Hanging Toms vs. Floor Toms - Yamaha Hexrack

They are quicker to position and easier to adjust their position, even if it does take a negligible few extra seconds to put on legs vs mounting the drum on a stand. I'll bet if we went toe-to-toe, side by side on this, I could set up my floor tom and have it in position to play faster than somebody who needs to set up a stand and mount their tom from it.


Actually its not.

it takes 6 movements for a floor tom and 3 for a hanging tom (if anythings goes right and all is memory locked and the rest loos and open)

Floor on legs:
Stick leg one into the floortom bracket.
Fasten leg one.
Stick leg two into the floortom bracket.
Fasten leg two.
Stick leg three into the floortom bracket.
Fasten leg three.

(yes this goes so quick it almost does look like one handling but its not, i've noticed myself haha)


Suspended floor
Set stand legs on right position on centre shaft.
Hang floor tom on the tom mount in the stand.
Fasten the mount.

A suspended tom translates the space only to a different position and gives more options to for instance use a tripple receiver so you can mount two cymbal arms on the same stand.
 
Last edited:
Actually its not.

it takes 6 movements for a floor tom and 3 for a hanging tom (if anythings goes right and all is memory locked and the rest loos and open)

Floor on legs:
Stick leg one into the floortom bracket.
Fasten leg one.
Stick leg two into the floortom bracket.
Fasten leg two.
Stick leg three into the floortom bracket.
Fasten leg three.

[......]

Some folks leave their legs retracted and don't have to re-insert them which can be quicker, but think Caddy's point was legs were quicker for him to initially "position" and easier to adjust afterwards and not that they were necessarily quicker to initially "mount". Good thing is either way is a potential option. ;-)
 
Or...


28503_1507640690581_470667_n.jpg


;)
 
Actually its not.

it takes 6 movements for a floor tom and 3 for a hanging tom (if anythings goes right and all is memory locked and the rest loos and open)

Floor on legs:
Stick leg one into the floortom bracket.
Fasten leg one.
Stick leg two into the floortom bracket.
Fasten leg two.
Stick leg three into the floortom bracket.
Fasten leg three.

(yes this goes so quick it almost does look like one handling but its not, i've noticed myself haha)


Suspended floor
Set stand legs on right position on centre shaft.
Hang floor tom on the tom mount in the stand.
Fasten the mount.

A suspended tom translates the space only to a different position and gives more options to for instance use a tripple receiver so you can mount two cymbal arms on the same stand.

I see your point. It would also be quicker to swim across the San Francisco Bay than drive across:

Swimming:
1. Hop into water
2. Swim across

Driving:
1. Get into car
2. Insert key into ignition
3. Turn on car
4. Shift car to drive
5. Drive across bridge

...and, without your back against the driver's seat, there's room for you to wear a backpack, too!

No, seriously, floor tom legs are quicker, from unpacking the drums to final setup. Been there, done that with suspended toms...
 
Also, if you use memory locks on the floor tom legs, you save all the monkeying around with angles and heights, etc. Very fast setup, very fast positioning, very fast packing up. Plus, legs can just be collapsed and the whole drum pops in to a case. Less weight and hardware.
 
I see your point. It would also be quicker to swim across the San Francisco Bay than drive across:

Swimming:
1. Hop into water
2. Swim across


You are missing a lot of steps here:

1) Wait 45 minutes since last meal
2) Take off clothes
3) Get arrested for indecent exposure
4) Post bail
5) Put on swim suit
6) Strech
7) Put on swim cap, goggles, etc.
8) Swim across
 
This would be a good time for the "Narrator" step in, look at the camera and say:

"In order that we may retain the value of this thread we will now remove all the posts from people who have never set up a 'floor' tom in real life..."

or...better yet...

Cue the tape of the NASCAR pit crew setting up drum sets (replete with singing air wrenches....whirrrr.....whirr.....whirr...... no less...) side by side in order to 'really' determine who is the fastest tom-setter in the West....

lol...

Seriously...I have Rogers floor toms and have to use a key to set my legs...wow...talk about a disadvantage! THREE whole legs....whew...I hope I'm setup by the first song count off!
 
They are quicker to position and easier to adjust their position, even if it does take a negligible few extra seconds to put on legs vs mounting the drum on a stand. I'll bet if we went toe-to-toe, side by side on this, I could set up my floor tom and have it in position to play faster than somebody who needs to set up a stand and mount their tom from it.

I would take that bet for one beer. I am working with a two down set up here though so it is two floors.
 
I see your point. It would also be quicker to swim across the San Francisco Bay than drive across:

Swimming:
1. Hop into water
2. Swim across

Driving:
1. Get into car
2. Insert key into ignition
3. Turn on car
4. Shift car to drive
5. Drive across bridge

...and, without your back against the driver's seat, there's room for you to wear a backpack, too!

No, seriously, floor tom legs are quicker, from unpacking the drums to final setup. Been there, done that with suspended toms...

Hey the Bay Area does get pretty bad traffic, so that statement might be true sometimes =P

There's no way I can leave legs on floor toms, I have to break down and put my drums back in their cases. So I guess a lot depends on the kind of gig, transportation, and if you have cases or if you can just throw them in the back of the truck.

But there's also a certain feeling I don't like about some floor toms that I've noticed, it feels like I'm hitting just that - the floor. There's not as much rebound or bounce as hitting a rack tom. Not saying I havent played a floor tom I haven't liked and felt good, but there's so many variables here and depends on personal preference I suppose.
 
