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Thread: Off-set pedal review

  1. #1

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    Default Off-set pedal review

    I have been playing on my new Offset-double pedal for over a month now and couldn't be happier with my choice. Delivered to my door under $400!!
    There's the short story. Now for the real info...
    I was first taken with the heft of the components as I unpacked the box. There is almost no plastic on this thing. All the posts are solid steel with double horizontial supports.
    I had to follow the instructions really freakin' carefully while assembling the first pedal but then it all made sense and I flew through the second one. From box to kick was under 15 minutes.
    I started off by trying to match the right foot's feel to my old Yamaha pedal (that I had just retired after 28 years of solid service). That took the better part of about an hour and then I did some more fine tuning for about a week after. Haven't touched it since.
    The left foot was not so simple. This is my first time playing double, so I had no idea what my left foot might need for settings. I matched the two pedals at first, but that didn't feel right. I have tried alot of different settings (alot) and find that my left foot wants a looser setting than my right. (That will probably change as I get used to this thing being there at all. The hardest thing to get used to is the idea that I suck at double bass drumming. It's a bigger challenge than I thought to learn a new technique after 33 years behind a single pedal kit.)
    As I fiddled with these pedals, I absolutely marveled at the level of adjustability. With four springs to play with, seperate beater angles, pedal heights, cam position (turned out to be the most dramatic change in response and the magic "Ah-ha" for my right foot!), distance from the beaters to the pedal, and sliding beater weights, I cannot imagine anyone not being able to find a way to adjust this pedal to their liking. The beaters have a plastic and felt side for different attacks, too.
    I checked out DW, Pearl, Mapex, Dixon, Axis, Tama, Sleishman, and Gibralter pedals. Some of them had as many adjustment options, but none of them had more, and most of them carried a considerably larger price tag. The Pearl double pedal goes for nearly twice as much as the Off-set! I played the Demon drive double pedal for about a half hour in the local shop and the Offset is just as smooth and solid feeling. It also happens to have really long and wide pedals with a sweet spot the size of Cleveland. (Yeah, Cleveland!)
    The other factor that pushed me to the Off-set was the ergonomic changes it brought to my kit. As you can see in the pics, this thing puts you, your kick, and your snare in a nice straight line with hats and ride snuggled right up close and floor toms more accesible due to less twisting required to reach them. I have never felt this comfortable. If you go to the Off-set site, there is a great diagram that illustrates this even better. There are also single pedal versions of the pedal for either foot which has potential for changing the ergonomics of a single pedal kit or adding aux percussion, too.
    The only way I could see this aspect as a down-side is if you put your toms on a stand next to your kick. You would need to either mount them on seperate stands on either side of the kick or get a rack to go over the kick.
    My double pedal came with a HH stand as part of a promotional giveaway. I want to mention that this thing is a beast as well. It is the heaviest, most solid standing HH stand I have ever owned, which is saying something because, unlike my choice in kick pedals, I never could find a HH stand that I really liked, and could readily afford!! I think I have been through 6 or 7 of them before this one. It has a great tension adjustment that can make really fine changes to your HH response. The legs rotate to accomodate a double pedal quite nicely. If Mr Fisher is still offering them on the Offset site, I fully endorse them as well. They usually go for about $170, I think.
    Speaking of Mr Fisher, he is the inventor and owner of the company and the man who answered the phone when I called with my insipid questions. He was patient and kind to me and went out of his way to make sure that I was well informed about this product since I could not try one before pulling the trigger. The product is fully guaranteed, but I will not be returning mine. This may be the last double pedal and HH stand that I buy ever. Unless I get another kit...

    The pics!!!






    I hope this was helpful to someone out there. I hate to type!
    Proudly playing:
    Doc Sweeney Drums
    A bunch of snares
    A bunch of cymbals

    Off-Set double pedals

    I think I love to play the drums simply because you get to hit 'em!!!

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Off-set pedal review

    Great review Johnny G. I have been awaiting your thoughts. I hope to try one out soon. Might have to get a set. F/T

  3. #3

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    Nice review, Jonny G. I just want to throw in that the Off Set pedal is not the only one of its kind. The first one (as far as I know) who came up with the idea of a middle pedal was Sleishman. His pedal looks very "spacey", check it out on the web. Sonor introduced a middle pedal in the Giant step series some years ago which is pretty much the same configuration as he Off Set pedal.

  4. #4

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    Good review Johnny. Thanks for your thoughts!
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  5. #5

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    That looks too wierd, but i bet it feels good to play that way.
    cool reveiw.



    Official cowbell hater.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Off-set pedal review

    Quote Originally Posted by Trommler View Post
    Nice review, Jonny G. I just want to throw in that the Off Set pedal is not the only one of its kind. The first one (as far as I know) who came up with the idea of a middle pedal was Sleishman. His pedal looks very "spacey", check it out on the web. Sonor introduced a middle pedal in the Giant step series some years ago which is pretty much the same configuration as he Off Set pedal.
    The only problem with the Sonor Giant Step Middle pedal is that it goes for about $1000!!! I expect a full body massage and T-shirt with it at that price.

