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Vintage Brush Question

Posts: 218 Threads: 78

Most of the old photos I see of guys playing brushes show the metal circle at the end bent at almost a 90 degree angle. Anyone know why players do this? Is it to keep the rod coming out?

Posted on 8 years ago
#1
Posts: 1427 Threads: 66

I think some guys did (and do- but not me normally) use the ring to scrape the cymbql grooves and tap the bell. I don't like to scratch up my cymbals so no metal to metal contact for me.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you are asking but I think that's it. Maybe other guys have different experiences.

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Posted on 8 years ago
#2
Posts: 5550 Threads: 576

When doing a reverse figure eight on the snare with brushes you hold the left one really low

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Posted on 8 years ago
#3
Posts: 6170 Threads: 255

I actually thought it was so that they would hang on a tension rod on the floor tom. Thought that I had read that somewhere.

Mike

Posted on 8 years ago
#4
Posts: 218 Threads: 78

Here's a photo. Look at Klook's left hand. The metal circle to open and close the wires is bent at a 90 degree angle. It's not straight. The overwhelming majority of photos depict this, but i often see brushes laid on the bass drum, not hanging on a tension rod. Any ideas?

[img]http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/kenny-clarke-playing-drums-at-the-blue-note-picture-id534268102[/img]

Posted on 8 years ago
#5
Posts: 668 Threads: 39

I hang mine on the bass drum t-rod.

Posted on 8 years ago
#6
Posts: 2023 Threads: 47

Great picture! The floor tom t-rod hang theory seems most likely...I was thinking maybe they just got bent in the trap case...but nah.

Mitch

Posted on 8 years ago
#7
Posts: 518 Threads: 70

Lots of guys bend wire brush rods at a certain place to keep the spread a little tighter. It makes for more staccato taps.

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Posted on 8 years ago
#8
Posts: 2411 Threads: 55

And the winner is Poppies! I play a lot of brushes in the gigs I do, and have done so since the late 60's. You pick up a lot of tips in that amount of time, and this is one of them. The "ring" at the back of the brush is bent to hold the wires open in a specific spot. That can be a full spread as shown in the pic with Klook, or anywhere in between. Manufacturers have helped by putting notches along the shaft that you pull out to spread the wires, but ... bending the ring is still added insurance that the wires won't retract while you're playing.

Tommyp

Posted on 8 years ago
#9
Posts: 218 Threads: 78

This makes perfect sense because I have a new pair of Ludwig brushes that where the inner rod constantly slides down, so the brushes gradually disappear throughout a tune. Whats the science behind this? How does bending the ring cause the brushes to remain open?

So you just open the brushes to your desired width, then bend the ring or the whole metal rod at that point?

Posted on 8 years ago
#10
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