New love for strap drive

P

PeteN

Silver Member
I'v been using pearl eliminator and demon drive pedals for a while now and I could never get my foot work to feel solid especially with foot diddles on a consistent basis like it used to years ago. After some research here on past discussions I decided to buy a tama iron cobra flexi glide pedal and today I had the opportunity to try it out.

What I did first is put in an hour of slow kick drum beat displacement exercises using my Pearl Demon Drive. After that I took a short break and setup my new IC Flexi glide pedal. Now the new pedal is setup and I go for another hour of the exact same practice routine that I did earlier with the demon drive pedal. There was a definite smile on my face while practing on the IC pedal, I actually felt like I had feelings for this new pedal.

So the hour comes to an end, I take another short break and put the Demon Drive pedal back on just to confirm that I really do love the IC pedal. After about 5 minutes of messing around with different beats I felt miserable so put the IC pedal back on and I must have messed around for another hour and I must say it was the best playing I've done in years.

Tonight I sit here watching tv and can't even pay attention to whatever is on, my mind just keeps going back to how much better the IC pedal feels over my Demon Drive and Eliminator pedals.

I had a significant improvement in control, power, speed and sensitivity. I believe most of this has to do with the strap drive but some has to do with the cobra coil and obviously the overall design of the pedal. The pedal feels so light and smooth, yet powerful.

I have this exercise where I practice heel down and and then go to heel up while trying to be transparent as possible and I've never been happy with my slow progress in the past on the DD and Eliminator pedals yet today I did it on the new IC pedal without focus or concentration, it just came out so natural.

Anyway I've decided to sell my demon drive and eliminator pedals and will be ordering a couple more IC Flexi glide pedals soon for my two band kits.

Sorry for the long post, I'm just so happy tonight. Never thought trying a different pedal would make this much of a difference since I've been playing for many years and always had a decent fast accurate foot but this pedal really makes the hard work I put into my foot really stand out.

Just to be clear, I'm in no way bashing direct drive or chain drive pedals just pointing out that I believe I have found the perfect pedal for my foot.

Any of you guys had a similar experience with this or ny other brand of strap drive pedals?
 
I still prefer and play a strap drive pedal after all these years. Tried chains and direct drives but for me, nothing comes close to the feel. It may just be that's what I'm used to so I go with it.

For me, the another issue with a good many pedals is that they are too bulky and weighty, footplate and all.

It's all preference. My absolute favorite pedal is a Gretsch Floating Action but since they are not easy to come by I've been mostly using the cheapest Yamaha strap pedal I could get -FP8500B. I wouldn't mind it being a little lighter still and am thinking of testing a Gibraltar Velocity 3311S
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My Mapex Falcon double pedal came with chains and straps. After getting the pedal, I tried the straps for literally 5 minutes to see how they felt and then put the chains back on. I don't think I truly gave the strap drives a chance. Not that they felt bad but I just thought they didn't give me the same level of power as the chains. After reading the other posts, I am going to put the strap drives back on and give them a fair try. Thanks for the post guys!
 
I bought a Mapex Falcon just over a year ago, I wanted a "modern" pedal, with today's adjustment you typically find on the current market, I tried all the options and configurations possible with the new pedal, and although I played a chain driven pedal for the past 28 years prior my purchase, I have to say that the feel of the strap drive is fantastic, much smoother, more direct than chains, more response, more control... I'm sold, the best money I spent on a hardware purchase in years :)

For those who know the Falcon, I use the strap drive, the glide cam, the 10g weight on the beater and I choosed the rubber side for a little more attack, I'm in heaven, lol.
 
Strap player here too.

I had a Flexi, and liked it until the heel piece started to bug me. I like the newer version with the spring under it better than the one I had. I it at a different height these days, so I probably would dig a Flexi again. I DON'T like any of the other IC pedals though.

I have straps on my Eliminators, and I used a DW 5000 Delta strap pedal for years, but it was the version before they went to the bigger foot board. THOSE pedals SUCKED.
I can fly on the Eliminators.

Your foot knows for sure!
Have fun!!!
 
I might order the straps to convert my eliminators. I have two kits setup at two different practice spaces and if straps work out well on my eliminators it will save me from having to buy 2 more Flexi glide pedals now.

