More rack experiments!

Bo Eder

Platinum Member
When I got an ICON rack, this was after decades of avoiding them because I just didn’t need one and thought they were a bit overkill. I grew to like it for what I currently do but the last aesthetic I had to deal with was the “wall” aspect that kinda locks me behind the kit and it feels farther away from the band/audience.

I remember seeing Bruford in ‘94 when King Crimson emerged again and thought I’d try his idea of reversing the rack. Thankfully, my black kit has the same sizes as my #1 gigging kit, so all I had to do was experiment without dismantling the main kit in the other room.

I’m still working on it, but I think I like it. The rack is now sorta hidden, and I think the weight distribution is evenly balanced over the legs. The two cymbals won’t be hanging far out and off the posts, and the two toms are basically on the inside of the cross bar, with their weight right over the bar.

What do you think? Too weird?

45CAA532-126E-4453-86ED-2AFBD298F659.jpeg74605E95-29BD-43FB-88E7-FC3F0EF19F68.jpeg
 
If it works for you, then go for it! It does look like it's harder to position the floor tom now though, but that's because i like a fluent flow from the 12" to my 14" floor tom. If you want to go for an aesthetic look you could try to powder coat the rack in black for this kit?
 
If it works for you, then go for it! It does look like it's harder to position the floor tom now though, but that's because i like a fluent flow from the 12" to my 14" floor tom. If you want to go for an aesthetic look you could try to powder coat the rack in black for this kit?
Well, I’d be using this with my maple Reference kit. I’ll either make this work, or I’m finally gonna drill that bass drum for a tom mount.
 
Now isn't this a funny thing.

In all my years of using a rack, I've NEVER thought of reversing it like you have.

You are one brave man.

It's a very interesting concept.

I think it's wrought with too much weirdness for me.....but I'm kinda intrigued at the same time.

I'd love it if you could post yourself playing on this new set up........

Don't know if I could go down the same path.

Keep this thread alive.
 
I think it looks great, and having the bar just if front of your two toms creates an ideal place to mount a cowbell or another accessory without having to clamp it to the bass drum and worry about damaging the hoops.

Yeah, much better than before.
 
I’ll either make this work, or I’m finally gonna drill that bass drum for a tom mount.

What? Please say delirium has taken hold of you. Leave your pristine bass drum alone. That's why I play my tom in a snare stand. (I'm a one-up/one-down guy.) I'd never bring a drill within 100 yards of my virgin bass. Bo, please don't defile a perfectly pure bass drum. Just pledge that you never will.
 
What? Please say delirium has taken hold of you. Leave your pristine bass drum alone. That's why I play my tom in a snare stand. (I'm a one-up/one-down guy.) I'd never bring a drill within 100 yards of my virgin bass. Bo, please don't defile a perfectly pure bass drum. Just pledge that you never will.
I make no guarantees.
 
What? Please say delirium has taken hold of you. Leave your pristine bass drum alone. That's why I play my tom in a snare stand. (I'm a one-up/one-down guy.) I'd never bring a drill within 100 yards of my virgin bass. Bo, please don't defile a perfectly pure bass drum. Just pledge that you never will.

Bo is insane. The man changes (and changes up) drums all the time. If I didn't know he was a tiny hawaiian, I would swear he was a mad drum scientist. White lab coat and all. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if he not only drilled the shell, but then hung it from the rack.
 
Bo is insane. The man changes (and changes up) drums all the time. If I didn't know he was a tiny hawaiian, I would swear he was a mad drum scientist. White lab coat and all. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if he not only drilled the shell, but then hung it from the rack.

These maniacal adjustments are bordering on indecency. I mean, the mere thought of cutting into a bass drum to install a tom mount benumbs me. Legislation should be drafted to prohibit it. Are bass drums without rights?
 
Bo is insane. The man changes (and changes up) drums all the time. If I didn't know he was a tiny hawaiian, I would swear he was a mad drum scientist. White lab coat and all. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if he not only drilled the shell, but then hung it from the rack.
The marketing makes me insane. And I blame that Gary Gauger guy for developing the RIMS system back in the 70s. It’s all his fault!

All of sudden everything has to resonate (did you know Gary came up with a way to suspend a bass drum? But that idea didn’t take off). Everybody comes up with a way to resonate their toms. Then somebody says “your bass drum can’t resonate if you have that mount drilled on there!” And then everybody stops drilling bass drums while we still port the front head and put a pillow in there!

And while all this is happening, I’m out and about schlepping my stuff from bar to bar, trying to fit into corners and playing the hits made on a second-hand Ludwig from the 50s in a dirt garage in Detroit! Now my toms are three pounds heavier because it’s not drilled and has this contraption on it to make it “resonate”, and I’m either carrying a 30-pound rack or an extra snare stand because heaven forbid I mount the toms on the bass drum. The dang drum just won’t sing at all!

I swear it’s making me crazy. As Jojo Mayer said, the manufacturers aren’t making the working drummers job any easier. I’m gonna buck the new world order and drill that Reference bass drum, dammit!
 
I can honestly say I've never seen that before!

I don't think I could get the hi hat where I usually place it with the vertical bar where it is but if it works for you, go for it!
 
If it works for you, then go for it! It does look like it's harder to position the floor tom now though, but that's because i like a fluent flow from the 12" to my 14" floor tom. If you want to go for an aesthetic look you could try to powder coat the rack in black for this kit?

What's funny is Pearl makes an ICON rack (not the DR series!) in all black that is commonly supplied with their ePRO electronic kits but I for the life of me can't find it standalone ANYWHERE!
 
What's funny is Pearl makes an ICON rack (not the DR series!) in all black that is commonly supplied with their ePRO electronic kits but I for the life of me can't find it standalone ANYWHERE!

I think those only come with those kits and aren't available as a standalone product :(
 
I think those only come with those kits and aren't available as a standalone product :(

You used to be able to buy the rack standalone. It was the DR-80e Icon rack. It's basically the old (and still available) DR-80 rack with Icon style legs. A standard Icon rack uses a bigger bar and clamps, like the DR-110 (discontinued).

GC still has a page for the DR-80e, but also says the item is no longer available.
 
Back
Top