Butt kicker anyone??

I'm sure this has been mentioned before but nevertheless my question is about a butt kicker mounted to a throne.
I know about the "Porter & Davies" I believe it's called, for I have played on one before a few years ago and was amazed.

Bottom line is I don't have the funds to throw down on one and I have heard throughout the years about people mounting buttkickers to their thrones.
Just wanted to know if anyone has done that or currently do that.

Any answers would be much appreciated.
 
Been using the Buttkicker Concert units since 2004, and am still thrilled with them. While we're in Europe next year I'll have backline gear, but of course I'm bringing my cymbals, pedal, sample pad... and throne with the Buttkickers!

I should mention that those are the same kickers they make for IMAX theaters (just with a "concert" sticker on it to be musician-friendly.) So you can imagine the kind of power it can handle, and delivers... not that you'd ever want to turn them up all the way. I have two just in case one should therm out temporarily, and they've been working fine as far as I can tell. But I don't pump them too much or they become distracting. In fact, when I had a sub come out for a few shows on this tour, he wanted them turned down, which was a little surprising to me. Maybe they're more powerful than I realize?

You will need a powerful amp though, 400w or more, just so there's no clipping.

_drum_buttkickers.jpg
 
I should add that the Buttkickers are really intended for road use, or a more permanent house kit situation. Trying to use them on smallish gigs where the monitoring isn't top-notch may be difficult. The signal to the unit should be gated so that the bass guitar doesn't set it off, and triggering the kicker with a mic placed outside of the kick won't work well.

In more portable situations and where you're handling the gear yourself, I would have to recommend a Porter & Davies system. It's especially handy if you want to bring it into the studio. But in a live situation, especially with a loud band, it too can be easily triggered by other low-end signals, making it really difficult to tell what your kick is doing.
 
Jon, a drummer friend of mine used a Butt Kicker for years. I tried it out one night, and thought it was pretty cool, but he finally got tired of carrying around the extra weight and whatever he needed to make it work properly.
 
I get that the substitute requested it decreased.
For the limited # of gigs I've played with full mic ups I've requested the bass drum out of the monitors. It amped me up too much hearing and feeling it and made me worry that it would impact my timing.
I'd get used to it right away (and it felt awesome having it in) but for a single show of higher pressure I went with the familiar.
 
Jon, a drummer friend of mine used a Butt Kicker for years. I tried it out one night, and thought it was pretty cool, but he finally got tired of carrying around the extra weight and whatever he needed to make it work properly.
It is a commitment, and even with just one on the seat, it's heavy. Definitely not as portable & light as the P&D. But there's a performance difference as well - my butt finds the BK to be superior - and I think the P&D is actually more expensive. But I agree, I wouldn't try to use the BK on a local gig.
 
I love the idea of one of these, but I really don't want one more thing to hook up.
 
but he finally got tired of carrying around the extra weight and whatever he needed to make it work properly.
I love the idea of one of these, but I really don't want one more thing to hook up.

Both of these. I have one and really like to use it. It's fun as sh*t! But since going fully mic'd and with IEM's in the last couple of years, sadly I leave it at home most gigs. It's heavy, the throne seat has to be carried/loaded separately, the amp is heavy and it's just one more hook up on top of many already. On smaller stages there's the stage room also. I'd like to hope that I'll integrate it soon again.
 
Both of these. I have one and really like to use it. It's fun as sh*t! But since going fully mic'd and with IEM's in the last couple of years, sadly I leave it at home most gigs. It's heavy, the throne seat has to be carried/loaded separately, the amp is heavy and it's just one more hook up on top of many already. On smaller stages there's the stage room also. I'd like to hope that I'll integrate it soon again.

Thanks for commenting on this. I also have to set up my full kit, mic everything, run my IEM system which includes hooking an ipad up wirelessly to the board (which can be problematic in of itself), etc. Also, when tearing down at dark-thirty in the morning, the less I have to throw in the case the better!
 
It might help if I would build a small rack/table with wheels & handle that would contain the amp (at bottom because it's heavy), the throne seat with kicker, my mics & cables, wired Rolls iem amp, tablets, etc. Right now, those are 3-4 separate items to carry. I could use the rack as a kit-side table for pad & percussion, etc. While heavy, it would roll like my SKB hardware case and combine a lot of smaller cases/items into one trip and pre-hooked up items. Hmm... I know a guy in the custom case business.
 
