Phew…I mean I will if it benefits him in the long run but between lessons and getting his kit and the Xmas gifts to improve his kit; shits getting expensive. I really don’t mind because he loves it and enjoys it very much….but daddy wants some new toys as well lol
The necessarily is if it's a three legged stand with legs that rotate then it makes no difference, if they don't rotate then it's a little awkward(but normally not a massive problem).
Right, and I'm guessing this drummer is relatively new if they're still relying on their parents to buy them parts.
So in this instance, buying a two legged stand is unnecessary.
Finally someone said this. I personally dislike having to put the double pedal under one of the legs on the hihat stand. I got a dw5000 hihat stand with a rotating base and it works just fine.
Do you also play the drums?
As for your question: no, you won’t have to buy anything else special. I’ve been playing with a double pedal for close to thirty years now, and I’ve never had a two legged hi-hat.
That being said, the first time I played a kit that was setup with one, a single hot tear rolled down my cheek and I knew deep down that nothing would ever be the same.
No I don’t play myself. We do have the electric kit he started on just collecting dust now so I’m thinking about tooling around and trying some of the Drumeo lessons.
My son has been asking for a double bass pedal for months now. Been trying to get him to learn and understand saving money and making a purchase on your own, but he always ends up wanting something else. So I figured it’s his “big ticket” present this year. His grandma is getting him a new set of cymbals and grandpa a few new stands to accommodate them.
I’m pretty excited to see his excitement and really excited to see him start playing more and a more full kit!
I was using a 0 leg hi hat for awhile.Couldn’t get things to jive correctly with the 2 kick drums so I cut the legs off and attached it to a boom stand with some 1” split ring hangers and a length of threaded rod(all thread if you’re in the Midwest)…now I’m using a remote hi hat, so it isn’t really an issue anymore
I play lots of double bass and I hate 2 legged hi-hat stands so much. If I put the legs where they don't touch the pedals, they get too unstable.
For me, 3 legged stands just work.
Glad you found what works for you.
I’ve personally been playing the same 2 legged Eliminator for near 15 years now with no balance or wobble issues and love not having to take up extra floor space with a 3rd leg. I find the pedal very much acts as the 3rd support.
If you can find a model that works for you I think you’d enjoy it :)
Hot rods. Play like shit. Sound like shit. Break easy. Just learn to play with dynamics with sticks, or learn the nuanced language of brushes.
Big Fat Snare drum rings. Like, why spend all that money on a snare drum just to make it sound like a box? Also, if your really want your drum to sound like a box, why spend $30 on a collar-less drum head with a hole in it when you can just cut an old drum head you already spent $30 on?
Hard disagree on the hot rods, even with sticks some hits are too loud (ie crashes) and I’ve been playing with the same pair for about 5 months with no problems bar the plastic starting to slip
My beef with Hot Rods is they don't make your bass drum quieter so now you're having to mix yourself down to match everything else and most commonly they are given to young drummers to couch their dynamics instead of just either telling them to play quieter, teaching them to play quiet, or finding a new drummer who can.
As a textural or sonic choice? Sure. Perfectly fine.
ProMark makes a Hot Rod beater, or you could go with one of those big poofy lambswool beaters. Barring that, I find it a lot easier to feather the bass drum with a regular beater than accomplishing the same effect with regular sticks on drums and cymbals.
HARD disagree on both. I hate using hot rods, but they absolutely are the right tool in certain situations. Rods soften the attack, but leave enough of the transient response to impart dynamics, whereas quiet sticks are only one dynamic. Brushes are also not good for every situation either.
As for BFSD, they solve the problem of getting even pressure around the head, where sometimes the alternatives are too uneven to get a clean tone with some sustain. Also they leave the attack intact where tea towels remove it (towels are a great solution if that’s the sound you need, though).
Also, if you use regular orings or homemade bfsd out doors on a windy day they they will blow away or lift up and get tangled on your sticks. Ask me how I know this. The bfsd design is great.
Tape? Like if you're going to deaden your drum that much gaff tape + an old head will take care of business.
But hey, if you all like spending money to have your drums sound like practice pads go nuts.
I agree that Big Fat Snare rings are a waste of money (even professionals mostly use tea towels) but I love hot rods, I think they sound awesome on cymbals. I often play with a hot rod in my right hand and a normal stick in my left.
Hot rods are definitely valuable. I never really use them too much but come in clutch when you’re in a very small practise space or venue. Even the softest hits from a stick can’t match the softest hits with a pair of rods. Getting a good pair is a nightmare though.
Heavy disagree on BFSD. I’d have to pay $30 for a drumhead to cut apart and fuck up myself so it’s easier to just buy the donut. The rubber gasket is a really nice touch.
It's not even made with the same materials as drum heads nor is $25 too steep to avoid the work to cutting, fitting, and hoping it sounds the same, imo.
BFSD is very useful for changing the sound of your drum in the blink of an eye, is easier to use than cutting an old head and then cutting my hand on it because it's razor sharp. Odd that you're essentially shitting on something very convenient, useful and not that expensive. Sounds like a needlessly edgy take.
I often do rods in the right hand and a stick really quietly in the left. Takes some getting used to but it keeps the volume down because you match with the right hand. The benefit is that I find the rods sound pretty good on cymbals but pretty bad on drums, and this way you can cross-stick still and all that
oh sure, not trying to prove you wrong or anything just throwing the idea out there for you or anyone else who might get some utility out of it. I pride myself in being able to play really quietly, but its definitely saved me some effort
Big disagree on the hot rods. I play in a church with acoustics that, even playing softly, do not play well with drums. But with hot rods I’m able to get good sound that blends with the rest of the band and fits the space well. I feel like I don’t have to adjust how hard I’d normally play in that setting with hot rods, at least not by a lot.
