The best three drum pedals of all time.

Skilas

Member
It's about the best three single pedals you know. Please give a brief explanation.

Here are my favorites
Speed King: simplicity, elegance and above all the feeling
Rogers Supreme(Big R): The master of adjustment
Sonor Phonic: The indestructible
 
Good topic!

I guess you could break it down into two sub-categories:

Most Popular/Widely Used Pedals of All Time and My Favorite Pedals of All Time. Here are mine:

Most Popular/Widely Used (not necessarily with me):
1. Speed King
2. DW 5000 (the classic or basic, whatever they call it)
3. Tama Iron Cobra

My favorites:
1. Yamaha Flying Dragon Direct Drive (2000's)
2. Tama Camco (80's/Early 90's)
3. Yamaha Strap Drive (90's/2000's)
 
I guess you could break it down into two sub-categories:

Most Popular/Widely Used Pedals of All Time and My Favorite Pedals of All Time.
The idea is not bad but nobody has exact numbers. Modern pedals would have clear advantages. In the end it is also subjective and not objective. So I think it is better to stick to the subjective assessment. If you want, you can of course do both.
 
The one most successful design is the Gretsch Floating Action, which became the Camco, which became the DW 5000, which became ~95% of pedals on the market. I forget if there was another model using that mechanism before the GFA. All the others are kind of tied for last, if popularity is any guide.
 
My personal top 3 :
- Yamaha FP8500C because it's simply the most natural feeling bd pedal I've ever tried and owned (and I've tried hundreds !)
- Tama Camco (80s model); simplicity at it's finest which gives it a light feel (I'd tie it with the original DW5000 single chain, no foot board)
- Tama King Beat strap drive (or is it the imperialstar strap drive ?). A non-drummer friend of mine had it in a junk pile he was going to sell at a yard sale and just gave it to me. Never seen a pedal like it and was curious. The smooth feeling and control you get is awesome !

This is all personal preference, of course ✌
 
Early playing days, Ghost Pedal, loved that thing.
Middle days, DW 5000 Dual chain,
Currently using Pearl Redline Eliminator strap drive.
 
The one most successful design is the Gretsch Floating Action, which became the Camco, which became the DW 5000, which became ~95% of pedals on the market. I forget if there was another model using that mechanism before the GFA. All the others are kind of tied for last, if popularity is any guide.

The precursor to the Floating Action was the Martin Fleetfoot.

Martin-Fleetfoot-Pedal.jpg
 
The one most successful design is the Gretsch Floating Action, which became the Camco, which became the DW 5000, which became ~95% of pedals on the market.
From Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge:

In 1977, Drum Workshop (DW) and Hoshino Gakki (the parent company of Tama Drums) jointly purchased Camco's assets. DW would receive Camco's inventory and manufacturing equipment, while Tama would receive the Camco name, the original design blueprints, and engineering rights.
Tama briefly used the Camco name in the late 1970s for so-called Tama/Camco drum kits which varied between US-made Camco shells and sometimes Japanese-made shells with a rounded lug similar, though not the same, as the Camco lugs. They also produced, more famously, a "Camco by Tama" bass drum pedal which utilised Frank Ippolito's modified-Camco chain-drive pedal drive and this design has since become an industry standard for most bass drum pedals. Tama re-issued the now classic pedal in 2011. Drum Workshop adopted George Way's original round lug design with virtually no change and uses the iconic lugs to this day.[1]
 
1. Camco chain drive
2. Speed King
3. DW 5000

Although, I've loved strings of Pearl, Tama, Yamaha, and several others in the last couple of decades that have served me well. The only one I've encountered that was simply unlivable was a yellow Mapex of some sort that I tried to use. Otherwise, we are spoiled with great pedals from all the majors. It's a good time to be a drummer!

GeeDeeEmm
 
Good topic!
1. Speed King
2. DW 5000 (the classic or basic, whatever they call it)
3. Tama Iron Cobra

These 3 all day. I do like the engineering concept of the Drumnetics pedal, but the price is a turn off.
 
Another vote for the Rogers Big R Supreme pedal, I purchased one when they first came out and I was amazed at how feature rich and advanced this pedal was compared to most of the pedals made at the time. It was built like a tank and felt great to play. I loved the height adjustable post so you could adjust the pedal to fit various bass drums.

Two others that I really like ( not vintage)
The Sonor Perfect Balance Pedal ( both original and standard models )_ smooth as silk and very responsive and quick. They feel like they are a party of your foot. I tend to like lighter feeling pedals .

The Second is the Axis A21 Laser Pedal - I love direct drive and strap pedals ( hate chain drive pedals) , this pedal has the Variable drive which allows you to tailor the feel of the pedal exactly the way you want. It also is a longboard with a wider heel which allows you to place your foot diaonally across the pedal but still maintain contact. Aircraft grade aluminum .A superb pedal.
 
Axis A Longboard: Revolutionized double bass playing with it's adjustable direct drive and longboard.

Pearl Eliminator: This pedal can do anything from straight ahead to heel-toe doubles

ACD Darwin (Now called FTW): Frankly, the best pedal in the world. From short to longboard, strap with adjustable cams to direct drive. Superb engineering and machining. Can be dialed in to feel like anything you like. Unique spring positioning allows lower spring tension while still retaining quick action.

I endorse them for a reason.
 
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I only have two favorites. The Speed King and the DW 7000. Both have served me well over the years.
 
I've used (and liked) Speed King and DW 5000 pedals but my all-time favourite remains the Yamaha Flying Dragon.
 
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