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Thread: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

  1. #1

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    Default Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    When I bought my Gretsch kit three years ago I also bought the Gibraltar 5600 series hardware pack. This hardware is double braced and is no heaver than the Slingerland hardware I had been using. The 5600 series is great medium duty hardware and doesn’t need to be any heaver than it is.

    Now I forward to my purchase of my new Sonor 6 piece shell pack. Along with the drums I ordered a Pearl Export hardware pack that MF had on sale for $149 and I had a 10% off coupon that got me the pack for $135. The hardware was back ordered and arrived today. This hardware will never leave the house. It's Too Dam Heavy! Really it’s constructed great but if I put this in my hardware case I will never be able to lift it. Well maybe not that bad but you really don’t need hardware that heavy unless you have people to help carry it for you.

    So for me if you want good manageable hardware the Gibraltar 5600 series is the stuff to get. And you won’t get a hernia moving it around.
    Last edited by rritter; 03-07-2008 at 07:14 PM.
    Now playing Gretsch and Slingerland Drums

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    Personally I think that the heavier the hardware the better, but that's mostly because I use my stands like trees, holding two toms off one, three cymbals off another, sure it's hard to lift but it's worth it when you set up and know that this stuff will barely wobble.

  3. #3
    Shazane Guest

    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    I don't mind it being heavy, it's part of a drum set, I don't expect it to be easy to carry, plus it's incredible durable as a result.

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    I personally Like heavy duty hardware my self, Mine is all DW 9000 and 5000 hardware and it is heavy but i expect it to be.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    it would be nice if the stuff didnt weigh so much. my hardware bag is a back breaker. it carries 2 pearl 2000 series booms with tom mounts on em, (one each) 1000 series boom and straight stands. throne, and snare stand. it is accually heavier when i play a small kit than when i play a big one with a rack.
    but i wouldnt have it any other way. max duty hardware is neccessary when you set up and tear down several times a week.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    Quote Originally Posted by funkymcstain View Post
    it would be nice if the stuff didnt weigh so much. my hardware bag is a back breaker. it carries 2 pearl 2000 series booms with tom mounts on em, (one each) 1000 series boom and straight stands. throne, and snare stand. it is accually heavier when i play a small kit than when i play a big one with a rack.
    but i wouldnt have it any other way. max duty hardware is neccessary when you set up and tear down several times a week.
    I gig on average about 50+ times a year and have never had a problem with hardware not being well built and doing its job (see 1964 exception). Well built does not mean it has to be heavy to perform well. However “Well Built” does mean it will hold up. I’ve owned Pearl, Tama, Sonor, Slingerland, Yamaha, & Gibraltar. With exception of the early Slingerland stuff, 1964 hardware all that I have owned has been well made. The new Pearl hardware is certainly well made but compared to the Gibraltar and Sonor hardware I currently use there is a noticeable difference in weight. Bottom line is if the lighter hardware performs why carry around the heavier stuff, hell I’m 58. Oh yea I hang a 10 tom off one stand and two cymbals off an other, a 20 and 18 inch and all is well. For the Pearl lovers they have a great product in both their drums and hardware and I was not putting down their product, only commenting on the weight and my preference for the lighter gear. The price was certainly right and will work fine with my practice kit. In fact I would recommend the Pearl Export Hardware Pack to anyone in need of quality hardware at an affordable price.
    Now playing Gretsch and Slingerland Drums

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    my pearl bc-2000 stand with 2 mounted toms via clamp is very heavy but I don't mind, if it heavy then it works!
    Paiste Posse
    14inch 2002 series Sound Edge Hi-hats
    16inch and 18inch Signature series Fast crashes
    20inch 3000 series Ride
    18inch PST5 series China

    Pearl Forum Series drum set
    Pearl Chad Smith Signature snare(steel shell)
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  8. #8

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    i like gibraltar hardware alot, they seem extremely sturdy

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    For those of us that dont need heavyduty stands Gibraltar makes a line of flat based stands.The boom stands work great,even with a hanging 14" tom.Unlike the DW flat base stands,the Gibraltar stands can be set up slighly raised so you can overlap one leg over another and it even has the toothless cymbal tilter like DW.The Hihat stand works great and doesnt walk like the DW model.On the down side,If like play your cymbals high the stands dont go very high and its hard to use a ride with the boom.I play a DW kit and have 8000 and 9000 hardware,yet the only time I use them is when I rent my kit.For me,why carry the extra weight when I dont need it.

