pedals and heads!!!!!!! help!!!!!

ricky · Post by **ricky** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 3:55 pm

well,it has been a while...I haven't been here in a long time! I missed it{life,schedule,kids..} blah blah blah...anyway .finally I am ready to convert my 16x16 floor tom to a cocktail kit...
I have to major questions: Does anybody know who sells reversed pedals all set up/ready to go? Also besides the dw5000 and pulse pro converts on this site...any other pedals on the cheap that can be converted too?
One more ,on switching out heads for the floor tom/kick...any suggestions for good batter side heads for kick and a batter for the top{I plan on using the top as a tom,and having an auxiliary snare on the side with a separate stand not attached to the main drum}.Thanks folks!

murph · Post by **murph** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 4:42 pm

ricky wrote:well,it has been a while...I haven't been here in a long time! I missed it{life,schedule,kids..} blah blah blah...anyway .finally I am ready to convert my 16x16 floor tom to a cocktail kit...
I have to major questions: Does anybody know who sells reversed pedals all set up/ready to go? Also besides the dw5000 and pulse pro converts on this site...any other pedals on the cheap that can be converted too?
One more ,on switching out heads for the floor tom/kick...any suggestions for good batter side heads for kick and a batter for the top{I plan on using the top as a tom,and having an auxiliary snare on the side with a separate stand not attached to the main drum}.Thanks folks!

Hey Rick,

Nice to see another drummer from NC on the board. I'm not aware of any ready-to-go reversed pedals. The reversed Pulse has been working really well for me, but it did require some modifications (adding set screws, loc-tite, etc.).

Depending what style of music you plan to play, I've got a DW side-kick that I'd be willing to let go fairly cheap (it's listed in another thread).

As for heads, everyone has their favorite "recipe". I'm using a clear Powerstroke 3 on the bottom and a coated Ambassador on top. My config is similar in that I have a stand-alone snare. My cocktail drum is used for BD and FT duties.

You're pretty lucky that Dennis Stauffer of Phattie Drums is in your hometown. I'm actually playing a 16x24 cocktail drum he built me (as well as one of his snares from another kit I have). He was "supposed to be" answering some qusetions I had about heads and head-porting in another thread, but I know he's super-busy these days.

Hope to see you 'round the board or maybe even at a music venue in NC. Best of luck.

-murph

ricky · Post by **ricky** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 5:41 pm

Murph,thanks for the tips on the pedals and heads, I talked to Dennis from Stauffer a while back to take a tour of the shop and stuff,but like you said,he is super busy too.Things just got hectic for both of us..
,good to know and hear from more drummers here in Ol' NC! keep in touch,and I am sure I will be asking more questions to everyone here about mod'n n hot rod'n that junky old floor tom I have!peace!!!!

Post by **jmettam** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 8:58 am

ricky wrote:Does anybody know who sells reversed pedals all set up/ready to go?

Hey Ricky,

Phattie is the only accessible place that I know right now that sells new drums with pedals. Maybe they would sell you just a pedal?

Also, always keep an eye on eBay.

Right now there are two ludwig Speed Master pedals up for auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Ludwig-Univ ... 500wt_1154

Just be aware, these are relatively light-duty pedals and also really need to be clamped down for the pedal to be stable.

If you don't have a pedal bracket then a pedal with a base plate is pretty much the only way to go. Remember, it really is not that hard to convert pedals!

- John

tikifreak · Post by **tikifreak** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:31 am

ricky,
My kit is also based upon a 16 x 16 floor tom (I like to sit and play). This is the head setup I use, and I think it really sounds great. No additional dampening is required.

KICK = Aquarian Performance II head with 2.5 inch Remo Falam Slam pad (NOT the larger 4 inch size). Tune this as low as possible, just enough tension to get a good thump out of it. I've tried quite a few on my drum, and I think this is the best 16 inch kick head available.
FLOOR TOM = Remo Coated Pinstripe. I like the coated head for two reasons: I use brushes alot, and it adds a bit of dampening (helps keep the ring/sustain from lasting too long). Tune this a bit tighter than a normal 16 floor tom, so it sounds more like a 14.