I have never tried this sort of thing, but I don’t even like the drums in my monitor. Although I’m aware of pro’s using them, I have a hard time thinking how it would help me or even like it as an embellishment. Perhaps a click into it, but monitoring after the fact seems to me like having the drums in your monitor which I don’t like. I feel the tactile hit of a drum but then adding another tactile hit wouldn’t sit well with me. Pun intended. Perhaps the mix without the drums might be ok.
 
I feel the tactile hit of a drum but then adding another tactile hit wouldn’t sit well with me.

It's not really another hit, it's an enhancement. You feel the kick better. It's not supposed to be overpowering, mine is fairly low though I notice when it's not turned on yet. It delivers a more usable sensation of what the kick is doing.
 
It's not really another hit, it's an enhancement. You feel the kick better. It's not supposed to be overpowering, mine is fairly low though I notice when it's not turned on yet. It delivers a more usable sensation of what the kick is doing.
I’m just thinking if I don’t like drums in my monitor I wouldn’t like a Butt Kicker either. I could be wrong. I wish I could try one out. When I’m in the city I’ll see if any stores have any to try out. It definitely seems interesting.
 
I’m just thinking if I don’t like drums in my monitor I wouldn’t like a Butt Kicker either. I could be wrong. I wish I could try one out. When I’m in the city I’ll see if any stores have any to try out. It definitely seems interesting.
The sensation of the kick is different than simply hearing it. It's more natural, more complete. with some kick in the monitor/ears. It's not intended to be distracting, and there are many gigs where a thumper or even monitors aren't necessary at all. But when the kick needs to be heard, it's an efficient and smart alternative to putting extra kick in the wedges, where other sound have to compete with it. Then it becomes a volume war for the drummer, the stage volume, the FOH mix in smaller venues, and ultimately will cause hearing damage. Been there.

I'm not sure which stores might carry them though. I think I discovered them at NAMM, but haven't seen them anywhere else. I guess it's a word of mouth thing, maybe crew members familiar with it talk to other drummers about looking into it. I sing the Buttkicker's praises, but it's really something that has to be tried in person (if possible) before making the investment.
 
I'm sure this has been mentioned before but nevertheless my question is about a butt kicker mounted to a throne.
I know about the "Porter & Davies" I believe it's called, for I have played on one before a few years ago and was amazed.

Bottom line is I don't have the funds to throw down on one and I have heard throughout the years about people mounting buttkickers to their thrones.
Just wanted to know if anyone has done that or currently do that.

Any answers would be much appreciated.
Im on my fifth in 8 years (each time an upgrade/change of model).

1669569847182.png

I started with a loan model BC, then the gigster, then the BC Rack, then the custom X (with the BC transducer inside it, and rack amp as I found it lacking just like the gigster), and now this model.

I do want to see if I can get a Rack model, or the 1000w TT model and buy a powerfull 1u amp.

I used the ButtKicker for s while last year (and in the past) and it just isn’t as good/effective as the P&D to me, I noticed (I wanted to use the BK as I prefered the Roc N Soc in terms of seating).

What I love about tactile transducers, is that they make you feel more in touch with what you play.

Regardless inears, subs or what not.

The first time I had used one I had a 39 degree fever, but couldn’t (and din’t want to) cancel the gig. I was on pain killers and didn’t feel much.

Thanks to the P&D I made it through the gig (and the band scored a record deal):

They also make that you don’t have to set your headphones/inear signal (too) loud.

So I would advice to spend a bit more (don’t forget a good amp you’d need for a BK, can be costly too) and get the P&D.
 
It might help if I would build a small rack/table with wheels & handle that would contain the amp (at bottom because it's heavy), the throne seat with kicker, my mics & cables, wired Rolls iem amp, tablets, etc. Right now, those are 3-4 separate items to carry. I could use the rack as a kit-side table for pad & percussion, etc. While heavy, it would roll like my SKB hardware case and combine a lot of smaller cases/items into one trip and pre-hooked up items. Hmm... I know a guy in the custom case business.
So... I went & did this. Expensive but, gigging 6-7 times a month (a lot for me), I figured it was worth it. And having used it 3-4 times already it IS worth it. Saves me probably 15 minutes in setup time and also spares some brain power finding the right xlr cords and extension cords, etc. in the right box and connecting everything - it's now all permanently hooked up. I just wheel in my case, take the front off, plug in the extension cord and take the throne out and set it on my throne stand. No separate cases to deal with and store away. Lastly, some nice kit-side table space for set lists, monitor mix tablets, etc. And, I get to enjoy my butt kicker with virtually no additional load-in items or hook up. Love it.20230304_203916.jpg20230304_203935.jpg
 
Last edited:
Back
Top