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Thread: Drum Rack Comparisons?

  1. #1

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    Default Drum Rack Comparisons?

    I find my pearl icon rack to be very heavy and clunky but its the only rack I've ever owned. Can anbody that has tried multiple brands of racks give me some feedback?
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  2. #2

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    Default Re: Drum Rack Comparisons?

    You are talking drum racks, right?

    I've owned 4 different racks. I've also made my own out of PVC piping for my first ever homemade electronic drum kit back in the mid 90's. Wish I had some pix of that contraption. LMAO.

    A square tubed Pearl, and a round tube PDP, currently. I did have a Hart Dynamics but I suspect it might have been Gibraltar.

    The reason I'm going to refer to them by tube shape is important. The biggest difference I found was when using the round tube you have full motion and positioning from front to back or perpendicular to the support tube. With the square tube style the clamp is rigid in one of four (sides) positions. This can be over come but when I'm used to the round style and then try to align boom arms or even the tom clamps, on the square tube type, you lose some tilt function that you become used to with round tube types.

    I've also heard that round tube type clamps can slip. Mine never have in 6 years of use. So I can't say that is a problem.

    Another factor is I have been using Gibraltar add on boom arms and they don't clamp very well to the square tube racks. It can be done but not as nicely as on a round tube support.

    Other than that, the racks perform the same and are all similar in price that one will not stand out above and beyond the rest.

    I've hauled both styles to gigs and it's 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. I will say that the Pearl rack I have is the largest one I've seen for length of support bars, so you do end up being pushed forward from a back wall more so than with the PDP, due to the length of side bars.

    Hope this all makes sense.
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  3. #3

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    Default Re: Drum Rack Comparisons?

    very helpful bish

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Drum Rack Comparisons?

    Bish's answer provides some insight into other racks. The only thing he didn't address was any difference in the weight of the PDP, so I would assume it's similar in that regard.

    I have a Pearl Icon curved rack for one of my kits, and I really like it. But I've only transported it a couple of times and haven't owned any other rack before. I use stands with my gigging kit.
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  5. #5

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    Default Re: Drum Rack Comparisons?

    i have the pearl icon with straight bars. i had a gibralter system back in the late 80s. i know they make better clamps now, but i had major problems with sliding on that one back then. i really dont have any experience with newer round bar clamps. i can see what bish is talking about as far as angle goes on the icon. i play my toms pretty flat so its not much problem for me. my clamps and tom arms are the old style. pearls new gyrolock arms and tilting rack clamps should allow you to mount at any angle i can think of.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Drum Rack Comparisons?

    I use a Gibraltar rack that I customized to fit my kit better. Cut the uprights down by 7" and shortened the side bars by 16" so it does'nt push me away from the wall. That actually took some of the weight off of it. But, when you start adding clamps, you start adding pounds, so how much your rack weighs really depends on how many clamps you have on it. When I just had 2 toms, 3 cymbals, and a wood block on it, it was pretty light. Now I have 4 toms, 7 cymbals, and a variety of block,bells, etc. and the rack iteslf weighs a ton.

    As far as slipping, Gibraltar has done wonders with their clamps. I've had mine for a couple years now and have never had anything slip on me. The new "hatch" style are great. The older clamp style tees are'nt very good and the tom mount clamps that have both wing nuts swing out to the sides are ugly to say the least. All the new stuff is big and beefy, look good, and have excellent grip.

    just my 2 cents...
    Da' Bum
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  7. #7

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    Default Re: Drum Rack Comparisons?

    All good points, 1DB!
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  8. #8

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    Default Re: Drum Rack Comparisons?

    i have a gibraltor drum rack

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