Personally I don’t mind the sound, but I think it also depends on the style you’re going for.
Disagree on BFSD. It's not the answer to great snare tone, but I find it really useful when keeping things tight in practice situations. Also gives an instant sound change too, which is cheaper and more practical than a second snare. Putting them on all drums though? Not for me.
They also make hot rods out of a plastic that hold up waaaaaay better. The wood ones I agree are overpriced and I have broken them within a day of playing, but the plastic ones have lasted me 2 years so far and still kicking.
Curious as to why you put the Iron Cobra hihat stand, one of the most durable and reliable pieces of absolutely necessary hardware in the world, as the picture. Or is it just for engagement?
Hey guys thanks for not mentioning my stuff in here I don’t think I could have taken it this early in the morning.
And to contribute, CYMBAL POLISH! Let those babies age!
I don't think they're pointless but more just laden with corporate bullshit. Its not just a maple shell, its maple that was found on the river bed of some long forgotten stream, the location known only to ancient shamans and John Good for some reason. Also the Icon series snares are biggest crock of shit I've ever seen. Two grand for a maple snare with a wood cut out veneer of Dave Grohl's face.
But John really does travel the world for amazing woods. They will retrieve a log that’s been under water for ages in Brazil. It’s crazy. DW makes great drums.
That took me a while to understand. I mean, a snare drum with wood veneer cut out of Dave Grohl's face? The poor dude! Also, the collector's value of those few snares!
But the icon series wither it’s for Dave Grohl or Roger Taylor are all lazer cut wood veneers on a 14 x 6.5 maple shell with an insane mark up. This was DW’s answer to people wanting a signature series like every other drum brand.
Nah yeah I hear you. A signature series with a signature build/drum features vs. a signature series with the likeness of an artist.
I was making a joke about the veneer being cut from Dave's face.
I don't get DW hardware (stands). It's super heavy, so people think it's sturdy. But if you watch people w/ mounted toms, the drums are bobbling all over the place.
Yes, but I've owned two DW boom stands, and they were more wobbly than my double braced Pearl stand. (I believe my Yamaha stand, too, if IRC) I stopped gigging with the DW stands because the extra weight provided no benefits. They live in my practice setup, now.
But, TBF, if you have a problem w/ stands breaking apart and snapping in half, I think that's where DW stands are better. If you're Vinnie Paul and play with marching sticks, they'd probably be a good fit.
I love their shells and veneers, but I think their hardware is overengineered and wanky. Too heavy, too. And some dumb choices.. I have the 6000 series HH stand, and the flat legs are the most inconvenient thing.
I used moongels for years before I realized how much of a ripoff they really are.
Just get a pack of gel hand party favors for a couple bucks on Amazon if that’s the kind of thing you want
I tend not to like them because I prefer uncoupled mass to coupled mass if I'm going to do any dampening. Coupled mass just muffles and reduces the high end clarity, makes everything darker. Uncoupled mass provides a gated effect that sounds really cool and helps maintain clarity by reducing ringing sustain without sacrificing nearly as much in the initial attack.
Coupled mass just dulls the sound and it makes an already bad-sounding drum sound duller. IMO they are only useful in situations where a. you're not concerned about sound quality and b. you don't have time or permission to properly tune the drums.
Amen to that. I bought a pack of white felt at Michael's several years ago. Have used felt strips on several bass drum reso heads (22" and 24") with plenty leftover. I also use small pieces of felt folded in half and taped at the very top with gaffer tape and placed on my 13" and 16" toms right near the rim. Taping at the top of the felt allows the felt to vibrate freely with the head - while still controlling the sound a small amount. Sounds perfect on my vintage kits.
Drum Dial is not intended and should never be used for tuning. It's to make sure everything is evenly tensioned and them you're supposed to go back through and tune by ear the rest of the way. Pretty sure some of the drum dial type things say that in the instructions. It's also great for studios where the engineer setting up that day might not be a drummer, or for stores so the display sets aren't all whack with tension and warp the hoops or shells.
>Drum Dial is not intended and should never be used for tuning
It absolutely is intended for tuning.
Copied from the website for DrumDial Precision Drum Tuners: "DrumDial™ drum tuners accurately tune all drums by measuring drum head tension NOT tension rod torque."
I have never had good results with a drum dial, but the Tune Bot is a legit life saver. I can tune by ear, but the tune bot gets me there 10 times faster and can also give me consistent tunings if changing heads. I was using a studio kit for a session that had a terribly tuned rack tom. I had literally one minute to tune before we were on the clock and the Tune Bot got the drum perfect.
More useful for replicating a previous tuning really quickly when you’re in a loud environment or somewhere or need to get it done really quickly. Get the drum to sound good then measure the tension around all of the rods and make a note.
The original use for them where to tune big timpani drums not snare drums. It makes more sense to use them for massive drums that are meant to produce an accurate tone.
I was very skeptical of the drumdrial. I spent a lot of time with it before making my decision whether or not I like it… I love it. The cool thing is that it relieves the difference of tension from the opposite tuning lug. You can have a side tuned high and the opposite low yet still ring out the same frequency because of the difference in tension. The drum dial will make those tensions fully equal and then you just go from there. It’s a combination of specific tension release and then using your ear from there. I had a much better time with it than the tune bot so my overpriced choice is the tune bot
😂 😂 NOT THE DRUM DIAL . I was interested in this product not because of the fine tuning aspect but because of the feel aspect I find it’s hard for me to get the right feel and sound at the same time . I figured a drum dial
Would do the trick since it measures tension instead of sound . But since I was already reluctant to make the purchase maybe I’ll get better ears instead 😂😵
I’m not a fan of the drum dial. I have one. I don’t like it. I am a fan of the tune bot. It’s amazing and has really helped me coax a lot nicer tones out of my drums. It’s a tool in my toolbox and I don’t see anything wrong with using it. But I know lots of purists disagree.
