My thoughts on all these recent pedals

MrWriter

Active Member
My thoughts on these recent pedals that I bought and, in most instances, returned for a refund.

Ok guys, you might remember that I recently posted a ‘Which of these 3 pedals for speed and easy of playability?”. Well I thought I’d put up a fresh post with my experiences and findings of several pedals I’ve owned, returned and tried in shops recently to perhaps help other drummers.

First up I owned a Tama HP200P that cost around £65 (UK prices, sorry, Google is your friend for other currencies) and I felt it was ok, but perhaps a little sluggish and after trying out and owning and returning a few other pedals my suspicions were right. The Tama HP200P feels a bit sluggish due (I suspect) to the Glide cam that is not circular, but more L-shaped and thus doing double-kicks was a bit problematic for my various kick techniques.

Next up I bought three more pedals, a Tama Speed Cobra HP910L and a Yamaha FP-9500C and a Yamaha FP9C.

Now, remember I was looking for a light speedy pedal to make double-kicks easy and fluent and smooth.

I found the Tama Speed Cobra HP910L to be excellent, but compared to the Yamaha FP-9500C the Tama felt a little rattly and ratty tatty under foot and the footboard had a bit of sideways play and the spring on the side was a bit rattly also. Although the footboard was nice and long, something I’m a fan of due to being a size 11 (UK) I did not like the deep cut-out grooves that run up either edge as I sometimes practice at home in either socks or bare-foot and when playing bare-foot I don’t like the way these two grooves dig into the ball of my foot and shred my foot when doing the ‘slide’ into the peddle technique for double-kicks.

The Yamaha FP-9500C felt silky smooth and incredibly quiet, quiet as a mouse’s tea party in fact. Very smooth and silky feeling and very light (given it is a chain model and not direct drive) and I instantly felt that I liked the pedal. The footboard is nice and smooth so great for bare-foot playing was there are no grooves or horrible ‘DW 5000-type’ cutouts in the metal to give you bare foot a pedicure while playing ;). However, I would have liked the FP-9500C’s footboard to be half an inch longer for my personal foot size. With this in mind I recently bought the Yamaha FP9C (you know, the one that looks like a Yamaha sports bike) - see below.

The Yamaha FP9C got me excited after I phoned a dealer and asked them to measure the footplate, which I had to do as drum pedal manufactures don’t consider this important fact important enough to list on their specs on their sites. Turns out the footboard on the FP9C is about an inch longer and half an inch wider than my FP-9500C, and from the pictures it looks shiny smooth too. I was excited so bought one.

But after a few hours I was seriously disappointed in the FP9C. If feels like Yamaha have tried to re-invent the wheel, a wheel that did not need re-inventing, and they failed, miserably. It looks and feels like a pedal that Yamaha have tried to squeeze every feature and option onto and some not that well designed either.

Remember, these are my personal thoughts. I did not like the spring adjuster knob on the FP9C. It felt plastic and cheap and the way it turns and locks feels clunky and not very ‘Rolls Royce’ like in operation, just slightly tacky in fact. If you are going to make a pedal at Rolls Royce prices it has to feel and operate like one too. I could not get the spring setting light enough. After adjusting the spring tension knob to the point that it was hanging on by about two screw threads the spring was still too tight so I angled the footboard and moved the beater angle closer to the drum head, but this did not help. It felt tighter and harder - by far - than the FP-9500C ding a side-by-side test just pushing them both with my fingers and then putting them both onto my kick drum pad. I also found (and I’ve read about other people complaining about this) that the beater angle drum key adjuster keeps working loose and this happened to me after just 10 minutes of playing. I tightened it as tight as I could by putting a cloth over the drum key and using a monkey wrench to get a good tight lock on it, but that whole mechanism just didn’t feel right to me with the metal block behind it. Bad design for a motorcycle company and this pedal comes out of the same factory.

After faffing around with the many settings for beater angle, footboard height, cam adjustment (3 positions) and spring I could not get this pedal to feel light and whippy, nowhere near as good as my Yamaha FP-9500C. Also, the footboard felt sort of sticky. It gripes like hell to rubber trainer soles, which makes sliding on it hard. I suspect it would be great with socks on though with the mirror shiny finish. Anyway, disappointed in the FP9C and even the salesman (a drummer) says he did not like it and none of his drummer friends did either. Dave Weckl doesn’t even use it, he sticks with his FP-9500C, but replaces the chain with the strap, but this is only die to an old injury on his right knee. Yamaha FP9C went back for a refund.

