Pearl Demon Drive

Make sure they're ninja bearings first :p

Diosdude, i think most pedals can be converted to 2 singles, the difference is that some are a lot less work to do so because both pedals have chains rather than having a "master" and "slave" pedal. Also with my DW5000, i can put the beater on the slave pedal anyway.

Yeah, but it's been my observation that most doubles that do split into 2 have 2 springs for the left pedal: one on the slave itself and 1 on the other side of the shaft linkage. When you take away the driveshaft and are left with a left and right pedal, suddenly the action is not equal at all. When i split my Trick pedal, the action is truly identical to the double pedal configuration.

Again, I'm not necessarily knocking the demon, i'm sure that if you guys get it, it will be the most awesome pedal you own, but i endorse the Trick pedal here on the forum and from what i see, it has more useful features to me. I was planning on getting a second Trick pedal so i have one for my studio kit and one for my gig kit, but now i'm tempted to just try the demon since it would stay permanently in double pedal configuration. The only thing holding me back is that stretch spring, I'll bet my Ludwig speed king is more responsive (the main reason why i got the trick and never got an axis) but i won't know until i get a foot on one.
 
LOL!! that's great! Seriously though, i wiki'ed "ninja bearing" expecting to see some technical breakthrough. Nothing. Ninja bearings are just a namebrand of some skateboard bearings that are supposedly superior to anything out there. Laughable. I'd like to hook them up to something really fast like an electric drill to test their tolerances vs other bearings. I can say with 100% certainty that no human body, not even tim watterson's, can produce enough speed to put these or any other bearing into structural failure. They hype it like it will add 100 bpm to your blast beat...
I have been checking them out for a few days trying to be objective about it. It is hard when all the Pearl Fanboys are running around screaming about it. My reaction wants to naturally be questionable. I've had Gene from Pearl break it down for me one day, and I thoroughly agree with most on the floor once you decide on a pedal length more than likely that will be the one for you. The advantage of it changing from long to short I cannot see being a big deal from a players point of view once you figure what setting you like. It is not as though these settings are so simple they can be changed mid-set/song to song. If someone is a salesman, I could see where it would be a plus simply with less product to have on the floor. There is no question of how many to order of each that is for sure.

After Gene's explanation I had dinner with Mike Farris & the Pearl Forum guys and we got into the subject a bit. This had me check it out again the next day. Mike saw me and of course broke it down giving all the usual sales pitch but the best thing he said was Todd Sucherman (sp?) said playing in their promo video at the time, it is a literal pedal. What you play, is what you get.

Now this is where my story gets sort of weird. Ironically who was sitting there trying out pedals but Todd. I had no idea who he was but I asked Mike if that was him he said yes and he joined our conversation. After a few brief introductions & some chit-chat Todd basically said you have to be very careful with what you are playing because the pedal reacts immediately. The thing is most of us are used to slight delays due to bounce back or in some cases latency with a double pedal's left-side. This does not exist with this pedal. Todd said he had to almost rethink his playing using it but now that Pearl has taken the pedal away from him and he is back on his Elims, he is screaming for it back. I personally said, "it sounds to me like it makes you a worse player at first." Not sure why, but Todd didn't react, but Mike was defensive of that of course saying, "you simple have to get use to it" . He's possibly right but are the benefits worth the adjustments needed is the real question on my end.

My take on it: it is just another choice. Pluses versus minus do not out weigh the change for me especially at that price. What the pedal lacks to me is the natural feel of rebound. The beater comes back it doesn't necessary bounce back it is just there perfectly waiting for you. There is no "grab" or "swing" to it. It is almost too perfect sort of like Pro-tools and the way some producers quantize everything. If that is what you like, then this is the pedal for you. But as it stands I need something that "breathes" a little bit more, but that's style just as much as anything.
 
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My take on it: it is just another choice. Pluses versus minus do not out weigh the change for me especially at that price. What the pedal lacks to me is the naturally feel. The beater comes back it doesn't necessary bounce back it is just there perfectly waiting for you. There is no "grab" or "swing" to it. It is almost too perfect sort of like Pro-tools and the way some producers quantize everything.

