14" and 16" hanging toms love them, played floor tom with legs for 30 some years and the hanging toms just sound better using Aquarian Performance 2 heads.
Jim
Do you have a preference? what are some of the advantages and disadvantages to both. Has anyone ever tried a hanging one and hated it?
I have always played a FT with legs and just hate the idea of a big 16 x 16 FT hanging from a cymbal stand but I really cannot say why.
I am currently looking for a used DW (I missed Cabasners by a few months ) and am finding quite a bit of 16" hanging toms. Most of the best deals seem to have hanging ft's?
Ludwig Classic Maple 22x16,10x8,12x9,16x16
7" Moon Gel Practice Pad
Sabian HHX Legacy
Decide whether this is love for the craft or simply an ego thing
http://www.redskymary.com/ NOT MY BAND, JUST A GREAT LOCAL BAND WHO SHOULD BE SOOO MUCH BIGGER IMO
14" and 16" hanging toms love them, played floor tom with legs for 30 some years and the hanging toms just sound better using Aquarian Performance 2 heads.
Jim
Premier XPK Drums
10, 12, 13, 14, 16 Suspended toms
22 bass drum
5 x 14 snare
Premier Hardware
Offset Double Pedal
Sabian, Meniel cymbals
Tama Metalworks 6.5 x 14" Black Nickel snare
Ahead Drum Cases
I've selected 'with legs'. Its because it is what I'm used to - I have no experience of hanging floor toms. I'd feel comfortable with a 14" FT but a 16 (and especially an 18) would make me feel nervous. However I'm aware that hanging FTs have been around for years and some claim they give better resonance. Also Spaz recently converted his FTs to hanging to speed up set up/break down time. If I saw a shell pack for sale I would be more interested in wood type and shell sizes than if the toms were on legs or suspended.
The only bug bear for me would be my current cases would probably be too tight - I recently bought a Premier set with Rims style mounts on the hanging toms and my cases are too small, I have bags that work (just) but they are pretty tight so I need 2 replacements.
Crispy what kind of Premier set do you have, I'm currently playing an early 90's 7 piece XPK with deep toms all of which are suspended.
Jim
Premier XPK Drums
10, 12, 13, 14, 16 Suspended toms
22 bass drum
5 x 14 snare
Premier Hardware
Offset Double Pedal
Sabian, Meniel cymbals
Tama Metalworks 6.5 x 14" Black Nickel snare
Ahead Drum Cases
Its a newer type Artist Birch 22 fusion set. My 14x14 FT is on legs but I have seen several with suspended FTs. I chose mine because of colour scheme and distance rather than FT arrangement (didn't have to travel half way across the country to collect it - only 15 miles away!)
I am currently playing a configuration of one-up, two-down (and loving it).
Included in the two floor toms, I have one hanging and one on traditional legs.
Since they both sound awesome, I am indifferent.
The smaller floor tom (which is hanging) is actually an oversized (13X15) rack tom that works best as a floor tom.............hangs by using one of those great TAMA clamps (see photo below).
The larger floor tom on legs, is a traditional 16X18 and my rack tom is a virgin 9X13 sitting in a snare stand.
Last edited by Ricardo; 06-01-2015 at 08:18 AM.
Gretsch USA & Zildjian(What Else Would I Ever Need ?)
Ludwig Classic Maple 22x16,10x8,12x9,16x16
7" Moon Gel Practice Pad
Sabian HHX Legacy
Decide whether this is love for the craft or simply an ego thing
http://www.redskymary.com/ NOT MY BAND, JUST A GREAT LOCAL BAND WHO SHOULD BE SOOO MUCH BIGGER IMO
Legs, for no other reason than that is all I've ever had and I had a suspended ride tom and didn't really care for it.
Always had floor toms exclusively.
Just did.
Signature here
I also like having a floor tom with legs because I think you can have more freedom with placement. You aren't dependent on that cymbal stand or rack or tom stand to hold up the floor tom. You could move a floor tom with legs anywhere on the kit and not have to change anything else.
Happy Drumming!
