Winston_Wolf
Platinum Member
*checks calendar* Wait, it isn't April 1...
BIG NEWS: Pearl FINALLY Makes an L-Arm Tom Holder
- Thread starter Neal Pert
- Start date
timmdrum
Gold Member
Not quite; 4 tension rods top & bottom.
They get grooves worn in them if they're forced to move without loosening the wing nut. I also think they get slightly out of round- I've adjusted a tom before, holding it in just the right spot with one hand and tightening with the other, and with increased tension on the wing nut, saw the drum move slightly with each turn. It's still my preferred system, so I'm not knocking it- just sayin'.
Seafroggys
Silver Member
Feel like I need to go retrofit my Crystal Beats with this now. Have always hated the Pearl mounts.
Square
El Conquistador
For Pearl aficionados and Pearl player wannabes (aren't you all really?) the bigger news is many new finishes on the Masters series and the Masters now come with die cast hoops it looks like.
All joking aside Pearl has been screwing the pooch for the last several years on finishes, in my opinion. It looks like there are a much larger number of choices now. I'll be interested to hear how those DC hoops alter the sound of the new kits vs the older ones.
Okay finally, yeah the Pearl tom mounts are a bit goofy given what we can see are alternative options. I kind of look at it like pedals, strap, chain, or direct... whatever floats your boat. That may just mean, you dance with whoever brought you.
2 hit wonder
Junior Member
Insert Your Mom joke here. Lol. I keed, I keed.
Square
El Conquistador
Just cruising Pearl's site and I see there are a lot of changes to the Masters line.
What my 2022 (23?) Masters kit is, looks like would now be called the Professional Series.
There is also a Masters Maple Pure which now has 4 ply (5mm) shells with a 4 ply rering.
Some other changes there as well. I look forward to hearing all the new stuff.
Oh yeah, and it looks like the Cain and Able finish is gone.
What my 2022 (23?) Masters kit is, looks like would now be called the Professional Series.
There is also a Masters Maple Pure which now has 4 ply (5mm) shells with a 4 ply rering.
Some other changes there as well. I look forward to hearing all the new stuff.
Oh yeah, and it looks like the Cain and Able finish is gone.
I'll be the outcast and saying I absolutely despise L arm mounts Especially when you use RIMS or a suspension mount, you have to adjust the thing four times to get it into the right place to account for the play in the suspension mount. This is just my opinion, of course, but I've dealt with this enough as backline to know that Yamaha and pearl are much much much much much much much much much much much much easier to get into position FOR ME.
Yes, the Pearl is kind of ugly. I don't think the optimount is a very good product, and when I owned Pearl mounts on Gretsch drums, I had to cut down the tubes so that they would work with the extra protruding width of RIMS mounts
But GD do i dislike L arms mounts.
Yes, the Pearl is kind of ugly. I don't think the optimount is a very good product, and when I owned Pearl mounts on Gretsch drums, I had to cut down the tubes so that they would work with the extra protruding width of RIMS mounts
But GD do i dislike L arms mounts.
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2 hit wonder
Junior Member
The Premier Signia isolation thing has play, too that you have to account for. Especially when the drum gets heavier.
I still greatly prefer the ball and socket with L arm. Sonor has a good one on a kit at a jam I go to.
I still greatly prefer the ball and socket with L arm. Sonor has a good one on a kit at a jam I go to.
jda
Diamond Member
They still have the "Cat Hair" finish tho right?
www.drumcenternh.com
nope as stated above
Buy Pearl Drum Sets & Add Ons Online
Drum Center of Portsmouth is the authority for all things related to your Pearl drums.
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It doesn't appear to be a ratchet tilter, so it should have all of the same minute positioning options as a ball. The difference being that once the drum is in position, you have two (or three) tightening points instead of just one (with a ball.) But is that a genuine objection? How often does that adjustment really need to be made? Realistically, one time, and possibly again when changing-out that tom. That shouldn't be a deal-breaker.
I would be more interested in knowing that it's a sturdier solution to a ball & socket. I'll go out on a limb and say yes, it is.
2 hit wonder
Junior Member
Yeah, it's having one location to adjust instead of multiple steps. You see result immediately with the ball.
It's the same with the L-arm, simply loosen each point including the tom's mount, and the drum can be moved along any axis (as with a ball.) The only extra coordination is tightening up to three things while holding the tom in place, vs just one with the ball. But again, how often does such an adjustment need to take place?
It appears to be a more solid solution, and I don't mind taking an extra 10-15 seconds every 5 or 10 years that I might make a change.
Winston_Wolf
Platinum Member
I lost the desire a long time ago to keep defending Pearl's pipe-style tom arms, but I think they work so much better than L-rod and ball systems.
I have several ball mounts that have worn out, and I've run into replacements that don't...quite...fit into the mount properly, both from being slightly too big and slightly too small. I'm also not a fan of needing to account for flex/sag when moving a tom into position. None of that happens with Pearl's pipe arms. Move it into position, turn a wing screw and it's solid.
At this point I'm pretty invested in the L-arms so these new mounts look like another game changer upgrade to me.
I have several ball mounts that have worn out, and I've run into replacements that don't...quite...fit into the mount properly, both from being slightly too big and slightly too small. I'm also not a fan of needing to account for flex/sag when moving a tom into position. None of that happens with Pearl's pipe arms. Move it into position, turn a wing screw and it's solid.
At this point I'm pretty invested in the L-arms so these new mounts look like another game changer upgrade to me.
Stroman
Diamond Member
In fairness, that's a function of the suspension mount, more than the L-arm.
2 hit wonder
Junior Member
Perhaps.
I find myself adjusting the ball socket about every 3rd gig. Sometimes it gets loosened by accident in the bag, most likely. Sometimes I set the bass drum at the wrong angle for the stage. Some are in a corner or limited space, etc.. the ball isn't as easy as easy a snare basket, but I've also got a similar L arm thing on a stand that's like the Pearl. I use it for a hanging tom in the floor position on my practice kit. It's ok. The ball moves more freely and faster.
Larry
"Uncle Larry"
Agree. I always thought the pipe mounts functioned great. I never had a problem with them,
I never knew they were ugly until I came here.
Ball and socket is OK but give me a wingnut that has long wings.
I have some Tama Roadpro stands that the wings on the wingnut aren't long enough IMO
Makes me have to work harder.
I'd rather have the Pearl pipes TBH
equipmentdork
Junior Member
I've never had the vitriolic reaction others have had to Pearl tom mounts. Do I prefer them? No, but they get the job done, even the ISS mounts. I think not having the small T-screw is a minus, though. They have it everywhere else! Why go 90% of the way?
Dan
Dan
