What would you change about a drum brand?

T

trkdrmr

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I thought about how much I like some kits, but can't get past some features found on some kits. If I could, I'd change the following:

DW: Downsize the lugs, by about 1/2. They are (IMO) too huge

Pearl: Downsize the tom arms. Again, huge...Downsize the square rack, and make it with a smoother surface. (lower visual profile)

Ludwig: better double tom stands. They don't hold large toms well at all.

Tama: more finishes for bubinga drums (Including b/b), maybe an affordable wrap

Trick: offer machined pedal beater with more weight than the small beater they offer.
 
I love the look of Sonor drums and the lugs especially but the tom mounting hardware is even heavier looking, more massive than my Gretsch mounts.
 
Downsize the DW lugs?
I love them! they add so much character to the drums.

I think pearl should redesign their lugs, i just can't stand the look of them

And with every company that produces beginner kits; REDESIGN THE MOUNTING SYSTEM! it is simply impossible to comfortably position toms on a 22 12 13 16 rock entry level setup, I swear.

also as a general mounting thought for every company, bring the tom bracket closer to the batter head!
 
I love the look of Sonor drums and the lugs especially but the tom mounting hardware is even heavier looking, more massive than my Gretsch mounts.

I LOL'd when I saw a demo of the designer tom mount. As functional as it is: it's a hunk o'metal. It's like a sailing mast on a kick drum.

The DW lugs: in addition to being too big for me visually, they take up so much space on the shell, they act like a series of wood clamps. Smaller lugs = more resonance.
I'd have the option to see who wanted smaller lugs. If they outsold the larger lugs significantly, I'd consider discontinuing the bigger lugs.
 
...Ludwig: better double tom stands. They don't hold large toms well at all. ...

It's interesting that Ludwig's heavy duty Modular tom mount was discontinued because folks thought they were too heavy. Go figure!

toms_and_cymbals_front_flash.jpg



They hold my mounted '80s power toms just fine....

.
 
It's interesting that Ludwig's heavy duty Modular tom mount was discontinued because folks thought they were too heavy. Go figure!

toms_and_cymbals_front_flash.jpg



They hold my mounted '80s power toms just fine....

.

I understand the modular were discontinued originally due to cost (and the heavy complaints). Those...were perfect! They were indeed as solid as stands get. The crappy "elite" series has a weak clamp system for the l-rod ball. Any tom larger than 14" will easily slip on it's own. The stands are also unstable with a 13/14 or 14/16.

Heavy, I can handle. Drums slipping and falling over, I can't.
IIRC, you can buy new modular stands, provided you can use them.
 
Ditto on the DW lugs. I like everything about their drums minus those things. Half the time you can't even see the finish because of all the real estate they take up.
 
Honesty.

Too much marketing regarding some brands on the market. They sell drums even more expencive because it`s connected with a popular drummer or because it`s a so-called "special edition" with a blue wrap instead of a black one.

Other than that I think it`s hard for a brand to please every individual person with some options. Though I`d like to see some lines in the mid-class budget area to come with a small bass drum option (18" or even 16").

Karl
 
I LOL'd when I saw a demo of the designer tom mount. As functional as it is: it's a hunk o'metal. It's like a sailing mast on a kick drum.

The DW lugs: in addition to being too big for me visually, they take up so much space on the shell, they act like a series of wood clamps. Smaller lugs = more resonance.
I'd have the option to see who wanted smaller lugs. If they outsold the larger lugs significantly, I'd consider discontinuing the bigger lugs.

I've posted in another thread here somewhere that I've seen Travis McNabb's (Better Than Ezra) DW kit, and it's outfitted with the smaller round lugs that are found on their tymp-toms. (I think that's what they're called.) The toms have the same style suspension mount, but with smaller black rubber rings surrounding the lugs. (Small tom is mounted on a snare stand, though...?)
 

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Honesty.

Too much marketing regarding some brands on the market. They sell drums even more expencive because it`s connected with a popular drummer or because it`s a so-called "special edition" with a blue wrap instead of a black one.

Other than that I think it`s hard for a brand to please every individual person with some options. Though I`d like to see some lines in the mid-class budget area to come with a small bass drum option (18" or even 16").

Karl

It hurt me to see the price of the anniversary Steve Gadd and Steve Smith kit. Hmm... a kit that neither actually played, kits that can be ordered normally anyway. Add a name plate and triple or quadruple the price. Ouch.
 