Check it out, I bet you'll like it.

tikifreak
Dallas, TX

ricky · Post by **ricky** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:34 pm

Thanks John and Tiky Freak for the advice, {everyone else too}I talked to Dennis at Stauffer Percussion today and I am swinging by his shop to pick up a pedal from him.I am stoked... I can't wait to get this beast going! As the build on this old floor tom progresses,I will post pics,thanks again everyone.

murph · Post by **murph** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:00 pm

I love it when a plan comes together! Let us know how the pedal works out! It's always good to have options!

-murph

buchhojl · Post by **buchhojl** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 2:36 pm

I have a reverse pedal for sale-- no name ("Bassix"), made in China (of course) but very substantial-- mounted on a platform; looks to me to be the exact quality of one of my made-in-Japan Yamaha pedals. It was a standard pedal, but I was able to easily turn it around. I can send pics if you're interested. I'll have to do some research to determine its value.

John

ricky · Post by **ricky** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:44 pm

Thanks guys...got the pedal from Dennis at Stauffer,it is working out great...smooth and fast ,it is a converted Gibraltar Prowler...thanks everyone again.Now it is head changing and rearranging time...pics...soon!

murph · Post by **murph** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:01 am

ricky wrote:Thanks guys...got the pedal from Dennis at Stauffer,it is working out great...smooth and fast ,it is a converted Gibraltar Prowler...thanks everyone again.Now it is head changing and rearranging time...pics...soon!

Awesome! Hey, if you are bored, I'll be wailing on the monster tiki rocktail kit with Straight 8s tonight in Winston-Salem at The Garage. Show time is 9:00... we'll probably go on around 10:00. W-S is still a pretty good haul from Asheville, but closer than Raleigh.

http://www.the-garage.ws/

-murph

ricky · Post by **ricky** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 5:09 pm

would love to man... but I got the kids tonight...have a great time!

SRT80 · Post by **SRT80** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 3:46 pm

Do you think the Aquarian Performance II would be good for a 15" drum? My main drum is 24"x15".

Still haven't decided which route I want to go. My guitar center has these in stock but not the powerstroke 3 in 15". Hate to have to pay shipping for the remo, but I might have too.

Steve

ricky · Post by **ricky** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 7:43 am

I am pretty much just familiar with Remo Powerstrokes and some Evans heads...I have yet to use any other brands,sorry I can't give you an informed opinion on it.

SRT80 · Post by **SRT80** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:31 am

ricky wrote:I am pretty much just familiar with Remo Powerstrokes and some Evans heads...I have yet to use any other brands,sorry I can't give you an informed opinion on it.

Thanks, I was actually askin' tiki. He said that's the head he uses. I guess I should have mentioned that in my post.

But, do you like the powerstroke 3 for the kick? That's probably what I'm gonna go with. It looks like stauffer uses coated powerstroke 3's on both sides of their main drum. When I was lookin' at his site, it says the main drum comes with Powerstroke 3's.

Turns out my guitar center doesn't stock hardly any 15" heads. Guess it's not a common size. I will probably order both a coated and clear powerstroke 3 and a coated ambassador for the top. Might go ahead and pick up a Aquarian Performace II also just to experiment.

Steve

murph · Post by **murph** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 1:16 pm

Hey,

I tried tikifreak's suggestion and installed an Aquarian Perf II head on the kick-side. MUCH thumpier bass drum sound than I was getting from the Powerstroke 3. Now, I love Powerstroke 3s and run them on all my other trad bass drums. I think the larger displacement makes that possible. But, the Aq Perf II kick really helped the bottom-end thump I was struggling to get on my 16x24 cocktail drum. I'm still not completely happy with the sound, but installing the new head was an easy step in the right direction.

Best of luck as you continue experimnenting and dialin-in your kit!

-murph

cocktaildrum.com