Do Pedals Make A Difference?

My Sound Percussion double bass which I had since I started drumming (8 months) has finally been totally destroyed. Even though it had just recently broken, I had always felt a kind of unsturdiness (not sure if that's a word) in it. I just didn't like it and it responded horribly. It was only $60 though . Now that I am saving up for new pedals I want to ask a question. Do pedals make a difference? If I were to go out and buy some DW 5000's or maybe some Axis pedals, will I notice an improvement after I get used to them?

Pedals can make a difference. Will it make you better, usually it's the person controlling them that has the greatest affect.

A nicer pedal will have tighter tolerances and less play, more adjustment options and higher quality bearings and such.

Yes......and no. It all depends on a variety of factors.

The inexperienced player that thinks he's miraculously gonna start playing better by upgrading his pedals is sadly mistaken and setting himself up to be disappointed when he realises that it's the foot, not the pedal.

The guy who really hasn't put in the practice hours, but thinks that "shiny new kit" will help him improve is also gonna be in for a rude shock.

The guy who has been been working with pedals that don't function properly is gonna be pleasantly surprised at how much easier his life is when he gets his feet on a pedal that work efficiently and respond the way they should.

The seasoned guy with tons of experience who is looking for that little extra 1% in terms of feel or nuance is likely to find it by going for something that is not entry level. But that doesn't take away the fact that he already knows that it's his hard work and ability......and not the pedal itself, that has got him 99% of the way there in the first place. The pedal just optimises the feel for him.

That's just a few examples, but it highlights the point. Upgrading may help tailor the feel for you. It may respond a little better under your foot allowing you to feel more comfortable or in control. But ultimately, no pedal plays itself. The player plays the pedal. And if the player hasn't put in the work, then the pedal isn't gonna help......regardless of how much it costs.

I know exactly the situation you are in. Right now I have a pair of Gibraltar Prowlers which are super low end and have broken on me a few times. I have been playing these pedals for over 4 years now and finally I am ordering some Axis pedals. It's quite a large upgrade and expense, but my reason for buying is not necessarily for a huge skill upgrade as well. Yes I will be able to play faster because of better components and overall design. However I do realize that I will also have to keep trying and not rely on the pedal to do all the work. This is a sad mistake if you expect too much from the hardware. An upside to putting out $700 for some new professional pedals is that since they are built so well, you can possibly have them forever. You may not play them forever, but chances are they will work just as good in 20 years as they do now depending on how you treat them. I see it as a very personal investment, but totally worth it. I would say that YES pedals do make a large difference. How? well first of all they give you that nice tight feel of quality parts and expert design which can take a lot more punishment, but most of all they give you the confidence and motivation to play faster/better. hope this helps and I highly recommend buying a pro pair of pedals.

They make a difference to an extent. It is why there is single and double chains, strap, and direct drives. It's about preference which doesn't mean expensive is better. I used both an Iron Cobra Jr. and the real Iron Cobra and actually prefer the Jr.. A pedal won't make you better though, just more comfortable. But quality wise comes with pricing, I replaced some parts on my Jr. to make it more durable (replaced some stuff with the real Iron Cobra parts). Does it play better? Yes it does, but I could still play the same without the replacements, I'm just more comfortable.