IS15
I've owned both styles, and prefer FTs with legs - even though the suspended toms (14 &16) were a bit more resonant. One thing I did like about the suspended floor toms, though, is that they "give" when hit much like a mounted hi tom. That makes the set feel more consistent around the toms. I had a chance once to play a kit that had not only suspended toms, but a suspended snare, too, and that was a real pleasure to play. I noticed immediately that considerably less shock was being transmitted back into my hands when playing the suspended snare as it gave just a tiny bit when hit.
GeeDeeEmm
I just swapped out my 14" and 16" and I could tell a difference. It also made setup for me 10x faster which I absolutely love.
Last edited by MDK; 06-01-2015 at 01:35 PM.
Ludwig Classic Maple 22x16,10x8,12x9,16x16
7" Moon Gel Practice Pad
Sabian HHX Legacy
Decide whether this is love for the craft or simply an ego thing
http://www.redskymary.com/ NOT MY BAND, JUST A GREAT LOCAL BAND WHO SHOULD BE SOOO MUCH BIGGER IMO
I've always owned kits that have floor toms.
I've done it both ways. But the main reason I use legs is because it it easier to get the last little placement adjustment using legs for me . Otherwise you have to move a heavier stand with the drum and a cymbal attached.
_____________________________________________
Ayotte Custom "Ray Era" w/Wood Hoops Copper Sparkle (10,12,14,16, 20)
DW Rack
1964 Ludwig Downbeat Black Diamond Pearl (12,13,14,16,20)
ALL of its Original Hardware
Ludwig Stainless Steel "Bop" (12,14,18)
Ludwig 1947 Standard Deluxe w/Art Gold hardware 3ply Maple 6.5 x 14
Ludwig 1959 LM470 Auditorium 3ply Mahogany 6.5 x 14
Ludwig 1959 LM908P Jazz Festival 3ply Mahogany 5.5 x 14
Ludwig 1964 LM400 Supraphonic 5 x 14
Ludwig 1968 LM410 Super Sensitive 5 x 14
Ludwig 1969 LM404 Acrolite 5 x 14
Ludwig 1976 LM400 Supraphonic 5 x 14
Ludwig 1977 LM401 Lacquered Brass Supraphonic 5 x 14
Ludwig 1978 LM405 NYC Bd of Ed Acrolite w/factory Imperial Lugs 6.5 x 14
Ludwig 1984 LB552 75th Anniversary Engraved Bronze 6.5 x 14
Ludwig 1990s LM404 Black Galaxy Acrolite 10 Lug w/Silver Monroe Keystone 5 x 14
Ludwig 2010 LB417BT Engraved Black Beauty 6.5 x 14
Ludwig 2017 LB402B COB Supraphonic 6.5 x 14
Ludwig 2020 LC662KTC Hammered Copperphonic w/all Copper Hardware 6.5 x 14
DW Collectors 3mm Cast Bell Brass 5.5 x 14
DW/Craviotto 2000 Steam Bent Solid Cherry 5.5 x 14
Zildjian As and A Customs
I too have done it both ways and am indifferent ... I like 'em both. I used a single hanging 13x15 floor tom for about 10 years before converting it to legs with memory locks a few years back and now prefer this setup for simplicity, stability, and placement. Looks like I've come full circle ...
I've found that as a drum gets bigger, the resonance increases. If you have a rack tom suspended and a floor tom with legs, it balances out the resonance, so your floor tom isn't resonating longer than your rack tom. I use a 16" with legs.
Ludwig Classic Maple 22x16,10x8,12x9,16x16
7" Moon Gel Practice Pad
Sabian HHX Legacy
Decide whether this is love for the craft or simply an ego thing
http://www.redskymary.com/ NOT MY BAND, JUST A GREAT LOCAL BAND WHO SHOULD BE SOOO MUCH BIGGER IMO
I have 2 hanging floor toms and I would prefer legs. Positioning is easier with legs IMO.
I have a 16x13 hanging tom, which is difficult to get as low as what I'd like it on the stock stand. Even though I'm 6'4", I'm seemingly going back in time, when I used to play my Stewart kit that has a 16x16 floor tom.....its the only kit I have with a floor tom.....
I've used both..........doesn't really make much of a difference IMO
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