Mounting Toms

[JazzyDrummer]

Hey Guys!

I've been wanting to mount my toms onto cymbal stands for some time now, but my kit is from the 70's and the mounts of the toms are not like any I've ever seen. So I was looking to put suspension mounts on them. Do you have and suggestions of what to use? I have been looking at the pearl optimounts but I wanna get some advice before I pull the trigger.

[Kazaamski]

Without seeing your kit, would this help?
I wouldn't switch over to RIMS style mounts. I don't think its good price/sound ratio. You'll spend some coin for not much improvement. And besides, part of what gives your classic drums that classic sound is the mounting hardware.

[Constinator25]

without seeing your kit, would this help?
i wouldn't switch over to rims style mounts. I don't think its good price/sound ratio. You'll spend some coin for not much improvement. And besides, part of what gives your classic drums that classic sound is the mounting hardware.

+1

[Pearl MCX Man]

Pearl Optimount are a good choice cause they fit on any drum not sure if only Pearls. They are easy to install by taking off only 2 tension rods from top and bottom lugs. Make sure you specify size of drums because they come in different sizes. I have them and love them. The mounts only touch the tension rods not the shell so this does not affect the sound of your drums.

[MrB]

I wouldn't switch over to RIMS style mounts. I don't think its good price/sound ratio. You'll spend some coin for not much improvement.

I respectfully disagree, although I can only speak from my personal experience and what sounds good to my ears. Most criticism I have heard or seen about the RIMS style mounts concerns the look or the added springiness. As far as sonic improvement, they were just what the doctor ordered for my kit and my teacher's (his Recording Customs). They are quite popular, so I'd check them out at a local shop if feasible. If you are lucky to have a decent shop, call ahead and see if you can bring your tom in and try the mount out.

I've been very interested in the most effective way to mount a tom to maximize resonance, sustain, and create the least stress on the shell, and have read up on the subject for the past three years. The best system I have seen is the Sleishmann/ Pearl Free Floater, but to be practical I'm drawn to the one Noble & Cooley offers; unless you have double-ended lugs such as you'd find on a shallow snare (doubtful), then the next best would be the DW STM, followed by:
-RIMS/Gibraltar version
-Tama
-GMS
-Gretsch
-then Mapex/Ayotte (all good systems), then YESS (old),
-directly mounting the hardware to the shell, and lastly
-the ghastly Pearl ISS (this is the only suspension system I'd truly avoid).

I replaced the first generation YESS mounts on my Maple Custom Absolutes with the Gibraltar brand-RIMS (TSS? ISS?) and I was very satisfied with the improvement. The only drawback for me was that the head detunes a bit unevenly.

The Pearl Optimount only suspendeds the tom from two lugs. Basic physics- distribute the load over a wider surface area, and the more diffuse the effect will be. The Optimount, which may still suit your needs, concentrates the load on two lugs rather than the four the RIMS-style does. Grasping the bottom two lugs helps hold it straight, but does not bear much of the drum's weight, unless you've shortened the span so that the drum is resting on the bracket rather than hanging from it.

The Optimount is fairly easy to come by, as is the RIMS. Try both out and decide for yourself.

[Kazaamski]

On yamahas, I can see RIMS being better than the YESS. But to my original point, the YESS helps make Yamahas sound like Yamahas. Back to the original topic, if his mounting system looks like This where a 3/4" pipe is puncturing the drum I don't think the sound quality will improve much, because there will be a big hole in the side of the drum. I had the previous generation of that set. My toms sounded no "better" off the tom arm than on. If he has a mounting style similar to this tom mounting, there could be some improvement. But will it be leaps and bounds? Maybe. Maybe not.
I can speak about the floor tom RIMS. They suck. My RMV kit came with RIMS on the floor toms. Just a PITA. RIMS were heavier than the drum. Made the drum unwieldy when carrying/moving/repostioning

[MrB]

Regarding the first, I also use the system on my older Stage Custom kit, where the hex arm penetrates the shell. This opens up five new vent holes, the center being larger to permit the hex arm through, and I'd call it an improvement. On an unrelated note, I also removed the entire tom mount assembly from the bass drum of this kit, with a leaving a vent hole similar to what you'd encounter with his Slingerlands, if not larger. The front head is also ported, and I love the dry punch it has now.

Venting isn't something to fear, and in this instance, you aren't drilling more holes in the shell. One can always return one system to try the other.

Curious about the floor tom- you are referring to the cradle style, yes?

[Kazaamski]

About the floor toms, yeah, they were cradled. And I did not like them one bit. Partly cause I would forget about them when changing heads, partly because of added weight, and partly cause I just thought they were dumb. The cradle also made it all but impossible to fit the floor toms into cases. It looked cool in the brochure, but once I got it, I found it to be a pain. Honestly, I feel really spoiled by my DW's . No need to line up some RIMS style mounting hardware with the lugs.

[MrB]

The STM mounts for the rack toms are quite nice and well thought-out, as unlike the Gauger-style they don't exert force on the rim. I had one person complain that they exerted perpendicular force to his tension rods, but I chalked that up to one person being a doofus, or hanging it at an unusually extreme angle.