What interests me in these protectors is indeed the 3 sided protection. I currently have Gibraltar (I think) protectors - 1 on top and 1 on the bottom of the hoop - and while they adhere well, and are durable, they offer no protection whatsoever to the front edge of the hoop.I have. I've tried them on a variety of bass drums in my current stable with mostly disappointing results.
I love the fold over hoop design. That way, three sides of the hoop get protected – the two where the pedal clamp grabs to and the front edge of the hoop. The material is ever-so-slightly squishy, so that the pedal clamp can really get a good grab. I bought a bunch of them to try out on different bass drum hoops. And…they don’t stick very well at all to any of the hoops that I have, regardless of the hoop composition.
I put the first one on a 20” Tempus fiberglass bass drum hoop. I even cleaned the area prior to installation of the protector with rubbing alcohol and it just doesn’t stick.
I had the same problem trying them on a 20” and a 22” wood hoops that has been painted and have inlay strips. Cleaned it per the instructions and the same thing happened. While a pedal is attached, it's fine, but quite literally the hoop protectors just lift off the hoop while it’s in its case. It appears that the adhesive they use isn’t very strong, so the protector didn’t stick to the hoops very well. It constantly comes off. It’s maddening. I would hesitate recommending them.
The problem is that I bought 6 of them right out of the gate before I actually had any working experiences with them. I've still got 3 of them and I have no idea what I'm gonna do with them. They were relatively cheap, so if they get thrown away, no big financial loss.
If they figured out the adhesive issue, I would unquestionably give them a two-thumbs up rating. Right now, the best I could say based on my experience would be "proceed with caution and prepare to be disappointed".
What interests me in these protectors is indeed the 3 sided protection. I currently have Gibraltar (I think) protectors - 1 on top and 1 on the bottom of the hoop - and while they adhere well, and are durable, they offer no protection whatsoever to the front edge of the hoop.
Aside from the adhesive issue, do you believe they are durable, and do they provide enough surface area to protect from a pedal clamp? I read somewhere where someone said they're too small. And, is the squishiness an issue at all?
I use 3M spray adhesive on all kinds of things, including for adhering cabinet carpet to amp racks I've built. I even used it on Remo Falam Slam patches when I move them around on bass drum heads, and the #M stuff works great. You might want to try it.
I have them on two bass drums. I didn't experience any adhesion problems, and they're holding up fine. I have heard that they may eventually crack at the fold, but I haven't experienced this firsthand.
Another option is leather. I just received a 3-pack from Kenner. Definitely high quality for not much more money.
I already have this type on top and bottom, but they don't offer protection for the front edge.I use the Tama version and after a couple years the adhesive gets soft. With a bit of cleaning it holds again. And it does protect from serious clamp rash, but there is indentations in my hoop.
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Isn't the leather too thick used that way?Another option is leather. I just received a 3-pack from Kenner. Definitely high quality for not much more money.
If I recall, the Pearl metal ones need to be drilled and attached to the hoop, or are you talking about something else?I've had really good luck with the metal Pearl protector. Variety of hoops and little to no rash with constant gigging.
Too thick, and too stiff so it won't stay folded around the hoop edge, even with strong adhesive, which might actually strip paint off a wooden hoop.You could use 6"X 6" rubber flange gasket material from Lowes for $1.99 and cut it to fit. You could even glue it to the hoop.
Care to share the secret thing you're using?I use something completely different, but I was thinking if you’re so concerned about damage to the bass drum hoops, why not just get black metal hoops and use those? They’re only about $20 each for a 22” and can take all kinds of abuse. I’m currently debating this for my DW kit as I like to transport case-less too.
I go get grip tape from the local Home Depot, and just apply small strip on both sides of the hoop where the pedal connects. I’m pretty careful when I attach the pedal, so the edge of the hoop right there is bare. My bass isn’t at an extreme angle so the clamp has no problem staying with the hoop and therefore I don’t have to use extreme force to connect it to the bass drum. That’s all I do and I’ve never had hoop damage.Care to share the secret thing you're using?
I can use nothing. But I found out one time I played so hard the bass drum hit literally pushed the bass drum off the pedal. So the grip tape actually keeps the pedal connected to the hoop!I'm sure they would never pick a product that everyone liked so why bother. I'll bet there are also those that use nothing.