Direct drive double bass pedals

[MerlinTKD]

Disclaimer: I'm a Tama fanboy

Having said that, I've been using a DW5002 set for years, I love them, and (more importantly) I'm used to them; I know exactly how to do the things I want to do. The only pedals that have tempted me to upgrade are the Speed Cobras, they're like the best of both worlds between typical chain drive power and direct drive speed. I haven't looked, but I bet you could find a decently priced used set, since they've been around a while now. Although... that Tama direct drive video has me thinking, I admit!

 

[sezna]

Disclaimer: I'm a Tama fanboy

Having said that, I've been using a DW5002 set for years, I love them, and (more importantly) I'm used to them; I know exactly how to do the things I want to do.

This is important too, whatever you get you just gotta stick with it and learn the muscle memory and feeling of that particular pedal. Chasing new pedals can leave you without a “home base”

 

[Ebony]

I'd buy the demon drive. For a direct drive pedal, it has a pretty "normal" feel. That can be a concrete advantage when learning on the pedals, as you're not then thrown off too bad when playing other peoples gear. The Axis pedals are very light and the Trick pedals are very unique.

If you ever aspire to play precise 16th note singlestrokes at 250bpm+, direct drive offers concrete, non-fad advantages. If prog at current standards is the final aim, just buy the pedal you get the best deal on.

Pedals I'd avoid: Dw3000, Iron Cobra 200-series, any chain-drive Gibraltar that isn't the 9811 or the 9711.

 

[TedEH]

Pedals I'd avoid: Dw3000

Curious what you don't like about those? That's what I'm using and they seem fine.

 

[Ebony]

Curious what you don't like about those?

Shitty build quality, even for the price point. I currently own a two-legged hihat stand from the 3000-series with a lot of the same parts, and it's the second worst piece of gear I own.

 

[TedEH]

Odd. I've played on 5000 and 3000 pedals and they feel different, but I've never had any complained regarding build quality. Maybe I'm just not a very experienced drummer, but I found the 5000 level to have passed that "I can tell the difference enough to justify the cost" line by a significant amount.

 

[Ebony]

Odd. I've played on 5000 and 3000 pedals and they feel different, but I've never had any complained regarding build quality. Maybe I'm just not a very experienced drummer, but I found the 5000 level to have passed that "I can tell the difference enough to justify the cost" line by a significant amount.

If it works, then it works. You may desire to upgrade some day, who knows.

Personally, I dislike both the 3000 and the 5000, and I'm disappointed with the 9000. I've had so many problems with my 9000 pair. The first shaft literally fell apart, second one came with jammed screws at the shaft-extension, board adjustment on the right pedal has worn out for no apparent reason and the latency of the slave pedal is off the charts no matter how the pedals are aligned.

In fact, all my DW hardware is shite. I have their flagship snare stand, impossible to balance, and the basket itself won't fasten properly. I have their flagship throne, had to ditch that as the insane wobble gave me back pain. And I have a cymbal stand from them that barely holds an 18 inch crash without tilting.

 

[TedEH]

The only thing I found about the 3000 is that they sort of felt "slower" than the 5000s, but I think that was owing more to the way they had been adjusted, and the fact that the 5000 has some kind of offset thing going on (the "accelerator" version maybe?).