I've posted in another thread here somewhere that I've seen Travis McNabb's (Better Than Ezra) DW kit, and it's outfitted with the smaller round lugs that are found on their tymp-toms. (I think that's what they're called.) The toms have the same style suspension mount, but with smaller black rubber rings surrounding the lugs. (Small tom is mounted on a snare stand, though...?)

That looks better! IMO, hardware should be like earrings: complimentary but not overbearing. Those smaller lugs are like my Trick lugs. You get to see more of the nice shell, and there is less weight/clamping force on the shell.

Much better than huge lugs.
 
That looks better! IMO, hardware should be like earrings: complimentary but not overbearing. Those smaller lugs are like my Trick lugs. You get to see more of the nice shell, and there is less weight/clamping force on the shell.

Much better than huge lugs.
Another reason I like the Sonor Lugs. The small round tympani mallet type and the Gretsch New Classic type. Love 'em both.
 
Another reason I like the Sonor Lugs. The small round tympani mallet type and the Gretsch New Classic type. Love 'em both.

I know you remember the big, "bold" look of the signatures back in the day. Those lugs were monsterous!

Then: heavy metal:
snare_sonorsignature.jpg


But....

I know what sonor was thinking, and they achieved it. I'd like to hear a signature style shell (they are again available under SQ2/13 mm) with the new lugs and suspension mounts. I know they'd look better, and I'd bet they'd sing better as well. Sonor does a great job of continual improvement.

Now: very little contact:
tmp5c254.jpg
 
I thought about how much I like some kits, but can't get past some features found on some kits. If I could, I'd change the following:

DW: Downsize the lugs, by about 1/2. They are (IMO) too huge

Pearl: Downsize the tom arms. Again, huge...Downsize the square rack, and make it with a smoother surface. (lower visual profile)

Ludwig: better double tom stands. They don't hold large toms well at all.

Tama: more finishes for bubinga drums (Including b/b), maybe an affordable wrap

Trick: offer machined pedal beater with more weight than the small beater they offer.


DW, agreed, they're massive round lugs are just too much for this drummer.

Pearl: actually makes a smaller rack, the DR 80, sturdy as a rock much lighter than icon. My big regret is selling mine when i got the big ol' honkin icon monstrosity.

Ludwig/ Gretsch: modernize the hardware. To me it seems they've been 15 years behind the industry in a lot of hardware aspects. Redesign the damn speed king. My all time favorite pedal has finally been knocked off by the pro-1v detonator. Someone from ludwig needs to go and reverse engineer the trick pedal and copy it. Trick is using their compressed spring action. It's like the speed king and the axis pedal had a bastard child.

Tama: drop a certain endorsee who i personally can't stand (i won't name him, but he's got a signature bell brass snare-hehe)

Trick: put some weight behind those beaters! seriously! I took mine out and replaced them with some meaty DW 7002 beaters to get some power to go with the speed. I also e-mailed them with an idea to improve the detonator pedal: put an integral clip on the top of the footplate to attach that "L" shaped drum key that's crucial for adjustments. The PR guy emailed back with a kind of non-chaulant indifferent response.
 
Only thing that bugs me about the Sonor Artist snare above: they could cut the contact and the number of lugs & holes in half, plus show more of the gorgeous shell & finish, by using a double-sided lug. Sonor is great but those inverted pairs of single-sided lugs are overkill.
 
I think they did that cuz it matches their logo, but I agree with you there it is kinda overbearing
 
Only thing that bugs me about the Sonor Artist snare above: they could cut the contact and the number of lugs & holes in half, plus show more of the gorgeous shell & finish, by using a double-sided lug. Sonor is great but those inverted pairs of single-sided lugs are overkill.

1. I e-mailed trick, same deal. They are good guys. They are brilliant engineers. But they get highly upset if you suggest changes. It's gotta be a pride thing.

2. The sonor lugs bother me for the reason you mentioned, and IMO, those added portions aren't needed. Single contact point, and make that "extension" much smaller.
 
Yamaha is perfect just the way it is....( cough..)....almost.

Everyone thinks Yamaha has hardware is great too .Except me.( please don't tell anyone I said this )..

Given the expertise Yamaha has in machining metal parts ( music instrument divisions have total access to their motorcycle parts divisions ), there's no excuse that TAMA/ DWshould be the best hardware manufacturers in the biz.
 
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