Out of curiosity (because my drum teacher owns two and I find them easy to play) I went to my local store and tried out a Mapex P600, which only cost £65. Holding it in the hand and shaking it around it felt a tad rattly, like the Tama Speed Cobra HP910L, no more, or no less, about the same. Playing the Mapex P600 was really nice. It was easy to set the spring to a nice light whippy action making double-kicks easy and I would have bought it but the reason I didn’t was because of the way it attaches to the drum hoop, or in my case, the Roland KD-10. The The Mapex pedal does not stay fixed to the KD-10. There is an adjuster where the metal top part of the pedal that goes over the loop can be moved back and forth, but even in its furthest forward position as soon as the tightening knob reaches a certain torque it just pushes itself forward towards your and off the KD-10. I suspect, if I took a hammer and hammered flat a 2-inch section of my KD-10 where the pedal attaches, it would stay there, but I did not want to butcher my KD-10 and thus I decided to leave the Mapex P600 pedal - shame.

The salesman at my local store (after listening to my requirements of a speedy whippy pedal for fast double-kicks) recommended the Tama Dyna-Sync, but this is direct drive and my foot uplift is not the most rapid so I would hinder the return of this pedal and thus I suspect it would screw up my technique so that is out too.

The only pedal left for me to potentially try is a DW 5000 XF (Extended Footboard). This looks really nice, but the the only thing putting me off this pedal is the DW 5000 logo cut into the board, which might make my bare-foot practice a bit. Painful and the heal rest looks like it would take the skin off a crocodile.

So, I have to see if I can get my local dealer to get the DW 5000 XF and the Tama Dyna-Sync into store so I can sit on the V-drum kit with them both for an hour to see how they fair up.

Ok, guys, that’s it, my feedback on some decent pedals. For now, I’m sticking with my Yamaha FP-9500C, with the chain on but at some point in the future I’ll certainly be trying the DW 5000 XF version and the Tama Dyne-Sync.

Hope anybody looking for a decent pedal could take something away from this post.
 
Excellent review.
I'm a DW5000 guy myself & agree with the cheese grater heel plate and footboard concern. I will say that as a barefoot player, it's not as bad as you think & even better with soled shoes. ;)
 
A very comprehensive review of those pedals indeed, but all I ever hear from one of my FB groups (and particularly the death metal guys who are into this kind of thing) is "Czarcie Kopyto this and ACD Darwin that".

Have never (and probably will never) play these pedals but according to these guys they're the holy grail of double bass.
 
1. Try a Trick or Axis longboard

2. Practice. If your technique is solid, you can play on any pedal
Definitely with you on the practicing of technique, Push and I've been working on my heel/toe technique to improve speed, which is working.

As for Trick and Axis longboard, don't like latter as I like a heel rest as sometimes I play heel down for gentle stuff. Trick, well, I'm in the UK and Trick USA told me there is a one-year wait anywhere int he world now. I get the impression that Trick are a small company building pedals out of a back yard somewhere and thus don't manufacture in great numbers. Also, again, don't like the longboard Trick, but the regular one would be worth a try if I could find a dealer that had one.
 
I've been very happy with my new Tama Dynasync:


 
Dude, went on a journey like that myself these last few years. Started on a janky OG DW5000 double (angled slave beater), Pearl 100s once I got twin kicks, then IC PGs & a Eliminator double for versatility. Over 15 yrs ago, I got bit by the Axis Longboard bug & thought they'd be all I'd ever need, but from the get-go was let down slightly by their famed "lack of power". I dug them though, did everything I needed & even let to me developing doubles out of my sloppy foot technique. Years went on, a little play in the heel, slack in the shaft, a series of projects across a variety of styles failing to launch & no wonder i fell out of love with them. I began to reconsider what I liked about various pedals & had a desire to go low-tech. I picked up a Camco double but found I HATED it, not a fan of its legendary chain & sprocket.

What I did next, I recommend everyone consider: most pedals' hex shafts are a standard size, so drive types are exchangable. I ordered a pair of Tama Flexi Flyers, cannibalized the strap drives & Frankensteined them onto the Camco. Freaking LOVED it, could pull off everything I could on my Axes, albeit with a noticeable difference in effort. The straps seemed short on them, getting the boards steep, which is a must-have for me, since I also like my beaters way back. I felt like I wanted more along these lines so I began to consider Iron Cobras, got screwed on a brand new set at the local shop one day (call ahead if you think you want something, people) & wound up ordering a used Speed Cobra that I absolutely hated until I pulled the boards way up & switched the chain to strap & only then found it passable.

