Jeremy Bender
Platinum Member
I still have mine from 1983! http://www.tamadrum.co.jp/usa/news/product_news/2011/Camco/index.html
A few years ago Ludwig re-introduced the Speed King for about $120.00
They said that it was new and improved. It looked and played the same as the original to me!
It certainly wasn't worth $120.00.
Reissuing a product is a two edged sword.Yeah, reintroducing older products is a cool thing when the original product was good. Some people swear by the old Speed Kings, but I never liked them. The "new and improved" claim was a bad move, because the reissues were so similar to the original that people wanting to buy them because of the "new and improved"-ness were disappointed, and the people who liked the originals didn't buy the new ones because of the "new and improved"-ness.
dw kept the logo, tama kept the blue prints
Considering it is Their name on the site, I would say so.So is it Tama that's behind this?
I still have mine from 1983! http://www.tamadrum.co.jp/usa/news/product_news/2011/Camco/index.html
Considering it is Their name on the site, I would say so.
I've played on a few Ghosts. Smooth pedal. It's pretty weird because it works counter-efficiently. Let me try to explain:
You know how modern pedals give you that extra "throw" at the end of the cam? That extra little "oomph!" during the last 15-20º of the beater's path? That's what the Speed King is missing...it gives you just what you put into it, and nothing more. If you've been raised on modern pedals, the Speed King seems ridiculous to play on, because of the direct relation between the effort you put in to the effort the pedal exudes on the drum head. Take it one step further, and imagine that the cam actually "absorbs" some of the throw, or makes it so the beater slows down in the last few degrees of its path. THAT is the action of the Ghost pedal! It's pretty durable, but makes it hard to put any real power into your playing when you need it (or perhaps it allows you more room to finesse your expression...???). I dunno. I've also heard that when the springs break, they're a real pain in the butt to fix...