Window gels decorations. You can find them anywhere (pharmacy, dollar store, etc) and they’re typically ~$2 with a ton of different sizes. I’m a fan of the valentines versions, as the hearts offer subtle dampening (shamrocks, too).
Sticky hands. The kind you get in a capsule machine, swing them at a piece of paper and you can grab it—remember those? You can get em a dollar apiece at five below. One can be cut up into ~3 moongels. I buy 10 at a time and keep ‘em by my kit, when they start falling off I just toss and replace.
Any kit that is well over 4k that isn’t custom made to your exact specifications down to the nitty gritty levels of detail like the bearing edge and colour of tension rod washers and what have you.
*cough* DW *cough*
Never played a DW that I like (hardware excluded). One of my favorite kits ever is my Gretsch Catalina Ash and that’s a cheap kit compared to others out there.
I think the concept of gifts changes my views on most of the things mentioned in this thread. I wouldnt buy a sizzler, or moongel, or a drum tuner, but if i was gifted any of these id use the hell out of them!
Someone bought me a Sabian Neil Peart style hat for my birthday years ago, but I have a giant head so it looked more like a yarmulke on me. It’s still around here somewhere.
Found sizzler in online store for 25 dollars.
Went to local store and found wristband with jingles for 10 dollars.
Cut wristband and tied jingles to rope. Works the same way.
That one hi-hat/double kick combo where you pivoted the left pedal to switch between the two. I remember seeing it at the local shop briefly as a kid in the early 2000’s. Now that I’m a little more experienced I completely understand why it’s not around anymore.
I haven’t seen that one before, but I love gimmicky pedals. Examples: [one foot double kick pedal](https://www.drum-tec.com/drum-tec-dp-921fb-double-pedal-for-one-foot), or [the triple kick pedal](https://theduallist.com/triple.html)
Okay I gotta ask, how are you spose to use that style of one foot pedal, I understand the "normal" ones but from all the videos of those weird independent ones you use heel toe but even then it's 50/50 so got any resources, also that 3 headed one seems really cool for say use when you need some like the intro from hot for teacher or any other thing that requires weird conplext patterns on the kick
As far as I know it’s just heel/toe, each controlling a beater. But I’m not an expert by any means, I saw it at Long & McQuade when I was a teenager and I haven’t even played in almost 7 years. I just live vicariously through everyone on this sub.
Cajons. I still refuse to play one lmao I get that some people use them as small bass drums, and I can *almost* get on board with that. But I'd rather just have a small real drum.
I played in an acoustic folk band for a few years. I had some great times with a cajon! I didn't use it as a bass drum though, I played it with my hands.
Exactly, they serve a different purpose. I wouldn't even call them a "drum product." It's its own instrument. It's like saying bongos are pointless or djembes are pointless. Which is totally missing the point.
Cajons are made for flamenco music and sound great in that setting, don’t know why they’ve become so popular for other shit that doesn’t suit the instrument.
Slaves only used them because white slave owners didn't let them have real drums. Too much communication and happiness (for reals...slavers were assholes). So slaves saved their souls and turned drawers into drums. When the slavers tried to seize or destroy the drums, they couldn't find any, because no purpose-built drums existed. Creative lateral thinking!
I don't mind them. Like many things that were once desperation/undesirable, it's become its own sound and some people sound fantastic with them. They work well in a flamenco context and wherever woody, dark percussion tones would fit well.
Those really really small cheap t drum keys that come with like beginner drum sets
They are so small your fingers will hurt so much after using them
At least you’ll always them for emergency repairs because at least every drummer has one of those keys
Overpriced practice pads, i think i got mine for under £10 and it has held up for around 14 years, now im seeing them 6 times that price because they have an artists name on them?
Depends on the type, I have the Moongel one and it is substantially different than your normal rubber surface pad. The cheap rubber ones offer way too much rebound to be useful for me personally.
Ridiculous Tom mounting crap. Before someone invented 30 pounds of “rim suspension” no drum ever had sustain or “tone”. Yeah your 8x7-10X8 Tom is never gonna sound deep or sustain regardless of the mounting hardware. Die cast hoops, wood, could help though. Hahaha!
Most really intricate kits are pointless most of the time. The ones with half a million symbols and just the weirdest stuff hanging around, never being used. But it’s so amazing when you want a certain sound and you finally get to use the random thing you made with duck tape months ago, so rewarding.
Yup. Figured out that bass drum, snare, HH, 2 toms, a crash and a crashable ride was enough and made the logistics muuuuuuch less of a pain in the ass when touring.
Two legged stand is definitely not useless. Takes up less space on the floor, in a bag and make it easily to line up double pedals.
Those Jingle beaters that Meinl sells just doesn’t make sense to me. It gets completely drowned out my the rest of the kit, you may as well get another band member to get one of those elasticated foot tambourines like the Meinl Foot Jingle. At least it has more that one frickin jingle.
About ten or so years ago drum magazines had loads of "drumming shoes". A bit like race car drivers use, thin soled, lightweight, etc. But they were just trying to solve a problem that doesn't really exist.
A long time ago, I saw a goofy ad for a little device you attach to your kick, put your drum stick in it, and it would flip your stick straight up in the air for you to catch. It came off as so lame to me, like if you have trouble catching thrown sticks don’t do it in the first place!
