Gretsch Tom mounting problem

[spikeithard]

Gotta disagree with you on this one, Sig. Spider is right - and that's why they are called "memory locks." You've been around long enough to remember that when Rogers ("Memri-Loc") and other companies first introduced advanced locking features, the advertising emphasis was on the "set it, forget it" advantages - even though the Rogers system would not function at all without the lock in place on the tube. You can go back to the original advertising of Pearl, Ludwig, Tama - in fact, all the majors - and see that the purpose of the memory locks was to speed set up. In fact, most mounting systems, then and now, function just fine without the memory locks in place.

Now, in addition to the aforementioned Rogers system (which emphasized in the 1983 catalog not only the memory advantage, but that the clamp "eliminates slippage"), a number of companies have made the memory locks an actual part of the tom/leg receiver so that the memory lock does partially function as a stabilizing element. The beautifully-designed Tama Starclassic design comes immediately to mind.



But even on this design, along with most of the memory lock "ring" systems, the tom or leg receiver alone is typically sufficient to keep fixtures snugly in place, with the memory lock in place or not. I've been using my PDP tom brackets without memory locks since 2000, the year I bought them, and have yet to experience a single slippage. My experience with other drums have been the same.

The fact that the OP's Gretsch bracket refuses to lock his tom(s) in place on the L-rod indicates yet another deficiency in the design. If this bracket was working properly, he should be able to toss the memory lock altogether and still expect his toms to keep their setting. If I were the OP, I'd be contacting Gretsch again.

GeeDeeEmm

your right.. you would think the t screw alone would be enough to keep the tom from swiveling but it doesnt.

[slinglander]

I went to the Gretsch site which shows the mem. lock reversed from the OP's-with the tightening screw on the outside!
The OP photo looks like the mem lock butting the shell...

So I guess I agree with Bish's suggestion to reposition the locks with the bolts outward.

[crispycritters]

I went to the Gretsch site which shows the mem. lock reversed from the OP's-with the tightening screw on the outside!
The OP photo looks like the mem lock butting the shell...

So I guess I agree with Bish's suggestion to reposition the locks with the bolts outward.

If you look at the pics for the Catalina Maple and then the Catalina Ash they show the same memory locks in different positions! It looks like even Gretsch can't figure them out.

Interestingly the pic of the Cat Ash shows them as the OPs are positioned, the Cat Maple shows them reversed.

[Bish]

I went to the Gretsch site which shows the mem. lock reversed from the OP's-with the tightening screw on the outside!
The OP photo looks like the mem lock butting the shell...

So I guess I agree with Bish's suggestion to reposition the locks with the bolts outward.

Thank you, sir. I'm almost willing to bet there is a tang on the opposite side, as well. My assumptive guess is that the tangs are different sized so you can't accidentally put them in the OP's current configuration for that very reason.

[signia fan]

He does have it on backwards.
Also, I was on the road quite few years with these Gretsch mounts. Yes the intent is to remember your height and position. But they also do what I said, I know from experience, once set those mounts never budged once and I did not even have to tighten the actual mount screw, these memory locks, the way they are designed, do lock the tom into position and keep them from slipping. There are other styles that perhaps don't accomplish this, but these Gretsch ones do and were the most solid mounts I have ever owned.

[signia fan]

The drawing you pulled up GD looks like a Ludwig Rocker mount. Totally different design than the Gretsch. I have seen Gretsch mounts that guys did discard the memory locks and over time the threads on the T-screw stretch, this causes them to lock onto the mount housing for some reason, I had to actually tap them loose with a drumstick and even though they seem tight, the bolt gets stretched and is not tight on the rod inside.
The Ludwig Rocker is actually a pretty good design and would probably out last the Gretsch mechanism if you fail to use the memory locks.

[gdmoore28]

The drawing you pulled up GD looks like a Ludwig Rocker mount. Totally different design than the Gretsch.

Well, the drawing is actually from the Tama site, and is the Starclassic design. I illustrated it to draw a distinction between the Gretsch-style designs that augment the tom receiver mount with a memory lock, versus the Tama, etc. styles that actually incorporate the lock into the receiver design.

Your point on over-tightening the receiver wing screw is well taken. A well-designed receiver will clamp the tom rigidly into place with very little pressure on the wing bolt. Nonetheless, I've seen guys use ViceGrips to tighten their tom and stand bolts. (Indeed, back in the '60s and '70s I did this myself when my Ludwig stands and tom receivers wore out due to use. I don't know why it never occurred to me to simply replace the darn things!)

Nevertheless, I stand by my assertion that a well-designed tom receiver mount of the style used by Gretsch/PDP/Ludwig and many others, should be able to securely hold toms in place on the L-rod with or without the memory locks. And most do.

GeeDeeEmm

[kay-gee]

If all else fails...hose clamp

all the best...

[N2Bluz]

My old Japan made Swingstar kit has awesome memory locks. They fit so well, you don't need to tighten the thumbscrew at all. I wish my PDP's worked half as well. As much as adjustability suffers, you have to give credit to the old basic Pearl tube mounts as well. When you mount them, they are SOLID. You could pick the whole kit up by a single tom, LOL. Plus, you can spin the toms over on the tube arms, to tune the reso head while on the kit.