Clamps DO break - my apologies for doubting!

[Oz DrumR]

It's time to eat my words & apologise. Many a time I have failed to understand how people manage to break clamps. I found it hard to comprehend that through 'normal' usage the clamps would break - especially these who said that the clam holding their module had broken!!!

I have had the V-custom kit since November - playing at home, and out rehearsing. All in all, I have probably set up and folded down the rack no more than 10 times. I'm not sure whether I have the 'new' clamps or not (they are a lighter grey than those on the older V pro kit and have 'wing-nut' shaped bolts as opposed to the circular ones).

Anyway . . . there I was rehearsing on Sunday evening. We'd finished, and I'd swung my brain around (obviously untightening the clamp first) so that it was in a vertical position, and re-tightened. I folded the rack sides in and stood the rack (without pads) against the wall. At this stage can I say that I regard my self as being very careful with my drums - no overtightening, no hard hitting etc. Two or three minutes later (having just stood there against the wall doing nothing!) there was a loud 'crack' noise and my TD8 brain swung upside-down! On further inspection, the clamp had cracked all the way through about 5mm from nut.

Whilst I know I'm not bringing anything new to the party - I just want to apologise to those who I disbelieved when they said that the clamp had broken for no reason. Clamps do break for no foreseen reason - their design is poor and not anywhere near adequate for the job.

[jrcel]

Ah, quality. In a world where a high school kid can't even make a bean burrito at Taco Bell without screwing it up, it come as no surprise.

[Marc.]

So, like, you're sayin' when you break down your set, you leave the brain on the rack?

~~~~~
- -

[rsanto]

Like Oz, I also thought I wouldn't break clamps. I've used my V-Customs for rehearsals and all sorts of gigs. I don't break it down, except for removing the TD8. I have the rack on wheels and just fold everything in and down compactly. I discovered a cracked rack tom clamp Saturday night, just two weeks out of warantee! Well, my letter to Roland is in the mail, and we'll see if I get a replacement. Since then, I've "untorqued" all clamps in hope of extending the life of the rack.

[cliff]

The new clamps for the toms and cymbals are much larger and hinge like the Gibraltar's.

[Oz DrumR]

Yup Marc.

The reasons being that:

a)I'm only travelling a small distance - the folded rack (with Brain) will fit comfortably behind the front seats of my car - very safely.

b) I haven't yet marked up all my leads - as to which goes where. (slack I know).

I know that it might not be the best solution . . . In fact, I'll mark up the leads this weekend (I have in fact bought an aluminium padded camera case for the brain - silly not to use it!)

[TomLandin]

I have now had my VDrums for 16 months, and last week I broke two clamps - my fault as I dropped the rack. Well I call Roland directly and they tell me 1) the clamps are NOT lifetime warrenty, only 1 year, and 2) they will be releasing a new cymbal/pad clamp design later this summer.

Well I can live with the 1 year warrenty issue, and the clamps broke because of my inattention.

Fixing the clamps was very easy. I got some 2-part Liquid Metal epoxy, and simply reglued/rebuilt the broken pieces. 24 hours later and I'm back in business. The repaired clamps are stronger now then before.

Now I realize that broken clamps are a pain - but in retrospec to my acoustics hardware - I have have a whole lot less trouble overall with my Roland hardware than I ever did with my Pearl's (stripped threads, bent booms, worn posts, cracked heads, self lossening parts, screws falling out, etc., etc.). So in an effort to stay positive, I'm still ahead of the game!