For those with Iron Cobras - Please Read

[saiine]

Hey guys, I have an Iron Cobra PowerGlide double pedal. I am familiar with all the adjustments but have an issue where my left pedal (Slave) will come to a stop after a hit about 1.5 seconds before the right pedal. What I mean is if I take both beaters, spring all the way back and let go, they hit evenly but then the one on the left stop much sooner then the right.

I can hit about 155-160 dbl base and be clean for quite awhile, but I feel this is a problem which could be keeping me from reaching full speed potential.

Both tension settings are the same. I even tried "reseting" the tension by completely loosening both pedals, and even with that setting the left still stops sooner then the right. I wouldn't complain if it wasn't a substantial difference, heh. But 1.5-2 seconds is.

Help me out, I appreciate it. :cool:

Shane

[Brobjer]

The problem is that you angle the two pedals in different angles from eachother. If you see a drumkit with two bassdrums you see that the drummer has angled the bassdrums in different angles to make them 'fit', but with a double pedal you'd have to set the pedals exactly the same angle from eachother, and not to angle the link that's connecting them. That's the problem.
If you look at all the pictures of Virgil's pedals, he place them this way.
Take this for example; http://www.virgildonati.com/images/gallery/europe2002/trio_vliss-03.jpg

Some players although play with the pedals angled, but you cannot get the same feel in both pedals that way.

Good luck!

- Brobjer

[peter]

Excellent response, Brobjer!

[Brobjer]

Thanks Pete! You know, I've learned from the best ;) Happy new year mate!

[alencore]

hehe, my yamahas' beater swings and stop at the same time. so my slave and its bearings and linkage are still at their optimal form. the slave is fairly angled on both crossjoints.

[Brobjer]

Okay, I've found out that many drummers still angle the pedals. I believe that it's a matter of each pedal because no other is like the same. Although, I've also experienced the same problem Saiine is.

[alencore]

Ppl like me with short legs really need to angle our slaves or were going to have some back pains or terrible druming position.

[Xen-]

A huge thank you to Brobjer! I play with an Iron Cobra, and removing that angle was the smallest yet most important change I ever made on my kit. I'm SOOOO FAST now I'm scared! :eek:

[Brobjer]

Yup, the small changes are somtimes the biggest! I'm glad I helped you out Xen- my mate! Have y'all had a good New Year's Eve?

Brobjer

[Galapagos]

Hi Brobjer,

Would you mind going over those tweaks again for me, I got a bit lost there! I also have an Iron Cobra and anything I can do to them to improve my technique has to be done!

Thank you

Galapagos

[The_Setite]

Hi Saiine
The reason the pedals stop unevenly is due to "play" in the shaft connecting the pedals. Hold the slave cam still and you will find that you can move the slave beater anything up to an inch in either direction. This causes the slave pedal to lag and slows the pedal down and is the reason many drummers feel their left foot lags on a double pedal. ALL double pedals have this problem (its a basic design flaw due to the fact that no one has bothered to fundamentally change the design of bass pedals since 1908) except for Axis with the zero backlash driveshaft. Axis unfortunately are very expensive, but i think the shaft can be purchased separately. This is one of the rare occasions where blaming the gear is valid as this lag is a real problem that is seldom addressed. Changing cams or moving to strap drive or anything like that wont make any difference.

Hope this helps explain a few things.

The Setite

[Brobjer]

Hey everyone!

The Setite is right. This is the biggest change with your double pedal you can do, and no one really pay any notice to this important thing. Axis pedals are the best, I think, and you can use the driveshaft on any pedal to solve this problem if you like your pedal link angled.

Brobjer

[The_Setite]

Thanks Brobjer,
Im glad im not the only one that has noticed this problem with the drive shaft on double pedals. You can use the driveshaft on any pedal. I took the Axis driveshaft and put it on my DW5000. What a difference. I really like the feel of DW but the shaft is crap. With the Axis shaft it feels balanced. I hate the idea of having to practice to "overcome" what is essentially a design fault. I think its about time the industry took notice.