Like them both...but if I had to choose, I'd prolly suspend them...for me they (suspended) always end up where I want them (i.e., everything's preset & locked on rack)... Where with floor toms I'm always adjusting them some after set up....
 
I do not understand the guys saying that toms with legs are easier or faster to set up.

A gigging kit I used for many years was a single stand with a double tom holder. I left the height the same when I collapsed it and didnt mess with the angles of the tom holder after I set them up initially.

It was a matter of setting up the stand and then sliding the two toms on the stand and I was done.

How is that slower or more of a pain than having to pull out six legs and then adjust and move the toms around until you have them where you want them?

yes, I hear you - I actually use a stand that mounts a 14" tom used as a "floor" tom, ride cymbal and crash cymbal all on one stand. I find it pretty easy and compact. If I had a floor tom w/legs (which I may end up getting with my next set anyway), it might be harder to "balance" out the newer set-up weight distribution if I try to keep the two cymbals on the stand together minus the tom..
 
Last edited:
Personally, I had issues with my Pearl Masters 15"x14" getting choked using an OptiMount. I had it drilled to Pearl factory spec and slapped some of their Air Suspension legs on and couldn't be happier. That being said, other mounts may not have that issue. Optis work great on smaller drums, but there was massive tone robbery happening before I converted that 15" to legs.
 
In going back to the OP's original questions, I would say this:

If you are mostly playing small clubs (as you stated) I think using a rack and hanging toms is a big mistake. If you were playing large stages all of the time and had tons of room, a set-up like that would be fine, if you really wanted to haul a rack around. My own experience with smaller venues is: you need to be flexible with your rig. You just don't know how much room you will have at any single venue, or how you may need to to slightly adjust your set-up. In small places with small spaces, an inch here and there becomes critical.

A rack with hanging toms gives you no flexibility what so ever. All of the advantages that guys mentioned with having an established, fixed set-up goes out the window in small venues. You are much better off with a smaller kit with 1 floor tom on legs. If space is limited, you may need to reposition your floor tom or cymbal stands a bit from where you would ideally like to have them. Moving 1 floor tom slightly, is much easier if its on legs.

I'm not saying one is better than the other and I'm not comparing the sound. Those issues could be debated for months. What I am saying is: for small venues I suggest no rack and 1 floor tom w/ legs. If you were playing large stages, and you would want to haul a rack around, that would be a different story.

Edit: One other thing: you stated you wanted to get 12, 13, 14, 16 toms. Have you played 10, 12, 14, 16? I think most guys prefer that size configuration. 12, 13, 14 is almost like having 3 similar toms, especially if you go with all rack/hanging toms.

By the way, please keep us updated and post some pics and a review of your kit when you get it. Guys on here are looking for feedback on the new Absolutes.
 
Last edited:
If you are mostly playing small clubs (as you stated) I think using a rack and hanging toms is a big mistake. If you were playing large stages all of the time and had tons of room, a set-up like that would be fine, if you really wanted to haul a rack around. My own experience with smaller venues is: you need to be flexible with your rig. You just don't know how much room you will have at any single venue, or how you may need to to slightly adjust your set-up. In small places with small spaces, an inch here and there becomes critical.

All valid points and would agree with you on them..if you're mostly a static setup and have room, racks are nice to have, otherwise stands and floor toms are the way to go...

Edit: One other thing: you stated you wanted to get 12, 13, 14, 16 toms. Have you played 10, 12, 14, 16? I think most guys prefer that size configuration. 12, 13, 14 is almost like having 3 similar toms, especially if you go with all rack/hanging toms.

Yep..absolutely, much prefer all even size toms, much easier to get the variance in tone/sound you want...
 
In going back to the OP's original questions, I would say this:

If you are mostly playing small clubs (as you stated) I think using a rack and hanging toms is a big mistake. If you were playing large stages all of the time and had tons of room, a set-up like that would be fine, if you really wanted to haul a rack around. My own experience with smaller venues is: you need to be flexible with your rig. You just don't know how much room you will have at any single venue, or how you may need to to slightly adjust your set-up. In small places with small spaces, an inch here and there becomes critical.

A rack with hanging toms gives you no flexibility what so ever. All of the advantages that guys mentioned with having an established, fixed set-up goes out the window in small venues. You are much better off with a smaller kit with 1 floor tom on legs. If space is limited, you may need to reposition your floor tom or cymbal stands a bit from where you would ideally like to have them. Moving 1 floor tom slightly, is much easier if its on legs.

I'm not saying one is better than the other and I'm not comparing the sound. Those issues could be debated for months. What I am saying is: for small venues I suggest no rack and 1 floor tom w/ legs. If you were playing large stages, and you would want to haul a rack around, that would be a different story.

Edit: One other thing: you stated you wanted to get 12, 13, 14, 16 toms. Have you played 10, 12, 14, 16? I think most guys prefer that size configuration. 12, 13, 14 is almost like having 3 similar toms, especially if you go with all rack/hanging toms.

By the way, please keep us updated and post some pics and a review of your kit when you get it. Guys on here are looking for feedback on the new Absolutes.

I don't know, everyone says a rack takes more space but that goes against Yamaha's whole theory. Have you seen this image? The small charts on the bottom in particular are interesting - showing how much space your setup is taking with stands compared to the rack. I'm not one to just buy into any marketing material companies put out, but their research seems to make sense to me.

0F863BA5D1334624A518719A801920E1_12083.jpg


Also, I know 10 12 14 16 is more commonly used. But I can't stand 10" toms, way too small for me. I think I may actually go 12 13 16 (all suspended) to start out with. I suppose I could do 12 14 16 all suspended too.
 
Back
Top