Is it my throne or my drums?

McShmoopy

Senior Member
Hey guys, ill get right o the point, im a fairly small dude maybe 5 6", and I always have an issue with height on my drums. I have one of those generic CB Drum stools, the adjustment is a screw based one and it has galvanised or rusted,(I forget which wor it is) so its pretty much stuck at the same or at a increased height.

I always like to play the drums usually with me towering over the tom toms but with my CB Drums it just doesnt really feel possible as the tom shells are relatively thick and its usually hard to position them well enough, the only way I can position them the way I like is that if I raise my drum throne height but that causes strain on my legs and it feels harder to use pedals.

If you were in my position what would you reccomend as a good solution to this? I am already investing in shorter tom arms so I can position the toms easier but what would you say the main problem is.

My Drum throne or my Drums shells?
 
Time for an investment in a new throne. If you can't put it at the height you require, get that one fixed, or get a new one. Remember: YOU are the heaviest thing on that drumkit!

I would suggest something by Tama or Pearl with the threaded screw type of height adjustment. You'll buy a good throne and own it for years! I haven't bought a new throne for 15 years now...
 
Unless you really can't afford it - don't cheap out on your throne... It's one of the places that the "rubber meets the road" so to speak. If you can't sit comfortably, your drumming is going to suffer and so will your back and butt.

Do yourself a favor and invest in a decent throne - your body will thank you.
 
DTDDrums, heres the specifications of the shell pack, as you can see thier pretty massive!
# 22" x 15" Bass Drum, 8 lugs per side
# 12" x 9" Mounted Tom Tom, 5 lugs per side
# 13" x 10" Mounted Tom Tom, 5 lugs per side
# 16" x 16" Floor Tom with legs included

Bo Eder, Hah yeah I was thinking of getting a Pearl stool as they have pretty nice quality for the price. I was also going to look into Rock N Soc.

Sqadan, I think I will have to now! Thanks for all the advice guys.
 
DTDDrums, heres the specifications of the shell pack, as you can see thier pretty massive!
# 22" x 15" Bass Drum, 8 lugs per side
# 12" x 9" Mounted Tom Tom, 5 lugs per side
# 13" x 10" Mounted Tom Tom, 5 lugs per side
# 16" x 16" Floor Tom with legs included

Bo Eder, Hah yeah I was thinking of getting a Pearl stool as they have pretty nice quality for the price. I was also going to look into Rock N Soc.

Sqadan, I think I will have to now! Thanks for all the advice guys.

Just FYI... The sizes you listed are pretty standard - you and I are about the same height and I have no issues playing on a kit in those sizes when properly adjusted.

Sometimes it sucks to be small - but it has not caused me any significant drumming issues. :)
 
You know, I got one of those Roc n Soc thrones too, and at first I was diggin' it. Now, not so much. I think it's because I'm sitting on the edge of the seat anyway so cutouts for the legs aren't an advantage.

If I were taller and sat more into the seat, maybe I'd like it alot more, but it sure looks nice in my office next to the computer! My old beat-up DW 9100 throne has gone back into service!
 
# 22" x 15" Bass Drum, 8 lugs per side
# 12" x 9" Mounted Tom Tom, 5 lugs per side
# 13" x 10" Mounted Tom Tom, 5 lugs per side
# 16" x 16" Floor Tom with legs included

Traditional/standard sizes, for decades, were 22x14, 12x8, 13x9, 16x16. So, your toms are, at best, 1" deeper than traditional sizes. Now, you could sell your kit, get the fast toms (hyperdrive, shallow, short, whatever you wanna call them), and roll a 20" kick out, in place of your 22 ... probably the more expensive way, that you might not wanna go with right now .... or ..... go buy a new throne that you can adjust.​
You can slip into a good one for $80-$150 ... and for $200, you're pretty much top-of-the-line. I have 5 thrones right now. One behind my kit, one behind my piano, one for my guitarist/bassest, one I sit at (now) on my computer, and one downstairs, at my desk. Quite versatile, they are.​
Next thing you can start doing is experimenting with drum placement. Your drums are not set in concrete. No one says your rack toms have to be above your kick. Take your toms off your kick. Mount them left of your kick. Mount them right of the kick. Mount them over the floor tom. I run a 26x16, 13x9, 16x16, 18x16 ... but not in a "traditional" 5 piece 1up, 2down layout. I'm 5'6" also ... and have no problem reaching anything.​
 

Attachments

  • phpoTma3GAM.jpg
    phpoTma3GAM.jpg
    111.5 KB · Views: 246
  • php6oXywIAM.jpg
    php6oXywIAM.jpg
    61 KB · Views: 242
I'm 6' tall and I play a kit in the "standard dimensions" like yours.
Get a new throne!
I now use one with a backrest. Tama First Chair with a motorcycle seat.
It helps me a lot when sitting behind my standard kit.

I also have two other kits that have smaller bass drums. A 20", and an 18"
I like the smaller bass drum kits better for both height, comfort, and sound.

I still like my standard size kit, But as I have gotten older I prefer the smaller bass drums because I simply can't reach like I used to.
 
another thing you could try instead of getting a new stool or new tom arms is to get attachments to hook up your rack toms to your cymbal stands. or if you play with just one rack tom, get a snare stand and put the tom on that, just to the left of the kick.

you might want to get a new stool anyway b/c it sounds like yours isn't goes to last very long anyway, but i don't think a new stool will solve the tom placement issues you're describing...
 
thanks for all the advice guys, I may try moving my toms to left of the bass drum for now and see if I get any results. But I will definilty get a new drum stool.
 
Back
Top