double kick pedal for $100!!?

[N8theGr8]

ive been cruising around music123.com and musiciansfriend.com looking to upgrade my current pearl p100 with a double kick pedal, and decided all of them were too expensive until i fell upon this one by Pacific: http://www.music123.com/Item/?itemno=21192 i know pacific isnt one of the big-league brands in drumming, but this deal seems almost too good to pass up. it looks like its built pretty solid, and has gotten some good reviews. i was just wondering if anyone has heard anything about this pedal? i've come across a bad review hear and there about how its not great for metal; im currently playing in the style of dave matthews band, some punk and ska here and there, and would like to learn some tool and dream theater stuff.
this pedal seems to be a great steal, especially in my scenario where im gonna be heading off to college next fall and wont be able to play my drums nearly as often, but then again i wanna make sure im not throwing my money away on a cheaply made pedal. -nate

[Tim Brown]

The problem with these economy pedals, is that they simply do not work right. None of them do....there is a bit of a "lag time" between the time that you kick with your secondary foot, and the time that the mallet hits the head.

As a double kicker (and I DO use two separate kick drums because NONE of the Double pedals feels the same as two kicks) I would say do not waste your money.

The only Double pedal that I would ever suggest is an Axis, even the Axis X version, because Axis has been able to design the pedal so that there is no Lag Time between the time you hit the pedal, and the time that the mallet hits the head.



Tim

[maskedman72]

i wouldnt waste my money on that pedal. yes it might be a tempting price but you get what you pay for. id take the money you would have spent on that pedal and put it on another.
try an axis or the pearl elimanitor or a good yamaha.
your feet will thank you.

[N8theGr8]

damn. well, unfortunately i really dont have the cash for an eliminator or axis i guess i could search for some used ones? (anybody tried the pearl p100tw? http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/.../base_id/40094 ) if i sell my current pedal though (p100 w/ quad beater upgrade) on ebay i could possibly get around 30-40 for it, making the cost around 60-70...which i wouldnt mind risking for an entry level double kick, and if it sucks as a double pedal, at least i can just use it as a single pedal right? on the left pedal there seems to be a slot for a mallet to be put in, i guess for those who decide to use 2 kick drums.
haha, as you can see im really hoping this pedal can get the job done...maybe ill cruise guitar center and daddys, and give them a try if they let me.
and is the lag time really that bad?
thanks for the help, -nate

[N8theGr8]

alright, i ended up picking up the $99 pacific today at my local guitar center, with no luck finding any used doubles anywhere else. yet i still have 30 days to try em before i cant return them anymore. yes they feel cheap, yes i feel like i might break them. but tim, i really dont know what you're talking about lag time. all the pedals i tried, including the pacifics, were dead-on time. maybe you can detect a slight delay but, for what im playing its good enough. im gonna give these new pedals another shot tomorrow, though i'd say theres a pretty good chance ill end up returning them in fear of breaking them soon (these pedals dont feel nearly as good as my lowest-end pearl p100 single pedal...thats kinda sad)

[Tim Brown]

Originally posted by N8theGr8
alright, i ended up picking up the $99 pacific today at my local guitar center, with no luck finding any used doubles anywhere else. yet i still have 30 days to try em before i cant return them anymore. yes they feel cheap, yes i feel like i might break them. but tim, i really dont know what you're talking about lag time. all the pedals i tried, including the pacifics, were dead-on time. maybe you can detect a slight delay but, for what im playing its good enough. im gonna give these new pedals another shot tomorrow, though i'd say theres a pretty good chance ill end up returning them in fear of breaking them soon (these pedals dont feel nearly as good as my lowest-end pearl p100 single pedal...thats kinda sad)

Wait until you "break it in"....these pedals all use the same basic design.....and what happens is they begin to wear out fairly quickly (I still don't understand if it is the actual design of the "U-joints" - where the peices on the driveshaft allow you to angle the pedal....it's just like in a car-, or if it's just the metal that they are all using to make these things from) But the Axis is the only one that I have seen that lasts.

Now, if you're not playing anything above "midtempo" it might last you awhile, and you may not notice the lag, but when you start getting into really quick stuff...it just jumps out at you, because the reaction time (which some people call "backlash"...it has to do with the mallet moving back and forth after you've struck the first strike with the extnesion side of the pedal) can be horrible...I had one of the original DW double bass pedals, and man that thing was a NIGHTMARE to play on!

I've tried several over the years, and the only one that has been close to afeeling like two kicks, has been the Axis, but I still prefer the feel of two kick drums...I don't like the feel that comes with the pair of mallets hitting the same kick head...since I tend to bury the Mallet in the head...if you play with the heads just above "jingle" (you hand tighten the lugs just enough so that thge metal doesn't rattle....I constantly tune my kicks to different tunings, for real HIGH speed stuff, I crank the heads fairly tight, but I love the FEEL and the "THUMP" that i get from having the heads just above "jingle" (it's actually looser than "just above wrinkles".)


Tim

[N8theGr8]

yeah, i hear ya tim. i tried playing some faster stuf....it takes a little more effort than i thought. and yeah, i bury the mallet into the head as well so...haha, it sucks. well ive finally made up my mind, and im gonna keep this pedal so i can learn and experiment with double bass, it really only has to last around 6 months until college. also...after seeing my debit card account after this purchase, its kinda forcing me to get off my ass and find a job again