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    Thanks for the review Drumdeano, and welcome to Drum Chat!!!
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  11. #11

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    i like the pearl hardware. it's just as good as their drums! :D
    i just bought the pearl 1000 hardware pack, a pearl roadster throne, and a pearl sessions smx series and i love every little piece of it. it's definately worth all that weight. i just went to a gig where two other bands used my set and they loved it which made me feel happy.
    now i'm starting to get off topic......
    bottom line. I LIKE PEARL HARDWARE MORE THAN GIBRALTAR HARDWARE.

  12. #12

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    I never had a problem carrying around 2 bass drums, 2 snares, 2 floor toms and 5 rack toms for gigs. I DID have a problem with the ridiculous weight of the hardware. I've been looking for every possible way to cut back on the amount of heavy chromed steel I have to lug around for a while now.

    If it's balanced then it's stable. That's all I need.
    "Life is backwards. Happiness isn't something you seek, it's something that finds you when you are doing the right thing." - Zone47

  13. #13

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    I actually like gibraltar hardware more than pearl.

  14. #14

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    I like it when folks bring up these old (7 years!) topics. I stopped reading older topics at about the 6 month point, but I'll bet there are some cool old threads that are relevant today, too.

    Keep mining that old gold, boys!

    I remember a number of years ago Gibraltar introduced a line of aluminum-legged stands that were supposedly lighter than steel. I couldn't feel enough difference to justify the additional cost. Apparently nobody else could, either.

    Doesn't it seem logical that all the weight of a stand needs to be on the bottom, and that upper assemblies would be the place to save weight? For instance, retain heavy steel legs and combine them with aluminum (better yet, titanium!) tubes, tilters, booms, and clamps. Get out the wallet.

    GeeDeeEmm

  15. #15

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    When I used stands, they absolutely had to be heavy duty. I only used 2 cymbal stands and both had at least 6 cymbals on them, using various stackers, clamps, boom arms and other attachments. If I had tried to use lighter stands for this purpose, they would have most definitely fell due to the amount of weight and the wide angle I needed for all of that.
    Personally, I think if you are going to have a small kit (maybe a ride, hats, 2 crashes and a 5 piece) then light stands should be fine unless you play in a very windy area. But I wouldn't feel safe mounting a ton of extra stuff from the Gibraltar medium-weight stands listed in this thread.

  16. #16

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    I have mixed hardware - a Pearl 900 series boom, a Tama Roadpro boom, 2 Sonor 400 series - straight stand and a mini boom stand, a Ddrum DX boom and a very old Premier Boom stand (incredibly stable but HEAVY). A Sonor 400 and a Premier snare stand (similar to Roadpro). A tama Roadpro and a Sonor 400 hi hat stand.
    The only Gibraltar item I have it a cymbal boom arm and clamp, great quality and I would have no problem substituting an L arm and using it as a tom mount clamp if necessary.

    Quite frankly I find that all hardware currently for sale that is not classified as lightweight or low priced mid range to be high quality - the only reservation I have about mine is the different shapes of the legs! I have considered buying 2 more Roadpro booms and a single Sonor 400 mini boom so I have 2 complete sets of matching hardware - but not using the Pearl, the DX and the Premier stands makes no sense other than visual appeal (which no-one else ever notices but me!) as they are all good - and chrome finish!

  17. #17

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    I went with gibraltar on a hi-hat stand and snare stand but pearl on my tom arms and 2 of my cymbal stands (one boom, one straight). On my final cymbal stand it's actually a sp stand.

  18. #18

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    Quote Originally Posted by adamgdog View Post
    I went with gibraltar on a hi-hat stand and snare stand but pearl on my tom arms and 2 of my cymbal stands (one boom, one straight). On my final cymbal stand it's actually a sp stand.
    Nice. What model hi hat stand?
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  19. #19

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    Default Re: Gibraltar v Pearl Hardware

    I have and use only Pearl's 1000 series hardware and yes they are heavy but sturdy. As for moving the hardware around well I don't cause they never leave my studio

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