Pearl Demon Chain???

[RcKDrUmm3R]

So Pearl has made a second pearl demon pedal and it has a double chain linkage with a round linear cam (Speed cobra idea???). Supposedly it's out in Europe but I can't seem to find it anywhere for sale online. These pedals can be found on the 2012 interactive catalog on pearl's website. Anyone know when they're going to be released in the u.s.???

[Dre25]

Maybe you should email pearl.

This is all they had on youtube. Nothing on ebay yet..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOLY94O7cv4

[Dre25]

Curious to know if anyone knows anymore about these, particularly whether you can interchange the chain/direct drives.

I have come to realize that it's harder for me to play neatly with my demon drives than my old iron cobras and pearl p902's because they feel so light. I think when the beater recoils after a hit i miss the 'loading' sensation I like to feel in the footboard, I'm not sure what it is exactly though I think I prefer to feel resistance as opposed to dangling my feet from my drum stool. Maybe Virgil Donati had the same feeling when he switched back to eliminators.

I tried dw9000 and eliminators last week too, and they just seem to work better for me, especially the dw. I'm thinking maybe it's the chain drive that I prefer. I've fitted heavier beaters, added spring tension but it doesn't bring me close enough. I'll see if I can adjust the beater axis thing (power vs finesse) tomorrow but I've only got one more position to move so I'm not expecting much.

I've never been one to blame my equipment but I dont want to be using something that hinders my playing and if I can make my dd's feel like eliminators by fitting chain drives then at least I can save some $£€¥.

Anyone get me?

[kettles]

Dre25 - I have found the exact same thing with mine. The other thing about the DD is the interesting motion that happens when the beater swings right back past it's resting point. It's all just due the angles and whatnot, but it feels like there is a lump in the stroke, as opposed to a smooth stroke that a chain/strap gives you. I usually like to have my beaters set quite far back so I can get a good long swing, but the lump in the stroke means this just feels weird and unpredictable.


Was planning to sell mine but wouldn't mind giving the chains a go. Here is the page: http://www.pearleurope.com/ProductDe...ctName=P-3000C

[Pocket-full-of-gold]

Originally Posted by Dre25

Anyone get me?

Funnily enough, I know exactly what you mean. When I got the things I was barmy for the lightness and responsiveness of the direct drive feel. But recently, I've been wanting to feel a bit of the lag I used to feel with a chain driven pedal. If I think too much about it the precision and honesty of the direct feel bothers me and I've been swapping between quad beaters and the DD beaters, the "power" and "finese" positions and every other miniscule detail quite a bit lately. Normally I don't tend to play around too much with my pedals, have few problems dialing them in and tend to leave them once they're set. I'm thinking the fact I'm adjusting them so much is telling me something. I had been determined to forget about it and just crack on with it.......until this bloody thread reared its head.

If you guys find out more info, I'm all ears.

[kettles]

Here's the pedal at Musikmesse:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72I5ANohgro

And the German site from the video, but couldn't find the chains individually.
http://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/P...DRU0025505-000

[Dre25]

Nice to know I'm not crazy then.

I checked my settings as I said I would and I already have all of the adjustments set to power so I've got nowhere to move adjustment wise. I fear that the problem isn't only the drive system but the actual weight/smoothness of the footboards. That's what I'll have to figure out. A guy at the drum store thinks that direct drives are perhaps better for constant motion (i.e metal guys) but not as suited to patterns, and I'm definitely a pattern player.

Pearl USA don't list an email address so I sent an email to all of the european sales/customer service. Surely one of them will give us a solid answer.

I asked them about sourcing the chain drive and whether it would make the pedals feel close enough to eliminators. I will get back to you guys with whatever they say. Maybe if one of us tries it out we can report back on whether we enjoy the pedal much more and we won't have to sell these pedals.

[Bentley]

I feel I am the opposite haha. I found playing the DD so much easier than the Gibraltar chain drive I had. Maybe if I had a better chain drive, my thoughts might be different. But I love the DD for everything and I think it's about time they brought out a chain drive, as it accommodates both types of preferences. But it took me a while to get used to the direct drive, but my patterns and speed have seemed to improve since I got the pedal.

Bentley

[Dre25]

Bad news guys.

"Dear Andre,
*
Thanks for your e-mail.
*
I’m afraid it won’t be possible to change a direct Demon drive pedal to a chain drive version.
*
Kind regards,
Pearl Music Europe
*
Maikel Theunissen"

I have seen on YouTube and on the pearl forum that one guy has used the cam from an eliminator. I might look him up on YouTube and ask him about it.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

My only suggestion is to tighten the springs but I'm sure you have thought of that. Does anyone know if they sell the beater seperately.

