Yamaha FP pedal users... advice please?

JohnnySomersett

Senior Member
I've decided I'm gonna give one of the Yamaha pedals a go, I like the simple construction and the prices are appealing! I've been a long user of Speed Kings but the rattles and breakability of them are a pain.

also, I'm finally trying to learn proper slide technique and the smooth footboard is a bonus. I can't try them at any of my local shops so I'll be buying blind but enough people swear by them to convince me to try them.

What I can't choose between is strap or direct drive. My footwork has always been 'sloppy' and I've heard strap is more forgiving than DD - but then DD is familiar from the Speed King!

Can anyone comment on this? Also, the stability of the strap drive with the lack of baseplate?

any guidance is greatly appreciated

JS
 
I have an FP8500B on each set and one of the 750's with a strap as a spare. Smooth and simple and compared to most of today's standards, it's light and not over-engineered.
 
I have the 9500D and I like it a lot.

I will say that it has a feel all it's own. Even though Speed Kings are also direct drive, the feel of the two pedals is very different. The mechanics of the linkage, the different spring set-up, and the location/function of the hinge and heel plate on the Speed King make it a unique animal, IMO, To me, it is a very soft, forgiving pedal to play.

The Yamaha is extremely quiet and light, but it can be unforgiving if you aren't accustomed to it. Some drummers who play my kit really struggle with the pedal, the way I have it set up, to be honest. But the upside is that it is very sensitive, precise, and effortless to play if you have the right technique.

The strap drive Yamaha seems to have a more conventional feel, but is very light and smooth. If you feel like you have "sloppy" foot technique, you may feel more comfortable with it.

JMO
 
Which model are you considering?

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/drums/hardware/footpedals/

The 9500 series has new, lighter beaters, while the 7 and 8 series use round felt beaters. Some of the chain drives come with belts, so you can switch if you want.

I've got an fp9500d and like it a lot. But it's pretty much got to be set exactly for me to get the best out of it, and the sweet spot is fairly small, for playing other than heel down. That one's got a foot board.

I've also got a Yamaha pedal with the spring rods and belt drive. Nice, lightweight, simple, easy to use, not too finicky about the settings, and no side wobble to speak of. No complaints at all with it, and it's fairly inexpensive.
 
Cool.

Well, I just pulled the trigger on a strap drive one... EBay was a good £20 cheaper than online stores. Should arrive Monday so I'll give it a spin and see how it feels. if I don't get on with it I can always return it or flip it online and try the direct drive. So cheap really for a brand new pedal - good old Yamaha!

I'll let y'all know how I get on.
 
also, I'm finally trying to learn proper slide technique and the smooth footboard is a bonus...


I don't usually do that, but I tried it after your post. If you slide straight up the pedal - no problem. If you slide at an angle, you can see the front of the foot board move a bit in the direction your foot is moving. Pretty sure this isn't anything from the spring rods though - it's from the flexible belt.

Anyways, give a holler back when you get the pedal, to see how you're getting on with it.
 
I don't usually do that, but I tried it after your post. If you slide straight up the pedal - no problem. If you slide at an angle, you can see the front of the foot board move a bit in the direction your foot is moving. Pretty sure this isn't anything from the spring rods though - it's from the flexible belt.

Anyways, give a holler back when you get the pedal, to see how you're getting on with it.


I kinda expect that sideways motion with the foot to be honest - you'd get that with a chain too. I have an OLD tama chain pedal that moves loads unless you strike straight.

Fingers crossed it'll be here early next week so I can give it a good run before my plethora of gigs in June!
 
RIGHT!

Pedal came today to work and I got home a little over an hour ago and went straight into the garage to test it out.

Man, this thing is smooth!. What a lovely thing to have under your foot. Took me a while to get the tension and angle to a comfortable place but once I did it felt very natural, very quickly. The long footboard is nice coming from the speedking (I always had it in single footboard mode) and the whole thing is quiet as a mouse.

As for my efforts at learning slide technique, this will definitely help. Smooth footboard means its quite effortless to slide up for the 2nd hit. Still a while off from nailing it but it should come quickly with this pedal.

So, so far so good. I'll keep practicing with it over the week and then give it a proper seeing to at band rehearsal on Friday night - but for now, I'm very happy :)
 
RIGHT!

Pedal came today to work and I got home a little over an hour ago and went straight into the garage to test it out.

Man, this thing is smooth!. What a lovely thing to have under your foot. Took me a while to get the tension and angle to a comfortable place but once I did it felt very natural, very quickly. The long footboard is nice coming from the speedking (I always had it in single footboard mode) and the whole thing is quiet as a mouse.

As for my efforts at learning slide technique, this will definitely help. Smooth footboard means its quite effortless to slide up for the 2nd hit. Still a while off from nailing it but it should come quickly with this pedal.

So, so far so good. I'll keep practicing with it over the week and then give it a proper seeing to at band rehearsal on Friday night - but for now, I'm very happy :)

Good news! Glad to hear it.
 
RIGHT!

Pedal came today to work and I got home a little over an hour ago and went straight into the garage to test it out.

Man, this thing is smooth!. What a lovely thing to have under your foot. Took me a while to get the tension and angle to a comfortable place but once I did it felt very natural, very quickly. The long footboard is nice coming from the speedking (I always had it in single footboard mode) and the whole thing is quiet as a mouse.

As for my efforts at learning slide technique, this will definitely help. Smooth footboard means its quite effortless to slide up for the 2nd hit. Still a while off from nailing it but it should come quickly with this pedal.

So, so far so good. I'll keep practicing with it over the week and then give it a proper seeing to at band rehearsal on Friday night - but for now, I'm very happy :)

Excellent.......................
 
Back
Top