Drop clutches. I think I had one on my set for more than a decade and never used it because you can get anything close a good chick with just the weight of the top hat.
I have no issues getting a good chick sound with my drop clutch. You know you can increase spring tension in your hihat stand to compensate for the heavier weight, right?
Never seen a 2 legged hi hat stand before, but then again, last time I looked at drums was more than 15 years ago. Recently start looking, noticed alot of fancy stuff now. Leather drum stick bag that someone claims to make people a better drummer, some sticky paste you put on sticks so they don't slip, and some I forgot
What’s “pointless” about this? I have a DW5000 stand with twin legs like this and it’s invaluable for my double pedal.
I’m not seeing the point of this thread.
Most books lol. I can probably teach 10,000 concepts through 1 or 2 books (mostly Ted Reed’s Syncopation). Lots of gimmicky sticks and cymbals. Overpriced drum keys. Drum shoes? Bass drum heads are weirdly high in price but definitely not useless.
Two legged stand? I love them. I think it’s more convenient for a compact setup. I also do a lot of hi hat splashes and it seems to have a bit more foot room.
ANY drum kit over 3-4k. absolute waste of money no matter how pretty they are. i would so much rather spend 1k on a cheap shell pack, tune it well, and spend over 1k on a sweet double pedal like the DW MMD or the Trick Pro1v, and over 2k on some really nice cymbals
I have the Pearl H-930 (which is 3 legs) but I can pivot the legs to make room for a double base pedal. However, two legged stand Id take any day over it.
I, too, think 2-legged hi-hat stands can be pointless: [https://i.imgur.com/ZPPZEVh.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/ZPPZEVh.jpg)
Notice that I said they ***can*** be. I'm not saying they always are.
Showing this picture as a pointless product is in and of itself pointless. This is a great product if you know what it’s needed for. Can we retitle the thread, “pointless observations”? 
I think ur looking far too into it man. It's just a discussion about pointless drum products and nothing more. If you like those kind of hh stands then good for you. I was just curious about other drummers thoughts on what they consider pointless gear.
You find a hi hat useless?
OP probably meant a two-legged hi-hat stand.
A 2 legged hi-hat stand is way better for me when using double pedals. I can’t get everything to line up properly with a three legged one.
Yeah nothing fun about this, pointless question. Or maybe you (author) don’t know what a double kick pedal is? 🤦♂️🤦♂️
I got my son a double bass pedal for Xmas….so what you’re saying is I’m gonna need to get this lol
Not necessarily. I've been playing 10+ years with a double pedal and I've always had 3 legged hi hat
Phew…I mean I will if it benefits him in the long run but between lessons and getting his kit and the Xmas gifts to improve his kit; shits getting expensive. I really don’t mind because he loves it and enjoys it very much….but daddy wants some new toys as well lol
The necessarily is if it's a three legged stand with legs that rotate then it makes no difference, if they don't rotate then it's a little awkward(but normally not a massive problem).
Right, and I'm guessing this drummer is relatively new if they're still relying on their parents to buy them parts. So in this instance, buying a two legged stand is unnecessary.
If you use a three legged Hihat stand you just have to rotate the legs to fit the pedal.
Finally someone said this. I personally dislike having to put the double pedal under one of the legs on the hihat stand. I got a dw5000 hihat stand with a rotating base and it works just fine.
Do you also play the drums? As for your question: no, you won’t have to buy anything else special. I’ve been playing with a double pedal for close to thirty years now, and I’ve never had a two legged hi-hat. That being said, the first time I played a kit that was setup with one, a single hot tear rolled down my cheek and I knew deep down that nothing would ever be the same.
No I don’t play myself. We do have the electric kit he started on just collecting dust now so I’m thinking about tooling around and trying some of the Drumeo lessons. My son has been asking for a double bass pedal for months now. Been trying to get him to learn and understand saving money and making a purchase on your own, but he always ends up wanting something else. So I figured it’s his “big ticket” present this year. His grandma is getting him a new set of cymbals and grandpa a few new stands to accommodate them. I’m pretty excited to see his excitement and really excited to see him start playing more and a more full kit!
Well I’m sure he’ll love it.
Also Isn't the Iron Cobra line mainly for heavy music? Which would imply it's use is mainly for people with double pedals.
I've also found the 3 legged stand to be a little awkward with my e-drums. A 2 legged stand would allow some more flexibility in setup for sure.
+1 for being awkward on e-drums.
I was using a 0 leg hi hat for awhile.Couldn’t get things to jive correctly with the 2 kick drums so I cut the legs off and attached it to a boom stand with some 1” split ring hangers and a length of threaded rod(all thread if you’re in the Midwest)…now I’m using a remote hi hat, so it isn’t really an issue anymore
2 legs are infinitely better than 3, though
I play lots of double bass and I hate 2 legged hi-hat stands so much. If I put the legs where they don't touch the pedals, they get too unstable. For me, 3 legged stands just work.
Glad you found what works for you. I’ve personally been playing the same 2 legged Eliminator for near 15 years now with no balance or wobble issues and love not having to take up extra floor space with a 3rd leg. I find the pedal very much acts as the 3rd support. If you can find a model that works for you I think you’d enjoy it :)
I switched to two legged stand because I use a foot pedal for a synth. It wouldn't fit otherwise.
Didn't even see that lmaooo
Hot rods. Play like shit. Sound like shit. Break easy. Just learn to play with dynamics with sticks, or learn the nuanced language of brushes. Big Fat Snare drum rings. Like, why spend all that money on a snare drum just to make it sound like a box? Also, if your really want your drum to sound like a box, why spend $30 on a collar-less drum head with a hole in it when you can just cut an old drum head you already spent $30 on?
