Brave New World - Replacing the Speed King

RickVandeven

RickVandeven

Member
So I have been reading all the comments regarding the "Squeak King". I have been using a SK for 26 years, and I accepted the noise a long time ago.

However, this weekend my young drummer cousin's band and mine shared a bill at a show. He complimented me on my set afterwards, and asked what pedal I am using. When I told him that I am using the same Speed King that his dad (also a drummer) gave me over a quarter century ago, he just kind of gave me this dumbfounded look.

Anyhow, I set my faithful old Luddies back up Tuesday, and the Squeak King just annoyed the hell out of me. How could I have not noticed how freaking noisy and wobbly this contraption is?

Last night at rehearsal, I told my bandmates to listen to my bass drum, pointing out the Squeak King. They all asked "when did THAT happen?" like they only just now noticed after I pointed it out.

So now I want to replace the SK. Not with a new SK mind you. Given the modern advances in bass drum pedal design, I want something else. After playing direct drive for my entire life, I am not a fan of the "slop" that is inherent in a chain drive pedal. However I realize that the new designs have taken a lot of the slop out of chain drives. I also want the stability of a long board.

I like the features of the Tama Speed Cobra. My style requires that I have speed AND power, and the SC seems to promise that. I don't care for the new Ludwig Atlas pedals. DW5000's have too much of that slop. What else is there? The Axis and Trick pedals may be out of my price range ($200).

Also know that this is pretty scary for me, but I think it's time I get with the times. Thanks!
 
Any interest in the direct drive stuff? Gibraltar and Yamaha both have reasonable priced entries, IIRC. If you're going to go different, why not go way different?
 
If you like direct drive, check out the Yamaha direct drive.

 
drumming sort of person said:
If you like direct drive, check out the Yamaha direct drive....
Click to expand...


That's my choice. But there's just tons of different pedals available today, of all drive types.




RickVandeven said:
...I like the features of the Tama Speed Cobra..
Click to expand...


Have you actually tried the Speed Cobra? Liking the features is one thing, but getting your foot on a pedal is the real deal.
Try out as many different pedals of all types as you can, before putting your money down.
 
RickVandeven said:
Also know that this is pretty scary for me, but I think it's time I get with the times. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Maybe a floor plate on your Speed King ...............​
 

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I played speed kings for years. Great pedal (heck it worked for John Bonham) I gravitated to double bass pedals and went DW. After 25 some odd years playing DW,most recently the 9000, I wanted something different and remembered how good the direct drive felt. Doing a lot of reading hear I ordered a Yamaha direct drive (one previous to the current one) and man I couldn't be happier.

Like this, but mine doesn't have the glow tape on it
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Dire...531?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d8f16a13


Bottom line is you need to get your feet on some pedals and try them out to see which pedal picks you.
 
if you don't want to really give up on the Speed King, there is someone on eBay that has a service for re-furbing, and hot roding SK's. They sell them already done, but I think you can send them in also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRcQwNz4cf4
Also:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Custom-Ludw...481?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a32cf37d9

I started with a SK too. I've played several other pedals since, and I've used the Pearl Eliminators with the Red cam (basically like a SK cam shape) for at least 10 years now. Along with the Red cam, I also raised my footboard, and adjusted first the chain (very stable), then the belt.
After playing that pedal for about 5 years or so, I realized that the angle of the footboard I got by adjusting the chain and belt was really close to what I had with a SK.
I play pretty hard in a couple of my bands, and there's no slop in either the chain or strap on the Eliminator. Now, if I decide to use the Camco pedal... :)
 
Im going the opposite way. I am replacing my eliminator double with a single speed king. It just really delivers for me. We have one of our biggest gigs of the year this coming Saturday Night, Halloween bash thing, and I am using the Speed king in public for the first time.....I'm such a wimp though, the Eliminators will be close by, ready to go just in case. Karl, when I bought my speed king off ebay I almost bought one of the hot-rodded ones. I missed out on a blue one and bought this one for 60 or 70 bucks I think.
 
I'll toss my favorite pedal into the ring... Yamaha FP8500B Simple, light weight, great footboard and strap driven. All for less than $100.

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I didn't notice it being mentioned (sorry if I missed it) but I experienced a huge difference between the compression springs of the Speed King all those years, and expansion springs of almost all other pedals out there when I moved on. I always felt like I was wrestling with expansion spring systems; thinking as much about playing the pedal as playing the drum. The DW 9000 is the nicest I've put my foot on. But it still has that mechanical tugging back into place feel, smooth as it is.

The Trick has compression spring action. Different animal than the SK, though.

The SK is also a centered design. Not many pedals employ that anymore and for me it does make a difference for energy transfer.

I like the thought above about trying pedals and one will choose YOU. The Drumnetics certainly chose me. Magnets. Incredible action.

I have thought Ludwig would have revamped aspects of the SK and made it much better. I heard they sell around 800 units a year. I guess that isn't enough for $$ R&D. And maybe too many players would be upset if they changed things.
 
I dunno - if there's a pedal you already like that's giving you everything you need but squeaks, I keep thinking of finding one of those guys on eBay that's hot-rodding SK's or will upgrade your existing pedal. But hey, if you want to go new, nothing wrong with that. HOw about the Sonor Jojo pedal? It's a strap but the design seems sound. I did try that Yamaha direct drive too and that was a lovely pedal. The funny thing with Yamaha is that their beaters are lighter than everybody elses. The pedal totally felt wrong when I put a DW beater in it - so if you try that one and like it, get a few extra Yamaha beaters in case for spares!
 
I totally agree about beaters. I modified my Yamaha beaters and love them. Iron Cobra beaters, too, because they both have angle adjustment. But, yeah, I got a couple Boa pedals. Change the beaters and the thing is a totally different animal. All the pedals I have owned react like that. Weight and head width/length differences.

One of the things Ludwig could do is redesign their link. I remember breaking a couple when I used them. Another thing would be an easier, user friendly way to unhook the springs to remove them from the posts so you can change old, solidified grease in there. The post caps are tricky to get out and re-install.

Actually, the whole shaft/cam could be redesigned to allow for beater and footboard adjustment. It could be made into a 21st century pedal. At the very least put it on a solid base plate and put a decent bearing in the heel so the rattle stops.

The JoJo pedal. I saw a terrible review on youtube. The pedal board was so tight the guy could unhook it, hold it up and it stayed there. Manufacturing glitch, which seems strange for Sonor. Unless it's made in China like so many other pedals now.
 
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