On the other hand, I do think those cobra coils add to the feel of the pedal so I'm on the fence about converting eliminators versus buying two more IC Flexi glide pedals.

I had two more hours on my new pedal today and still in love lol.
 
Trilogy72 said:
My Mapex Falcon double pedal came with chains and straps. After getting the pedal, I tried the straps for literally 5 minutes to see how they felt and then put the chains back on. I don't think I truly gave the strap drives a chance. Not that they felt bad but I just thought they didn't give me the same level of power as the chains. After reading the other posts, I am going to put the strap drives back on and give them a fair try. Thanks for the post guys!
Click to expand...

Cool, let us know your thoughts. From what I read online some love the strap and others love the chain. It's nice you have the option already at your disposal.
 
I have strap drives on two of my bass drum pedals, the Yamaha and the Tama Flexi Glide. I even have a strap drive on my Tama Lever Glide hi hat stand. ;) I don't buy the pedals just because they might have a strap drive, they just have to get along well with my foot and some chain and direct drives also do this for me.

Dennis
 
That's true, the Eliminator with the chain works just as well for me as the strap.
The strap just seemed a tiny bit smoother, even though I keep up with the maintenance.

I also shortened the strap by about a half inch. Same with the chain, but I could just move the links down and re-insert the screws on with the chain. I had to cut and then re-drill the screw holes for the attachment piece on the strap.
I actually had the strap on before, didn't like it, and put the chains back on for about 8 or 9 years until I tried them again early this year.

Doing that shortening just puts the foot board exactly where I want it, and keeps my other setting the same.

I also think the piece that holds the spring on the side (on the Eliminator) works differently than other pedals.
It just seems like the throw and return are more "the same" going both ways than I got on other pedals. The feel is more solid, vet still fluid.

I had the Ludwig ATLAS for a while, and although it was solidly built, and very fluid, the floating spring deal just never felt right under my foot.

I think the "cobra coil" makes a difference over the pervious model. It has a smoother return that I noticed right away--of course, it was after I said "what's this stupid thing?" haha!
I didn't think it was very stupid after 2 or 3 strokes of the pedal haha!
 
KarlCrafton said:
...I also shortened the strap by about a half inch....

...Doing that shortening just puts the foot board exactly where I want it, and keeps my other setting the same....
Click to expand...


I was thinking about doing this, and after reading your post, tried it yesterday. Works great and puts the pedal right where I want it.

I was a bit nervous about trying to drill the strap, but luckily, I have a set of leather punches handy. Removed the strap, placed it on a block of wood, lined up where I wanted the hole on the strap, gave it a couple whacks, and voila' - done.
 
dmacc said:
I still prefer and play a strap drive pedal after all these years. Tried chains and direct drives but for me, nothing comes close to the feel. It may just be that's what I'm used to so I go with it.

For me, the another issue with a good many pedals is that they are too bulky and weighty, footplate and all.

It's all preference. My absolute favorite pedal is a Gretsch Floating Action but since they are not easy to come by I've been mostly using the cheapest Yamaha strap pedal I could get -FP8500B. I wouldn't mind it being a little lighter still and am thinking of testing a Gibraltar Velocity 3311S
Click to expand...

I have the 3311S. It's my backup pedal. I currently have it on my practice kit. I don't have any experience with the IC's or the Pearl pedals, but it has a smoother feel than my Speed King. I was looking to buy a backup pedal and was looking at the IC Jr and others in its price range. I want to Guitar Center and asked about Gibraltar pedals and the guy said he had an open box pedal. He offered it to me for $30. I figured I couldn't go wrong at that price.

It feels pretty solid despite not having a base plate. I don't bash the heck out of my pedals. I have the spring tension fairly tight. For what I use it for it does the trick. Four months and counting so far.
 
lsits said:
I have the 3311S. It's my backup pedal. I currently have it on my practice kit. I don't have any experience with the IC's or the Pearl pedals, but it has a smoother feel than my Speed King. I was looking to buy a backup pedal and was looking at the IC Jr and others in its price range. I want to Guitar Center and asked about Gibraltar pedals and the guy said he had an open box pedal. He offered it to me for $30. I figured I couldn't go wrong at that price.