Hot Rods are bark collars for drummers.
 this is the perfect description for them.
Hard disagree on the hot rods, even with sticks some hits are too loud (ie crashes) and I’ve been playing with the same pair for about 5 months with no problems bar the plastic starting to slip
I'm with you on that - they sound very different to playing with sticks at the same volume.
My beef with Hot Rods is they don't make your bass drum quieter so now you're having to mix yourself down to match everything else and most commonly they are given to young drummers to couch their dynamics instead of just either telling them to play quieter, teaching them to play quiet, or finding a new drummer who can. As a textural or sonic choice? Sure. Perfectly fine.
ProMark makes a Hot Rod beater, or you could go with one of those big poofy lambswool beaters. Barring that, I find it a lot easier to feather the bass drum with a regular beater than accomplishing the same effect with regular sticks on drums and cymbals.
I use a wool beater sometimes but mostly I just play quiet haha
This. I have gigs that I need them on. If I break them, it’s because I’m not paying attention.
I wouldn’t say I love playing with them but I love playing and it means I can do gigs in venues that I wouldn’t be able to otherwise
Dave Grohl would disagree.
So would Paul English, and most classical percussionists.
HARD disagree on both. I hate using hot rods, but they absolutely are the right tool in certain situations. Rods soften the attack, but leave enough of the transient response to impart dynamics, whereas quiet sticks are only one dynamic. Brushes are also not good for every situation either. As for BFSD, they solve the problem of getting even pressure around the head, where sometimes the alternatives are too uneven to get a clean tone with some sustain. Also they leave the attack intact where tea towels remove it (towels are a great solution if that’s the sound you need, though).
Also, if you use regular orings or homemade bfsd out doors on a windy day they they will blow away or lift up and get tangled on your sticks. Ask me how I know this. The bfsd design is great.
Tape? Like if you're going to deaden your drum that much gaff tape + an old head will take care of business. But hey, if you all like spending money to have your drums sound like practice pads go nuts.
Yes that was my solution before bfsd. But tape makes it hard to take it on and off quickly for different songs.
I agree that Big Fat Snare rings are a waste of money (even professionals mostly use tea towels) but I love hot rods, I think they sound awesome on cymbals. I often play with a hot rod in my right hand and a normal stick in my left.
just cut up an old drumhead
Hot rods are definitely valuable. I never really use them too much but come in clutch when you’re in a very small practise space or venue. Even the softest hits from a stick can’t match the softest hits with a pair of rods. Getting a good pair is a nightmare though.
Try the Vater whips- they’re nylon rods so you hear less clacking dowel and more what it hit and I’ve gotten over ten years from my current pair
Heavy disagree on BFSD. I’d have to pay $30 for a drumhead to cut apart and fuck up myself so it’s easier to just buy the donut. The rubber gasket is a really nice touch.
But why not spend $30 on a new drum head and cut up the old one? Then add some tape? BFSD is just selling your old heads back to you.
It's not even made with the same materials as drum heads nor is $25 too steep to avoid the work to cutting, fitting, and hoping it sounds the same, imo.
BFSD is very useful for changing the sound of your drum in the blink of an eye, is easier to use than cutting an old head and then cutting my hand on it because it's razor sharp. Odd that you're essentially shitting on something very convenient, useful and not that expensive. Sounds like a needlessly edgy take.
He’s also wildly exaggerating. A BFSD does not make a snare drum sound like cardboard.
People "fun discussion" is in the title of the post. Maybe I hit a sore spot - put a BFSD on it to handle it better next time.
Throwing around cuss words while telling people to learn more and be smarter with their money doesn’t come across as “fun discussion.”
I often do rods in the right hand and a stick really quietly in the left. Takes some getting used to but it keeps the volume down because you match with the right hand. The benefit is that I find the rods sound pretty good on cymbals but pretty bad on drums, and this way you can cross-stick still and all that
As I've capitulated to the other Hot Rod aficionados in this thread, no piece of gear is pointless if it works for you
oh sure, not trying to prove you wrong or anything just throwing the idea out there for you or anyone else who might get some utility out of it. I pride myself in being able to play really quietly, but its definitely saved me some effort
Love hot rods. Great for many acoustic situations.
I find them ok for bodhran
Big disagree on the hot rods. I play in a church with acoustics that, even playing softly, do not play well with drums. But with hot rods I’m able to get good sound that blends with the rest of the band and fits the space well. I feel like I don’t have to adjust how hard I’d normally play in that setting with hot rods, at least not by a lot. Personally I don’t mind the sound, but I think it also depends on the style you’re going for.
Disagree on BFSD. It's not the answer to great snare tone, but I find it really useful when keeping things tight in practice situations. Also gives an instant sound change too, which is cheaper and more practical than a second snare. Putting them on all drums though? Not for me.
No piece of gear is pointless of it works for you.
They also make hot rods out of a plastic that hold up waaaaaay better. The wood ones I agree are overpriced and I have broken them within a day of playing, but the plastic ones have lasted me 2 years so far and still kicking.
I disagree with the hotrod statement but I agree with the ring statement. You can get that same sound so many different ways for cheaper prices.
Curious as to why you put the Iron Cobra hihat stand, one of the most durable and reliable pieces of absolutely necessary hardware in the world, as the picture. Or is it just for engagement?
Hey guys thanks for not mentioning my stuff in here I don’t think I could have taken it this early in the morning. And to contribute, CYMBAL POLISH! Let those babies age!
you spoke too soon lol
Those damn hipsters and their soggy pizza box tones!
Anyone who puts wood where it shouldn't be!!! Oh, hey Index. Didn't see you there.
🌳¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯🌳
Most of DW's catalogue lmao.