[Donny Dee]

Hello Saiine ,
Looking over the posts to your question about the Iron Cobra's I agree it's all about the drive shaft when it comes to the "slop" in the slave pedal. Double pedals are one of greatest inventions for drumming today but no matter how you cut it, there is always going to be "drag" on the slave pedal. The advice about the "AXIS" drive shaft is the way to go. My Iron Cobra pedals had about one quarter inch of "slop" play in them. I purchased the AXIS drive shaft and installed it and now there is absolutely no play in the left pedal at all. It's definitely the way to go. Any good set of pedals will play differently with the Axis drive shaft installed.

As far as your original question about the slave pedal stopping faster than the master pedal....that is normal in double pedal set-ups due to the weight of the drive shaft on the slave unit. With the Axis shaft in place you will get the best perfromance out of your pedals and the fact that the pedal stops a bit faster on the left, should not affect your speed or performance once your left foot adjusts to it.

Setting up for double pedals should follow the same guidelines as for 2 bass drums. The best way to set up is to set your pedals and bass drum so that both feet line up with your shoulders. You will find this the most natural, comfortable way to set up and playing the pedals will be very natural. Your single bass drum will be set up as if there was another bass drum to it's left. This way, your feet are in their natural resting positions as they set on the pedals.

I love my Iron Cobras..after playing DW for many years....I went over the Iron Cobras after using them at a clinic I was doing. I'm not sure I would buy the whole Axis pedal setup but I can assure you the Axis set up is very fast.

Keep Kickin'
DD

[saiine]

Hi Donny, and everyone. Thank you for your advice, the problem has become even worse, when I'm double bassing, my left beater is flying WAY further back then my right. I'm very capable of keeping 170 steady, and have hit 210 steady before, but in the past month the pedals have become even worse. I've messed with tension settings and more basically all day today and got no where :(

Is the driveshaft you're talking about roughly 80 dollars? The one that my local shop has is just that.

Thanks again.
Shane

[Donny Dee]

Hey Shane....I'm not sure why your left pedal is coming way back??? I can tell you how I set mine.

Firstly I keep the springs very loose. I keep the small weights a little more than half the distance up the beater shaft. The "throw" of the beater is on about a 45 degree angle to the head in the resting position. The beaters height is slightly higher than dead center on a 22" Bass drum...

Pedal settings are subjective and mostly go by the preference of the drummer using the pedals so the way another drummer sets his may not help. While I play my pedals mostly heel up I do play heel down for some quieter faster playing.

Also where you rest you foot on the pedal boad makes a difference. For example...I "push" the pedal about 2/3's of the way up from the heel plate. The further back from the top you play it the harder and faster it travels. I use the pedals much like you would dribble a basket ball....so once the beater hits the head, my foot is recoiling to let the pedal come back to my foot all on it's own. This way I keep control over the distance the pedal travels and I keep the beater from "bouincing" on the head.

The Axis Drive SHaft was about $80.00..yes......It's a good investment for taking the "slop" out of your slave pedal. But again the drive shaft won't solve your beater travel problem, it will, however, enable you to get an even better adjustment on your left pedal because the Axis drive shaft is round as opposed to key-octagonal in shape.

I don't know if any of this info helps. But I would check into how you have the beaters are set in proximity to the head. If I can help any further..let me know!

[Corey_Taylor]

[B]Virgil I would like to know I you can tell me a technique to be more faster in the double pedal because I go more faster with my right foot that the left and I cant stay all the time.

[IronCobraMan]

u gotta think of it this way...serious drummers are usually obssesive compulsive about settings.... so if u keep changing them around... ull never get comfortable...therefor ull never advance.... find a setting that seems "OK" to u...then keep it...and keep practicing on that for at least 2- 3 weeks... if by then u still feel unsatisfied...then try again....eventually it'll come together.... also wat ive found helps is taking a few days off practice...and come back with a clean slate... cuz i practice every single day :P