"natural" is defined by the user.

Using my Axis AL-2's, and I would gather most direct-drive pedals and their users, would agree that the natural feel for a direct drive pedal is "without slack". Super tight response and "attached-to-the-foot" feel is just part of all direct drive pedals...not just the Demon.

You're absolutely correct in saying that the Demon is just another choice. Pearl now has their foot in the market pool for direct drive pedals. I'm sure the price is going to sucker some of the Pearl-purists into spending the money. I'd like to hear who actually pays that much at your local GC. Don't get me wrong either, I like Pearl pedals...I used one a P-9something for a long time, a long time ago when money was tight. Good, reliable, plenty of speed. Nowadays...seems a different beat from that camp.

Ninja Bearings?!?! Pleease... Mediocre differences compared the competition (Axis, Yammie, Trick). It's really hard to have "new and improved" when everything about your product, simply... isn't. Short/longboard configuration conversion? Great! A service that might be required...um...once? Maybe twice. I just can't see a regular player who needs the setup to be consistent, changing the footboard configuration often.

Personally, I'll stick with my Axis. Never had an issue, fast as I've ever needed a pedal to be. Despite some people saying there is a quality issue, I beg to differ. Either way, Demons aren't worth the cost and offer nothing more than a another name for people to put under their roach-stompers.

$.02.

Andy
 
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And I'll stick with my Trick(s).

I think that companies like Pearl may not get it off the ground unless the price is significantly lower. But you never know.
 
God damn -- ninjas, bears and demons! I want six six six of 'em!

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It's definately worth a try. I will not speculate on what it could feel like or what other companies it compares to. I'm intrigued by it.
 
And I'll stick with my Trick(s).

I think that companies like Pearl may not get it off the ground unless the price is significantly lower. But you never know.

I agree 100%.

Looks like Pearl managed to copy a little bit of Trick's design on external components. I tried them out they are very smooth and light. I don't see any reason to sell my Eliminators for these new Demon Drive. I am saving for the Pro 1 V Tricks. I tried them all out this weekend and they RULE!
 
These pedals kick ass!!!
I tried em out at namm and seriously, they are not bullshitting you.
Its the perfect pedal. I want it.
Super responsive and super easy to play, they are almost...

Dude....Remo Black Suede Emperors for batters, ambassadors for the resonants.
Never had a better drum sound in my life....

I have had my mapex for over a year now, and they never cease to amaze me. All my bandmates also comment on the sound, often saying it is the best drum sound they have ever heard. I guess it all...



Wow, a product rep from Pearl, Remo, and Mapex! You must have one heck of a job!
Hey man, I just think they are all pretty stellar. I would like a job at one of those places, but I flip pizzas for a living :p
 
I dont even know where the pearl headquarters are hahaha. I do live in the same city as the FENDER factory, but not any of the others. So if anything, I would be a product rep for fender and not the others. I just like what I play that much!
 
I dont even know where the pearl headquarters are hahaha. I do live in the same city as the FENDER factory, but not any of the others. So if anything, I would be a product rep for fender and not the others. I just like what I play that much!

I doubt it. I think that "pzimmerdrummer03 secretly stands for "Pearl-Zildjian-Istanbul-Mapex-Meinl-Evans-Roland-DW-Remo-Universal Percussion-Modern Drummer-MRP-Emad-Roc-n-Soc!"
 
I doubt it. I think that "pzimmerdrummer03 secretly stands for "Pearl-Zildjian-Istanbul-Mapex-Meinl-Evans-Roland-DW-Remo-Universal Percussion-Modern Drummer-MRP-Emad-Roc-n-Soc!"
Believe what you wanna believe, pal.
 
So, I'm wondering, why is everyone refusing to believe that positive first-hand experience is legit? Are you all feeling threatened about your own gear or brand of loyalty?
 
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