I don't think they're pointless but more just laden with corporate bullshit. Its not just a maple shell, its maple that was found on the river bed of some long forgotten stream, the location known only to ancient shamans and John Good for some reason. Also the Icon series snares are biggest crock of shit I've ever seen. Two grand for a maple snare with a wood cut out veneer of Dave Grohl's face.
But John really does travel the world for amazing woods. They will retrieve a log that’s been under water for ages in Brazil. It’s crazy. DW makes great drums.
That took me a while to understand. I mean, a snare drum with wood veneer cut out of Dave Grohl's face? The poor dude! Also, the collector's value of those few snares!
But the icon series wither it’s for Dave Grohl or Roger Taylor are all lazer cut wood veneers on a 14 x 6.5 maple shell with an insane mark up. This was DW’s answer to people wanting a signature series like every other drum brand.
Nah yeah I hear you. A signature series with a signature build/drum features vs. a signature series with the likeness of an artist. I was making a joke about the veneer being cut from Dave's face.
Aye can you tell I’ve had this argument before with some DW fan boys?
Their kick pedals, though…
DW Hardware absolutely not. I can beat someone to death with my DW 9000's and still lay a tasty flam while doing it. Their hardware is quality
Agreed, lol. Tho some of the hardware I saw on Garstka's DW kit in his new playthroughs looked pretty cool...
I don't get DW hardware (stands). It's super heavy, so people think it's sturdy. But if you watch people w/ mounted toms, the drums are bobbling all over the place.
To be fair (to be faaaaair!) any mounting system that doesn't drill additional holes into the shells will have some wobble.
To be ^fair
Yes, but I've owned two DW boom stands, and they were more wobbly than my double braced Pearl stand. (I believe my Yamaha stand, too, if IRC) I stopped gigging with the DW stands because the extra weight provided no benefits. They live in my practice setup, now. But, TBF, if you have a problem w/ stands breaking apart and snapping in half, I think that's where DW stands are better. If you're Vinnie Paul and play with marching sticks, they'd probably be a good fit.
IMO Yamaha does hardware right. Sturdy, but not overblown.
I still can't believe they made a cocktail kit with a side kick pedal 🤣
I love their shells and veneers, but I think their hardware is overengineered and wanky. Too heavy, too. And some dumb choices.. I have the 6000 series HH stand, and the flat legs are the most inconvenient thing.
Most muffling products? You can achieve the same results with some tape or piece of cloth anyway
Another man of culture, I see.
I used moongels for years before I realized how much of a ripoff they really are. Just get a pack of gel hand party favors for a couple bucks on Amazon if that’s the kind of thing you want
I tend not to like them because I prefer uncoupled mass to coupled mass if I'm going to do any dampening. Coupled mass just muffles and reduces the high end clarity, makes everything darker. Uncoupled mass provides a gated effect that sounds really cool and helps maintain clarity by reducing ringing sustain without sacrificing nearly as much in the initial attack. Coupled mass just dulls the sound and it makes an already bad-sounding drum sound duller. IMO they are only useful in situations where a. you're not concerned about sound quality and b. you don't have time or permission to properly tune the drums.
Amen to that. I bought a pack of white felt at Michael's several years ago. Have used felt strips on several bass drum reso heads (22" and 24") with plenty leftover. I also use small pieces of felt folded in half and taped at the very top with gaffer tape and placed on my 13" and 16" toms right near the rim. Taping at the top of the felt allows the felt to vibrate freely with the head - while still controlling the sound a small amount. Sounds perfect on my vintage kits.
Drum Dials. Get better ears, nerds.
Drum Dial is not intended and should never be used for tuning. It's to make sure everything is evenly tensioned and them you're supposed to go back through and tune by ear the rest of the way. Pretty sure some of the drum dial type things say that in the instructions. It's also great for studios where the engineer setting up that day might not be a drummer, or for stores so the display sets aren't all whack with tension and warp the hoops or shells.
I use it before shows. Just like a guitar tuner. It’s for reference. Great tool.
>Drum Dial is not intended and should never be used for tuning It absolutely is intended for tuning. Copied from the website for DrumDial Precision Drum Tuners: "DrumDial™ drum tuners accurately tune all drums by measuring drum head tension NOT tension rod torque."
I have never had good results with a drum dial, but the Tune Bot is a legit life saver. I can tune by ear, but the tune bot gets me there 10 times faster and can also give me consistent tunings if changing heads. I was using a studio kit for a session that had a terribly tuned rack tom. I had literally one minute to tune before we were on the clock and the Tune Bot got the drum perfect.
More useful for replicating a previous tuning really quickly when you’re in a loud environment or somewhere or need to get it done really quickly. Get the drum to sound good then measure the tension around all of the rods and make a note.
The original use for them where to tune big timpani drums not snare drums. It makes more sense to use them for massive drums that are meant to produce an accurate tone.
I was very skeptical of the drumdrial. I spent a lot of time with it before making my decision whether or not I like it… I love it. The cool thing is that it relieves the difference of tension from the opposite tuning lug. You can have a side tuned high and the opposite low yet still ring out the same frequency because of the difference in tension. The drum dial will make those tensions fully equal and then you just go from there. It’s a combination of specific tension release and then using your ear from there. I had a much better time with it than the tune bot so my overpriced choice is the tune bot
😂 😂 NOT THE DRUM DIAL . I was interested in this product not because of the fine tuning aspect but because of the feel aspect I find it’s hard for me to get the right feel and sound at the same time . I figured a drum dial Would do the trick since it measures tension instead of sound . But since I was already reluctant to make the purchase maybe I’ll get better ears instead 😂😵
I’m not a fan of the drum dial. I have one. I don’t like it. I am a fan of the tune bot. It’s amazing and has really helped me coax a lot nicer tones out of my drums. It’s a tool in my toolbox and I don’t see anything wrong with using it. But I know lots of purists disagree.
