right on this or not, but I purposely went with a heavy construction, with a lot of material making contact with the shell. I was thinking that the more mass there was, it would lower the overall tone of the drum to get it down a little lower.

As some have said, no need to drill.

I'm going through the same process myself as rehearsal space is quite limited.

I am going to build something similar to product pictured below ... hopefully ... (first time I've tried to post a pic).

The less-handy or time constrained can buy this at http://www.sunradius.com/cvt.htm .

Peace & dynamics,
radman

Figured I'd post a picture of the final product..

harryconway said:

Man, that is one cooooool looking kit. Good job.​

Click to expand...

+1
But....man, that is one cool looking avatar

five_stroke_roll said:

Figured I'd post a picture of the final product..

Click to expand...

Looks very good.
Could you give a little more info though?
Like did you end up having to drill the drum? It looks like a DW lift.

Also, for anyone who knows - those toms in the first pic with the offset lugs. Is that the way they came from the factory - shortened with offset lugs? Or were they modified.

.

Well, there were no holes drilled in the bass drum. I used a DW 9909 riser. Very good quality but also quite pricey. Six holes were drilled in the floor tom so that leg brackets could be installed. As for the toms (origionally power toms) those are not factory. They were basically cut in half and a bearing edge was refitted for both. When the toms were shortened, the lugs had to be offset... we realized a little too late that the air vents would be in the way :\ oh well.