[Dre25]

The elastic core ones? I think so, have seen the wooden ones sold separately.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Pearl sells beater weights for this pedal. Would that slow things down a bit?

[kettles]

Yes the beaters are sold separately.

The feel of the pedal is due to the fact it's direct drive. Not the connection itself, but the angle that the link goes through. If you take the pedal off the drum, and pull the beater right back with your hand, then with your other hand push down on the footboard and feel the way the resistance changes throughout the stroke you'll understand what I'm talking about. Then do the same with a chain or strap drive pedal and notice the difference. While it's possible to configure the pedal specifically how you like it, I think direct drive is really only suited for a short stroke (low beater angle) and a light feel.

That's silly of them to not make the pedals modifiable to chain drive... They would have made a ton of money from existing DD owners who just want to give it a go.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

On my Taye Metalworks pedal, first edition there is an adjustment for the angle that the chain pulls on the beater. On the front of the pedal is a slide where the chain is connected. It slides back and forth and determines the angle of chain pull. See if your pedal has this feature.

Edit...I am looking at the photo in the first post and can see that the chain has a backward angle to it. Mine is more directly down or vertical and not on an angle. See if you can change this and if it helps.

[Dre25]

Here is the guy that fitted an eliminator cam:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOZOTd_l1L4

http://www.pearldrummersforum.com/sh...liminator-Cams

Grunter: Yes, I've fitted heavier beaters and there is an adjustment to change the angle of the direct drive and various other things. It's very adjustable but at the end of the day it's the direct drive that I think I need to get away from, still trying to work it out though, will try adding weights you mentioned.

[achdumeingute]

Hmm, wonder why it won't convert. It looks like it could. Is there a parts diagram out for it yet?

[Dre25]

I agree. I actually saw a single in store today and had a chance to AB it with regular demon drive and I can't see why it wouldn't be interchangeable, salesman agreed but I wasn't allowed to try the conversion. The spare part isn't listed yet so it might be a while before we can order the cam (at least here in Oz).

I made the settings the same on both dd and chain version. Strange thing is they didn't feel very different. It always takes me so long to evaluate these things and i feel like I shouldnt spend too much time in store and leave before ive figured it out. I think I'll need to have a second look. First impression tells me the dd is just too light after all. If I sold mine I'd def keep the z link though. Maybe I can sell it as 2 singles.

[Dre25]

Okay, I challenged the Pearl rep and he came back with this:

"Dear Andre,
We don’t have the parts available and are only selling the complete pedal at this moment.
Kind regards,"


So from what I gather, eventually we'll be able to buy the chain cams for anyone that was curious.

This direct drive distaste has really creeped into my double bass practice and I've kinda gotten all conscious about not liking the pedals anymore and started playing badly, I think I need to just make the swap and get on with it, heh.

[KarlCrafton]

You probably answered your question. ...if you know you are going to "______".....

I have come to the conclusion that, 'ya gotta go with your gut on things like this.

I got one of the new Ludwig Atlas Pro single pedals. I like everything about it EXCEPT the pivoting spring connector.
The pedal is very smooth, and the stroke is even, with some resistance dialed in, so I can feel it, and it's nice, but that pivot thing just bugs me and I just can't get past it.

I fought it, and I fought it (for a couple months--enough time) but, I went back to the Eliminator. I can do multiple doubles fast, smooth and evenly with the Eliminator, but not with the "smoother" action of the Ludwig pedal. The "not a good "pattern" pedal for me" analogy is a good one for this pedal too (in my case).

I stopped fighting things like this, and just go with my gut anymore.

[drumphil31]

I would like to see a strap drive demon pedal....

[toddmc]

Totally with Dre on this one. Maybe it's because I've played with a chain drive most of my life, somehow the direct drive just doesn't feel as smooth as the chain (even though you'd think it would be smoother).
I will say that I find the DD's to be much better for heel-toe/ blasting away action, not so much for patterns/ single strokes.

[RcKDrUmm3R]

I noticed this pedal for sale on musiciansfriend now.

[tstepp09]

i am torn between the versatility of the eliminator but i want the easeand speed of dd. i need hekp before i take the plunge on a new pedal. i have always used a chain drive and im unsure about direct drive

[Pocket-full-of-gold]

Originally Posted by tstepp09

i have always used a chain drive and im unsure about direct drive

Then you have to try them mate. No way around it.

[Jookbox]

I have Demon Drives, it would be nice if you can switch from DD to chain. I'm really happy with mine, but it's nice to have options.