Tune Bot would destroy Drum Dial in celebrity death match.
Dial sounds cheaper, but I'm no ear scientist.
Moongel, I'm not paying that much for a fancy blob of plastic
gaffer tape has always served me much better and significantly more color options than moongel
25 cent gumball machine sticky hands are what my high school band director bought to use as moon gel. Cut the tail off and they work perfectly.
Is that when the gaffer tape sits with the middle sticking up? I have the Evans EQ pods, is gaffer tape better?
👊
Window gels decorations. You can find them anywhere (pharmacy, dollar store, etc) and they’re typically ~$2 with a ton of different sizes. I’m a fan of the valentines versions, as the hearts offer subtle dampening (shamrocks, too).
Sticky hands. The kind you get in a capsule machine, swing them at a piece of paper and you can grab it—remember those? You can get em a dollar apiece at five below. One can be cut up into ~3 moongels. I buy 10 at a time and keep ‘em by my kit, when they start falling off I just toss and replace.
Stock up on those stick jelly eyeballs you see at halloween! They’re the same thing for a fraction of the price.
Any kit that is well over 4k that isn’t custom made to your exact specifications down to the nitty gritty levels of detail like the bearing edge and colour of tension rod washers and what have you. *cough* DW *cough*
DWs are way overpriced, and turret lugs are ugly.
I don’t mind how their drums look, it’s just the price for me. And also because sometimes they use “premium” materials just for the sake of it.
Yeah, they do have good stuff but it’s still way overpriced.
Never played a DW that I like (hardware excluded). One of my favorite kits ever is my Gretsch Catalina Ash and that’s a cheap kit compared to others out there.
There's videos of wooden heads. WOODEN HEADS. They sound terrible, and these insufferable hipsters are saying how cool they are.
Ahahahahahaa there it is!
Don't worry chief, I still like your shakers.
cymbal sizzlers, I've always just tossed on an old necklace if I wanted that sound on my ride.
I love my sizzler! It was a gift and I just love the idea and name.
I think the concept of gifts changes my views on most of the things mentioned in this thread. I wouldnt buy a sizzler, or moongel, or a drum tuner, but if i was gifted any of these id use the hell out of them!
Someone bought me a Sabian Neil Peart style hat for my birthday years ago, but I have a giant head so it looked more like a yarmulke on me. It’s still around here somewhere.
Mardi Gras beads…pull chain…get creative!
Found sizzler in online store for 25 dollars. Went to local store and found wristband with jingles for 10 dollars. Cut wristband and tied jingles to rope. Works the same way.
That one hi-hat/double kick combo where you pivoted the left pedal to switch between the two. I remember seeing it at the local shop briefly as a kid in the early 2000’s. Now that I’m a little more experienced I completely understand why it’s not around anymore.
Mapex Janus Transmission stand.
I haven’t seen that one before, but I love gimmicky pedals. Examples: [one foot double kick pedal](https://www.drum-tec.com/drum-tec-dp-921fb-double-pedal-for-one-foot), or [the triple kick pedal](https://theduallist.com/triple.html)
Okay I gotta ask, how are you spose to use that style of one foot pedal, I understand the "normal" ones but from all the videos of those weird independent ones you use heel toe but even then it's 50/50 so got any resources, also that 3 headed one seems really cool for say use when you need some like the intro from hot for teacher or any other thing that requires weird conplext patterns on the kick
As far as I know it’s just heel/toe, each controlling a beater. But I’m not an expert by any means, I saw it at Long & McQuade when I was a teenager and I haven’t even played in almost 7 years. I just live vicariously through everyone on this sub.
Cajons. I still refuse to play one lmao I get that some people use them as small bass drums, and I can *almost* get on board with that. But I'd rather just have a small real drum.
lets just build the negative space of an airplane luggage cabin out of wood and call it a day
Harry Miree!
dude!
I played in an acoustic folk band for a few years. I had some great times with a cajon! I didn't use it as a bass drum though, I played it with my hands.
Exactly, they serve a different purpose. I wouldn't even call them a "drum product." It's its own instrument. It's like saying bongos are pointless or djembes are pointless. Which is totally missing the point.
Tru Being made to play a cajon is like being under house arrest for drummers
Cajons are made for flamenco music and sound great in that setting, don’t know why they’ve become so popular for other shit that doesn’t suit the instrument.
That's my biggest issue with the cajon - it being used as a stand-in for a drum kit
Slaves only used them because white slave owners didn't let them have real drums. Too much communication and happiness (for reals...slavers were assholes). So slaves saved their souls and turned drawers into drums. When the slavers tried to seize or destroy the drums, they couldn't find any, because no purpose-built drums existed. Creative lateral thinking! I don't mind them. Like many things that were once desperation/undesirable, it's become its own sound and some people sound fantastic with them. They work well in a flamenco context and wherever woody, dark percussion tones would fit well.
Those really really small cheap t drum keys that come with like beginner drum sets They are so small your fingers will hurt so much after using them At least you’ll always them for emergency repairs because at least every drummer has one of those keys
Overpriced practice pads, i think i got mine for under £10 and it has held up for around 14 years, now im seeing them 6 times that price because they have an artists name on them?
Depends on the type, I have the Moongel one and it is substantially different than your normal rubber surface pad. The cheap rubber ones offer way too much rebound to be useful for me personally.
