I don`t mean to be a nag or start a p*ss contest Purdie, but how can you deliver a BD pedal set up for someone else ? Do you know how far she sits from the BD ? How high her throne is ? Do you know her foot size ? How hard she plays ?

The one in the Pic is set all the way back, if you take your foot off the pedal and it goes up and stops That`s fine if it fits ones needs. I did that with mine for a few months till I realized that the pedal is built to be under the spring tensions at all times. I can hit two beats before that one in the pic hits one. Because I have it set mid way, I barely pivot my heel and press with toes very short beats. Kinda like not bringing the sticks up high on a snare roll.

Guys who rebuild them will deliver it in a neutral position because they don`t know how you set up. The pedal should never rest up or bottom out. Just like a HH pedal. It should bounce up and down under tension. I found this out on my HH years ago when I had problems with my foot coming up faster than the pedal. Both those pedals are built to be under spring tension at all times to function properly. You check this by touching it and letting go real fast and if it bounces up and down and doesn`t stop quick, it`s under spring tension.

It`s all about response and quiet when recording. The click of the HH topping out records, the speed of the pedal is effected when not under spring tension. Take the top hat off and press the pedal very fast and it shouldn`t make one sound at all. Take the pedal off the drum and press it fast, it shouldn`t make one sound at all even when you jump your foot off the pedal fast.. Those two pieces are that well designed at the least.

I know why it`s called the click hat and squeak king. She asked and that`s because she don`t know, I`m only teaching what I learned after doing it wrong for months thinking it was correct.

Sorry for my rant, Robyn, if you like them, that`s your call and stay with it, I`m not telling, I`m suggesting.

It`s the little things kinda deal.

oddball - relax, buddy. Robyn is playing for her own pleasure in a shed out back of the house. She's not recording. I sent her a pedal that Bill Fulton refurbished for me. I had never even used it (other than to test it when it arrived,) so it is in like-new condition. I set the pedal so it operates smoothly and efficiently for her. And yes, you're absolutely correct, I am not the Psychic Hotline so I really have no way to anticipate any 'special adjustments' that she may need to make to customize the pedal for herself. My intention was to provide her with a pedal that is in tip-top working order and adjusted as well as my 50 years of experience will allow.

I intentionally prefaced my remarks to robyn by mentioning that the advice she's gotten so far was all good. (Especially yours.) What I was doing (that you seem to have taken very personally,) is talking a player who is completely unfamiliar with the equipment out of fixing something that isn't broken.

Absolutely no offense was intended to you, or to any advice you may have provided. Because Robyn is unfamiliar with the nuances of the pedal, I cautioned her to (for now, until she gets better acquainted with it,) that she leave well enough alone. Nothing personal or critical about you at all. Maybe you misread my meaning/intention.

Robyn - "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" :p

John

I found what odball wrote very interesting. I for one have been struggling with my kick drum play. That is why I had started the thread about the re-building a speed king, I'm wondering if I am getting 100% top performance from my pedal. I seem to play with my toe, then when I get tired of holding my heal up, I play with my foot flat on the pedal. But I have noticed when I do ply flat footed my foot is not entirely on the pedal. And the muscles in my leg get tight and I cant play for very long, so I lift my heal and play with my toe for a while. Any one else have those problems.

Anyway, keep the class open on the equipment, this is good stuff.

I took no offence and know you didn`t mean any. I didn`t like the SK till I set it up correct, same with my HH. I bought this armored Yamaha HH and realized why I didn`t like the no name one I had. (flea market brand) The old one`s correct now and fragile but I like that one better than the bomb proof Yammy (heavy)

I have tried a bunch of other pedals, DW 5000, 7000, 9000, Yammies, Ghosts, jeez, you name it. I -always- go back to my Speed King. I learned on one in 63' and the S.O.B just stuck with me all these years. For my $ there is no 'better' pedal on the market. Some guys may 'prefer' other pedals, but they're not 'better' than a SK. I'm with you, I love them. At 65, I won't play anything else. Just doesn't feel right under my foot if it's not a SK.

I'm glad we're ok. I was worried I had inadvertently upset, or angered you.

John

Don`t hold your heel up, (step the pedal) unless that`s what you want for that #. For extended play, set your throne distance from the BD and height. then set the pedal up or down to your comfort. Slide the beater to get closer or further. I noticed your heel plate pin replaced. This is from heel movement oval`n the bore and hole in the bottom plate. The tapered pin will move inside and you end up with a loose squeak king. You shouldn`t have to move your heel much at all. If you do have to put weight on your heel, flip the heel plate over and lower the footboard. (I think)

I have a wide foot, and the shape of the SK footboard is comfort. Only my Phonic pedal was equally comfort. (and quiet)

Jeff, holding your heel up puts the back of your thighs into play and you will tire. you only want to use your calf and toe muscles. That`s the height adjustment of the throne.

Thanks for the advice odball. I need to play around with the throne height, I just raised it because my new 6.5" super sensitive is too high and the snare stand is low as can be. I kept getting rim shots so I raised the throne up a tad. I seem to want to curl my toes when the heel is on the foot board, then they get cramped up. All in all I just need to practice and find whats comfortable for me. When I'm playing with my band I don't even think about it, I just play.

When you hear those double pedal or double beater going really really fast, they are moving their feet 1/2" to an inch at the most. That`s how I learned it. A SK has a wide range for adjusting.

Sit on the throne and tap both feet really fast raising them up all the way, then do it only raising your feet 1/2" or an inch. You go faster with less movement. That`s the range of a footboard adjustment.

Also if the knuckle in the front that holds the beater is too high, it has a chance to scrape the head. That means it returns too far back.