How?

RubberChipmunk · 10-07-2008, 10:45 PM

Last night at band practice, our drummer broke his bass pedal. The chain didn't come off. The connection rod thingy that connects the two pedals for double bass didn't fall off. The mallets didn't come loose. The physical metal pedal snapped in half. Have you ever heard of anything like this happening? I was more shocked than the first time I witnessed a bass string break.

Anyway, here are pictures that I took, I figured I'd share with the drum forum what happens when gear goes bad. Perhaps you might find this amusing.

1) It broke.
2) Me holding up the top part.
3) Steve, our drummer, holding up the pedal completely confused.

**thesteve** · 10-07-2008, 10:54 PM

Yep...Adam did that awhile ago to his single. He ended up salvaging the top piece off of similar pedal that would fit in its place in order to be able to continue using the rest of the pedal.

I've been witness to many interesting things while playing in a band with Adam. One of the more odd things I've seen is him crack several high quality cymbals (Zildjian As and Ks), yet the cheap (Zildjian Scimitars) cymbals that we've had since we started still keep strong through practice upon practice. Maybe high quality = low durability when it comes to cymbals? I feel like that tops breaking through a double-ply snare head...but maybe not.

oh...and for what it's worth, I broke an E during a set and an A right before one

**Rainer.** · 10-07-2008, 10:58 PM

At least you didn't break your G-string....

RubberChipmunk · 10-07-2008, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

Yep...Adam did that awhile ago to his single. He ended up salvaging the top piece off of similar pedal that would fit in its place in order to be able to continue using the rest of the pedal.

I've been witness to many interesting things while playing in a band with Adam. One of the more odd things I've seen is him crack several high quality cymbals (Zildjian As and Ks), yet the cheap (Zildjian Scimitars) cymbals that we've had since we started still keep strong through practice upon practice. Maybe high quality = low durability when it comes to cymbals? I feel like that tops breaking through a double-ply snare head...but maybe not.

oh...and for what it's worth, I broke an E during a set and an A right before one

Our drummer has gone through at least five cymbals in the three months or so we've been playing together.

He's also managed to break his snare drum. The lug wouldn't come off and he couldn't change the head.

Seriously, El Steveo, how do you break a freaking bass string? I can't even fathom that happening.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon-o-tron

At least you didn't break your G-string....

For the first year of my playing guitar, my G string was the ONLY one that would ever break.

**thesteve** · 10-08-2008, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RubberChipmunk

Seriously, El Steveo, how do you break a freaking bass string? I can't even fathom that happening.

I don't mess around. I play with real ultimate power.

I will say that I did replace my last set of strings before I broke one. I am waiting for the day I somehow manage to snap the low-B on my Jazz V. I think I'm going to have to start working out before I can make that happen.

**bread man** · 10-08-2008, 12:21 AM

My brother did this to his hi-hat pedal once. I am still confused as to how.

**thesteve** · 10-08-2008, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bread man

My brother did this to his hi-hat pedal once. I am still confused as to how.

Yeah...I can understand it happening to a kick...but a high hat sounds weird.

Of course, my drummer inverted the top cymbal of his high hat...never figured out how that happened either.

ibanez_dude · 10-08-2008, 09:26 AM

Wow, never seen this before. Impressive. I have to be honest, I've read a lot of negative reviews about Vex pedals, I would maybe buy a more respected and durable brand name next time, like DW or Tama Iron Cobra. If you break one of those, maybe he's playing too hard...

RubberChipmunk · 10-08-2008, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibanez_dude

Wow, never seen this before. Impressive. I have to be honest, I've read a lot of negative reviews about Vex pedals, I would maybe buy a more respected and durable brand name next time, like DW or Tama Iron Cobra. If you break one of those, maybe he's playing too hard...

Iron Cobra? My last band's drummer used one of those. Very durable, but absolutely horrible... :/

AudioAUnderdog · 10-09-2008, 11:49 AM

*shameless plug* I have a Tama pedal (not an Iron Cobra) that I'm selling if your drummer wants it...

*end shameless plug* Or your drummer might want to spend some extra bucks and get a really heavy duty pedal. I have one and I believe the brand is Mapex, but I'm not 100% sure. (But it's not for sale, it's mine.)

**thesteve** · 10-09-2008, 12:02 PM

Backing up a little bit in the thread, do you know what kind of cymbals your drummer uses? I was telling Adam about your drummer last night and he said that it's not uncommon for drummers in genres that trend towards greater speed and precision in their cymbals to absolutely decimate their cymbal collections because the best cymbals for those genres are typically thin rides and crashes.

laforest · 10-09-2008, 01:02 PM

what kind of music are playing? Heavy metal with lots of drum solos?

Maybe your drummer needs to buy better quality parts for his set.

**thesteve** · 10-09-2008, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laforest

what kind of music are playing? Heavy metal with lots of drum solos?

Maybe your drummer needs to buy better quality parts for his set.

For some drummers this is the solution, and for others it's just a consequence of their playing style.

RubberChipmunk · 10-09-2008, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioAUnderdog

*shameless plug* I have a Tama pedal (not an Iron Cobra) that I'm selling if your drummer wants it...

*end shameless plug* Or your drummer might want to spend some extra bucks and get a really heavy duty pedal. I have one and I believe the brand is Mapex, but I'm not 100% sure. (But it's not for sale, it's mine.)

I will ask him. How much are you asking?

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

Backing up a little bit in the thread, do you know what kind of cymbals your drummer uses? I was telling Adam about your drummer last night and he said that it's not uncommon for drummers in genres that trend towards greater speed and precision in their cymbals to absolutely decimate their cymbal collections because the best cymbals for those genres are typically thin rides and crashes.

Sabian somethings. They're nice with a REALLY good tone to them. I have no idea what they are, though.
My last band's drummer (the band was experimental hardcore/death metal) hit his cymbals with all the time, and in six months he only cracked one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by laforest

what kind of music are playing? Heavy metal with lots of drum solos?

Maybe your drummer needs to buy better quality parts for his set.

We are playing a hardcore-infused pop-punk. Kinda like Newfound Glory, Fall Out Boy, Hit The Lights, etc. He got this pedal pretty much because it was $100 and it is better than the one he was using before.

**thesteve** · 10-09-2008, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RubberChipmunk

Sabian somethings. They're nice with a REALLY good tone to them. I have no idea what they are, though.
My last band's drummer (the band was experimental hardcore/death metal) hit his cymbals with all the time, and in six months he only cracked one.

Yeah...cymbal thickness can really make a world of difference. I vaguely recall the weight difference between a thin and medium crash of similar size being quite significant.

and of course that doesn't even consider technique (striking point, angle, velocity, repetition, etc.), metal type, stick type, blah blah blah...