    The Sleishman is very very smooth and only about $100 more than the Off-set, but it is not quite as adjustable. That is why I went Off-set and not Sleishman. Otherwise, they are the same concept. I played the Sleishman and loved it, too.
    The fact that I got in on the HH stand giveaway was also a big deciding factor because my HH stand was all but dead. I had duct tape and eletrical tape holding her together!
    Proudly playing:
    Doc Sweeney Drums
    A bunch of snares
    A bunch of cymbals

    Off-Set double pedals

    I think I love to play the drums simply because you get to hit 'em!!!

  7. #7

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    Geez, I just checked a German site and the Sonor middle pedal sells for over 1000 Euros over there too. For that money you should be entitled to a free massage after each playing. That's a shocking prize. I have a Sonor Giant Beat that I bought when I was living in Germany. It's a good pedal and wasn't that expensive either. But I must say I like the Pearl Eliminators better.

  8. #8

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    Great write up Johnny G! Thanks man! I've been after the perfect kick drum/pedal set up vs perfect HH/rack tom set up and due to my God given body (short legs, long torso, short reach) and you may have lead me to a solution.

    After studying the pics of your new pedal and comparing the linkage between my DW5000A double slave pedal, I have come to some of my own conclusions on why my slave pedal always feels so "numb" compared to the right master pedal, it's the linkage bar.



    For me, the linkage and distance between the pedals kind of "kills" the power and leverage I want in a bass drum pedal. This has been my only gripe about the feel of double bass pedals (the slave linkage). For me to add a second linkage bar on the master pedal to allow for better bass drum/tom position may replicate my concerns I have with double bass pedals in general, but until I actually sit down and play this pedal, I'll reserve my judgement and hope I won't be dissapointed.

    Thanks again for taking the time to write. I know you rather be playing your drums.
    Last edited by late8; 10-19-2010 at 11:02 AM.

  9. #9

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    Nice review and nice STILL pics. Many people like STILL PICS as they tell more of the story than the written words can convey alone. Yes, STILL PICS are almost the best thing you can include with a review. Yep, love them STILL PICS...


    ...of course there are a very few out there that might enjoy a VIDEO a bit more than STILL PICS...


    Hmmmm, I had a hint here a minute ago...must have dropped it somewhere...

  10. #10

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    xsabers-Since you're a fellow Sonor guy, I had to accomodate...

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFs510cQ_3Y"]YouTube - Off set Pedal video tour[/ame]

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU_U2PQhoMs"]YouTube - John Giambalvo First video playing Off set double pedal[/ame]

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8Jtki_EiMo"]YouTube - John Giambalvo First video playing Off set double pedal 2[/ame]

    Not my best playing by a long shot, but I do love my new Off-set pedal!!!
    Proudly playing:
    Doc Sweeney Drums
    A bunch of snares
    A bunch of cymbals

    Off-Set double pedals

    I think I love to play the drums simply because you get to hit 'em!!!

  11. #11

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    Thanks for the video JohnnyG! The double bass stuff sounded pretty good!

  12. #12

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    LOVE IT!!!!

    Yeah dude, in a year you are going to be a MONSTER on those things. I'm calling it now...

  13. #13

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    Thanks for the feedback and confidence. I am working it most days so improvement should be evident with time. Some days I feel like I'm gettin it and some days...not so much. Those days I just forget about the double for a while a play some single stuff and that gets my blood flowing and then I maybe move my left foot over again. Maybe not. I am in no hurry to learn anything in particular so I'm not too hard on myself. It has opened up a lot of doors I can tell already.
    I am also really enjoying the new HH stand. The improved response is fun. Kind of like gaining some sounds that I couldn't get out of my old stands. I find HH is kind of under-discussed in general.
    Proudly playing:
    Doc Sweeney Drums
    A bunch of snares
    A bunch of cymbals

    Off-Set double pedals

    I think I love to play the drums simply because you get to hit 'em!!!

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by xsabers View Post
    LOVE IT!!!!

    Yeah dude, in a year you are going to be a MONSTER on those things. I'm calling it now...
    +1

    I'm with xsabers on this. He's making the right call. Keep it up and enjoy!

  15. #15

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    Try playing some of your single patterns using the left foot only. It's a good way to isolate it and improve the individual limb technique.

  16. #16

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    Thank you. I love the simplicity of that idea. Tomorrow, I give that a try, unless I find time to play some more today, of course.
    Proudly playing:
    Doc Sweeney Drums
    A bunch of snares
    A bunch of cymbals

    Off-Set double pedals

    I think I love to play the drums simply because you get to hit 'em!!!

  17. #17

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    Good review and good videos. Thanks for sharing!

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