Bass drum beater blues

Hey, guys,

I made an interesting discovery the other day. If you remember,
some days back I put up a post called "Out of mothballs" which
was about me returning to my Axis pedals. Well as good as the
pedals felt and responded, there was something that just wasn't
quite right.

The impact point was leaving me very puzzled... It was mushy feeling
without any attack to the drum. The best way I can describe the feeling
would be like trowing a punch at a speep bag with your bare fist, and
then wrapping your fist in a large drying towel and punching the bag with
that on.

All of the energy absorbed somehow and I couldn't figure out what the
problem was. I worked with the pedal's horizontal and verticlal placement
to make sure the beater was hitting in the correct spot on the head, I tried
using the other side of the dual sided beater, and Still nothing. I could feel
that the power was there, it just felt like it was all getting absorbed.

At this point I began suspecting the beater head. I had placed some Tama
static beaters on the pedals. The heads are cylindrical with a depth of about
an inch and a half. What I suspected was happening at this point was much
the energy was getting absorbed in the beater head because of it's physical
properties and features... I took the felt beaters that came with my Iron Cobra
and put them on the Axis.... Need I say more?! I thought I was going to drive
the thing right through the bass drum head, and the sound difference was like
night and day.

I noticed I had the same problem with the beaters that came with the Axis. I
had to take those off instantly... In any case, problem solved and I'm a happy
camper player once again... Just thought I'd share this FYI. Below is the beater
that was giving me grief!

Do you have an AX or one of the new Laser pedals?

Is it true you cannot adjust beater angle on Axis pedals?

Yes and no... You can adjust the beater angle
but not independent of the footboard height.

A beater really does make a
difference, Don and I think you
are right about pointing out
the Axis' particular need for
the right one.

The Trick Detonator Beater
is the best beater I have used.



The original Axis beaters did
telescope and was not a bad
idea. They were designed to
be used with that greater
resting angle away from the
head. I still have them but
never use them. The pedals,
on the other hand get set up
every now and then.

You could change the beater
angle, with an Allen, btw.

I still think the VDL is one of
the best universal cams I have
seen but on the kick, right now,
is STILL the Drumnetics pedal
and incidentally, with that
Trick Detonator beater.

Regards,

Go Drum-net-ics. Go Drum-net-ics.

I do notice now that there are a couple of
things about the Axis I don't like.

1. I have the double pedal and the beaters
are set too far apart and there's no way to
make an ajustment for that.

2. The beaters are a little too far to the left
and again, there's no way to make adjustments.

Do you feel any difference playing a pedal with a single post, rather than double posts?

There doesn't seem to be, but sometimes I feel like there is.

When playing a Speed King all those years and then switching to newer pedals with off center beaters, I definitely felt like coming home when I play the Drumnetics. The centered beater just feels so much more natural to me.

On the Axis the left beater does seem far enough off center to cause a real pitch difference on the drum. With double pedals having off center beaters it seems more logical to have the right beater on the right side of the cam to balance out the sound more. On most pedals you can take them apart and place the beater left or right of the cam. I can see that is not possible with the Axis pictured.

On most pedals you can take them apart and place the beater left or right of the cam. I can see that is not possible with the Axis pictured.

Yeah, Asaph and that is a problem for me.

There is a difference in the feel of playing
a 'real' single pedal than playing one with
a second beater on it, but nothing major.

I wish I could adjust those beaters left and
right so I could get a more equalled balance
on projection and tone.

Been enjoying a Speed King beater in my Axis longboard, but should try the Iron Cobra and Trick Detonator beaters; thanks for the words of wisdom . . .