Pearl Optimounts and De-Tuning?!?!

wsabol

wsabol

Gold Member
I thinking of moving my rack tom from a snare stand to Pearl's Optimount system. My only fear is that stress on the tensions rods and hoop will compromise the tuning.

Has anyone experienced their drum tuning getting messed up on Optimounts?
 
me and the drum tech at guitar center had this conversation, he said on pearls design that yes, the tension and stress could cause them to lose tune and be kind of hard to get in tune.
 
I use optimounts and have never had a tuning problem or any issues with them keeping in tune. Not sure how hitting the drum would make the tension rods un-screw?
 
vibrations are everywhere on a drum kit. plus the weight of the tom being put on the lugs and tension rods used to mount the optimount system. think about it, when you hit the drum, even if the resonant frequency of the drum doesn't vibrate the mount, the force of simply hitting the drum itself will cause it to wiggle (vibrate) on the mount, therefore putting stress on the tension rods and lugs...and what holds the tune and tension on a drum head?
 
I really never had problems with Pearl's Optimounts, it's their ISS mounts that have Much to be desired. Pair those with the thin 1.6mm hoops and you have skewing with every hit of the sticks.

Dennis
 
They work just fine and have never caused detuning issues in my experience. They actually somewhat clamp down on the nuts at either end of the lug casings. If anything the rods rubbing against the rubber gaskets would help stop them from loosening.
 
I've found that all negative assumptions made about the Optimounts are through imagining that they clamp on the tension rods specifically, not the lugs and the rods equally or unequally in favor of the lugs.

I've never owned one, but I can't imagine Pearl would make something that stupid.

Also: I don't plan on owning one unless I go to some huge set-up. A snare stand is all I need for my 12".
 
sounds like tennesseedrummer and specgrade would disagree. why? just for an argument probably.
 
I have no desire to argue over an internet forum on a subject that at the end of the day doesn't matter, it's all personal preference. I was just stating what I have heard and seen based on the design. I myself use the mapex I.S.S. mounts on my toms, so I can't argue to much cause I am essentially in the same boat.
 
I can see that the Optimounts would have a problem tuning if some of the following conditions are met;

1. The batter head of the tom is tuned on the low side and,
2. If the slide mechanism where the vertical tube mounts the tom, is lower than the mid point of the shell, and
3. The angle of the tom is also very high.
4. If your using flanged hoops.

If the above conditions are met, the tension on the top lugs would be high, and therefore would be harder to have an even tension throughout the batter head. The resonant head lugs are in compression, and usually the resonant head is tuned higher so you may not see this effect with that.

Personally, I just purchased an MCX kit with the Optimount for the two overhead toms, and I have just been able to tune the drums. However, I may have the tom heads tuned a little higher than you do so I do not see this effect. Also, I have the cast rims that kind of even out the tuning for all the lugs more than the flange hoops. I am also using a close to flat angle for the toms, and I have the tube mounts towards the top of the shell.
 
I think the Optimounts are the best mounting system availale IMO. I've never had one issue with detuning or tuning in general. Now the ISS mounts do sometimes require a few retunings here and there, but not one issue with the Optis. I highly recommend them to anyone.
 
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