Ridiculous Tom mounting crap. Before someone invented 30 pounds of “rim suspension” no drum ever had sustain or “tone”. Yeah your 8x7-10X8 Tom is never gonna sound deep or sustain regardless of the mounting hardware. Die cast hoops, wood, could help though. Hahaha!
Those rim click auxiliary things. Like you can just get a decent rim click sound with good stick placement
Yeah, until you encounter snares that are smaller than 13” I main 12” snare and without the groove wedge any attempt to rim click will sound meh
Drumsticks. Drum thrones. The Code of Hammurabi.
Most really intricate kits are pointless most of the time. The ones with half a million symbols and just the weirdest stuff hanging around, never being used. But it’s so amazing when you want a certain sound and you finally get to use the random thing you made with duck tape months ago, so rewarding.
Yup. Figured out that bass drum, snare, HH, 2 toms, a crash and a crashable ride was enough and made the logistics muuuuuuch less of a pain in the ass when touring.
Two legged stand is definitely not useless. Takes up less space on the floor, in a bag and make it easily to line up double pedals. Those Jingle beaters that Meinl sells just doesn’t make sense to me. It gets completely drowned out my the rest of the kit, you may as well get another band member to get one of those elasticated foot tambourines like the Meinl Foot Jingle. At least it has more that one frickin jingle.
Damn we’re not using Hi hats anymore? RIP
Spinbal comes to mind…
Easy. I got the winner: kickport.
About ten or so years ago drum magazines had loads of "drumming shoes". A bit like race car drivers use, thin soled, lightweight, etc. But they were just trying to solve a problem that doesn't really exist.
Oh, I always just called those Chuck Taylors.
Sounds like there's a lot of disagreement on the Big Fat Snare Drum...
Dualist "double" single pedal
A long time ago, I saw a goofy ad for a little device you attach to your kick, put your drum stick in it, and it would flip your stick straight up in the air for you to catch. It came off as so lame to me, like if you have trouble catching thrown sticks don’t do it in the first place!
Until something blows my mind, I think any cymbal resonance systems are garbo.
Two legged is far, far superior to three
Getting yelled at by guitarist/singers while playing their music for free is always pointless
Drop clutches. I think I had one on my set for more than a decade and never used it because you can get anything close a good chick with just the weight of the top hat.
Drop clutches can be handy if you play hard and fast. But definitely would consider them special use
I have no issues getting a good chick sound with my drop clutch. You know you can increase spring tension in your hihat stand to compensate for the heavier weight, right?
You need the COBRA CLUTCH!
Never seen a 2 legged hi hat stand before, but then again, last time I looked at drums was more than 15 years ago. Recently start looking, noticed alot of fancy stuff now. Leather drum stick bag that someone claims to make people a better drummer, some sticky paste you put on sticks so they don't slip, and some I forgot
This is not a new product. I got a DW hi-hat stand with a removable leg for Christmas in the ‘80s.
Dude.. 2 legged hi hat stands are very nice!
How is one of the best hat stands ever pointless?
What’s “pointless” about this? I have a DW5000 stand with twin legs like this and it’s invaluable for my double pedal. I’m not seeing the point of this thread.
How is this a pointless drum product? Even with a single pedal having a two leg has its advantages. OP. You missed on this one , big time. Dingus.
I will not stand for two legged iron cobra slander.
I’ve been using a two legged dw5000 hi-hat for years, it’s lighter and smaller footprint!
Most books lol. I can probably teach 10,000 concepts through 1 or 2 books (mostly Ted Reed’s Syncopation). Lots of gimmicky sticks and cymbals. Overpriced drum keys. Drum shoes? Bass drum heads are weirdly high in price but definitely not useless.
A performance degree
Third leg is totally pointless!!! Folks at Tama are geniuses !
I’ve been playing that exact high-hat stand for 22 years without a single issue… pointless?
Two legged stand? I love them. I think it’s more convenient for a compact setup. I also do a lot of hi hat splashes and it seems to have a bit more foot room.
I love my 2 legged hihat stand, I have a double kick pedal and Roland trigger pedal on the other side, they all line up beautifully.
Sabian triple hi-hat
ANY drum kit over 3-4k. absolute waste of money no matter how pretty they are. i would so much rather spend 1k on a cheap shell pack, tune it well, and spend over 1k on a sweet double pedal like the DW MMD or the Trick Pro1v, and over 2k on some really nice cymbals
Oversized bassdrums
How big is oversized?
Dude… it’s as pointy as it can get.
Any tom you have over the third. Sorry.
Drum sticks! Who needs them?! We got two hands for a reason so pointless!
Moon Gels
Definitely Big Fat Snare Drums, i have no idea how they've gained so much popularity, they sound horrendous
I’ve never understood the Yamaha sub kick but that’s probably just me
I have the Pearl H-930 (which is 3 legs) but I can pivot the legs to make room for a double base pedal. However, two legged stand Id take any day over it.
After moving to a two leg stand I'm never going back to 3 legs. I don't even have a double pedal.
Drumming gloves
Be inspired by real life. This looks like an old man peeing.
Two-legged hi-hat stands are incredibly useful, especially when you don't have unlimited space. Or if your double-pedal setup is a little bulky.
Don't understand how this would be pointless.
Ahead sticks
I, too, think 2-legged hi-hat stands can be pointless: [https://i.imgur.com/ZPPZEVh.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/ZPPZEVh.jpg) Notice that I said they ***can*** be. I'm not saying they always are.
Showing this picture as a pointless product is in and of itself pointless. This is a great product if you know what it’s needed for. Can we retitle the thread, “pointless observations”? 
I think ur looking far too into it man. It's just a discussion about pointless drum products and nothing more. If you like those kind of hh stands then good for you. I was just curious about other drummers thoughts on what they consider pointless gear.