It feels pretty solid despite not having a base plate. I don't bash the heck out of my pedals. I have the spring tension fairly tight. For what I use it for it does the trick. Four months and counting so far.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing this experience. Certainly, for $30. I'd of purchased it as well.
 
Two of my three pedals are strap drives. My favourite being the Sonor Perfect Balance , super smooth, nicely engineered .

I also have a Rogers Big R Supreme pedal and I have always loved these. Well engineered and way ahead of it's time.
 
I just went through this very same epiphany a few months ago. I got the same Iron Cobra with the strap, but I removed the spring underneath the pedal itself, that felt a little weird to me. But for me it was more like going home because years ago (in 1975) I had a Ludwig Speed King for a little bit, but when I got my first proper Slingerland kit, that pedal was the Slingerland Tempo King pedal with a leather strap. My foot just got used to this feel but I followed convention when the chain and sprocket thing came into vogue.

I like my Flexi Iron Cobra so much, I took one of my Iron Cobra Junior pedals and replaced the chain and sprocket with a cam and strap and that pedal really flies now. I almost hate to admit it, but it feels a little better than the newer heavier Iron Cobra I just got. I like how the beater feels like it's accelerating as it goes towards the head - you don't feel that with a chain and sprocket because that keeps the tension pretty even while playing. But I do admit too, that because I sit in and play so many strange drumsets, I can make any pedal work, I just feel the most comfortable with a strap drive.

We're going BACK to the future ;)
 
Bo Eder said:
I just went through this very same epiphany a few months ago. I got the same Iron Cobra with the strap, but I removed the spring underneath the pedal itself, that felt a little weird to me. But for me it was more like going home because years ago (in 1975) I had a Ludwig Speed King for a little bit, but when I got my first proper Slingerland kit, that pedal was the Slingerland Tempo King pedal with a leather strap. My foot just got used to this feel but I followed convention when the chain and sprocket thing came into vogue.

I like my Flexi Iron Cobra so much, I took one of my Iron Cobra Junior pedals and replaced the chain and sprocket with a cam and strap and that pedal really flies now. I almost hate to admit it, but it feels a little better than the newer heavier Iron Cobra I just got. I like how the beater feels like it's accelerating as it goes towards the head - you don't feel that with a chain and sprocket because that keeps the tension pretty even while playing. But I do admit too, that because I sit in and play so many strange drumsets, I can make any pedal work, I just feel the most comfortable with a strap drive.

We're going BACK to the future ;)
Click to expand...

I'm still loving the strap but I will admit the chain still feels good just now I prefer the strap.

Now I just have to keep working on my diddles, they used to be so good when I was younger but I don't think that has anything to do with the pedal.

I think I've spent the last few years working too much on my hand chops because I was always comfy with my grooves and just need to spend more quality slow drooling practice on my foot.

Bo....was it expensive to modify your IC jr to a strap drive?
 
My chains are gone, I've been set free......
I have been trying out the straps that came with my Falcons for several days and I have been converted! I gave the straps a real chance this time and I am loving it! Thanks to this post, I have put down my chains.... : /
 
PeteN said:
I'm still loving the strap but I will admit the chain still feels good just now I prefer the strap.

Now I just have to keep working on my diddles, they used to be so good when I was younger but I don't think that has anything to do with the pedal.

I think I've spent the last few years working too much on my hand chops because I was always comfy with my grooves and just need to spend more quality slow drooling practice on my foot.

Bo....was it expensive to modify your IC jr to a strap drive?
Click to expand...

Well, I actually found an old vintage Tama Flexi Flyer on eBay for $30 and just switched over the parts and picked up a new Gibraltar strap. I wanted to make the vintage pedal work, but I like have the pedal on a plate. I've evolved beyond plate-less pedals!
 
lsits said:
That's the one. I thought I was getting a special price but it looks like that's the regular price.
Click to expand...


Pretty sure that you did get a special price. The price in the link is a sale price, and I think everywhere else I've seen them they've been at least $40.
Maybe the sale is to clear out older stock if a new model is coming out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top