I then fell back in love with Axis, realizing I could swap Longboards for short, my drive for an updated A21, microtuners if I wanted (I play WAY lower spring tension than before) & most important, pickup a Trick/ACD shaft to fix the slack side. With other pedals, a strap drive (beaters back, boards up) gives me the action Im mostly used to at a lower price point. Learned to drop my heels off the inside edge of my pedals for meatier doubles, but I mostly play off the back, foot half on board. I wear US size13s & found the selling point of a longboard to be misrepresented by and large. The biggest thing I like about Axis is the hinge being underneath, rather than Tama's long pedal, better leverage.
 
Definitely with you on the practicing of technique, Push and I've been working on my heel/toe technique to improve speed, which is working.

As for Trick and Axis longboard, don't like latter as I like a heel rest as sometimes I play heel down for gentle stuff. Trick, well, I'm in the UK and Trick USA told me there is a one-year wait anywhere int he world now. I get the impression that Trick are a small company building pedals out of a back yard somewhere and thus don't manufacture in great numbers. Also, again, don't like the longboard Trick, but the regular one would be worth a try if I could find a dealer that had one.
I'm entirely biased but would highly recommend Czarcie Kopyto. I'm from the UK too and was initially looking at Trick pedals. It seems like for many players: USA = Trick, Europe = Czarcie Kopyto. They are amazing pieces of precision engineering. I don't think I own anything else as well made as these pedals! Great communication with Wladyslaw throughout as we figured out the custom engraving (another nice touch with Czarcie Kopyto!).
 
I have a speed cobra double and really like it but as mentioned it does seem kind of cheap and rickety in a couple of areas however it's always performed really good. I think that have owned it over 5 years now.
 
I wish I would have kept my 9500c. I liked it way more than the 9500d. I’ve gone through a ton of pedals including those models mentioned by OP as well as Axis short and long A and X, DW 9000 and Mapex Falcon. The 9500c and Falcon were very similar in feel. I’m currently on the Flying Dragon chain model converted to strap and don’t see me changing anytime soon.

Not much difference if feel between the 9500c and Flying Dragon, but I like the options on the Flying Dragon better.

To me, Yamaha totally complicated the new FP9C pedal. I’ve tried to like that one, but it’s just not as responsive as the old pedal. My backup pedals are FP8210 and 7210. All three are excellent.
 
Jamiethechf, the czarciekopyto stuff (especially the new red ones) look incredibly well engineered. They seem custom made and shipped straight from the factory from what I can gather from their website.

Nielage, I would like to try the Dynamic-Sync if my local store ever gets one in.
 
The fp8500c has a longer footboard than the 9500. Same length as the fp9 but not as wide. Pretty much the same pedal as the fp9500 except it doesn’t have separate beater angle and pedal board adjustment, meaning that adjusting the beater angle will also adjust the footboard angle. I don’t really think it’s much of a drawback. Also it comes with a traditional round beater.
 
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The fp8500c has a longer footboard than the 9500. Same length as the fp9 but not as wide.
You sure, pedal board looks identical to my 9500 and I can't see why Yamaha would design another board for this pedal? Can't find specs on board length anywhere online.
 
You sure, pedal board looks identical to my 9500 and I can't see why Yamaha would design another board for this pedal? Can't find specs on board length anywhere online.
1662387226858.jpegThe 8500 is definitely longer. Has a totally different feel than the 9500 because of it. For me, it lacks power as does the new FP9. I’ve generally struggled with the longer footboard pedals, except for the Mapex Falcon. That footboard is just as long, but one of my favorite pedals with no lack of power like I felt with the other longboard pedals. I’m sure it’s a technique issue and why some love the longer pedals and others lack me can’t manage them.

Usually with a longer lever you get more leverage, but it sure didn’t feel that way for me. The main reason why it’s tough to recommend the “best” pedal. There seems to be more variables involved than finding the perfect shoes.
 
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Ah, yes, looks like that footboard is longer. I just looked on the Yamaha site. I'm not sure what other pedal they are comparing the 8500c to on the left on the photo though? Unless just for illustrative purposes. So that's another pedal I have to get my hands on to try, though the 9500 is starting to feel like home now, especially with my new Roc N Soc round seat on Gibraltar stand ;)
 
I've been very happy with my new Tama Dynasync:


I had the same journey when I decided 3 years ago to find a pedal for me, with my equina chord syndrom which means I have no connection to my calf, wel, very few, I cannot stand on my toes. So, I neede a pedal tang will help me a lot with speed and force, whether I place my foot perfectly or not due also to the fact that my foot is turning a little inside. The only one that brought that requirements to me was the Tama Dynasync, same thing with the hat.
Also, thanks a lot for the review for the review of the Yamaha fp9c, Imwas thinking to buy one to try but I don't think I will now. Also, I love the look but that's still a small feature compared to the rest.
 
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