KD-120.. For now, i hate it

[rbressers]

I got my new KD-120 2 days ago and i tweaked and tweaked, but i can't seem to get the massive bounce out of it.

I mean.. MASSIVE bounce..

I used to whack on a KD-8 rubber thingy which felt more 'real' than the KD-120 in my opinion, but maybe i'm just doing something wrong here. I tried tightening the head a lot (like.. a brick) and i tried loosening it up a lot (like whacking on a pudding).. Nothing seems to satisfy me.

The pedal is a DW-7000 single pedal, which i also tried to tweak.

ARGH! It's driving me nuts

[Big Bopper]

I went from a KD7 to KD120 recently, although I wasn't looking for bounce. My perception is that it's roughly the same response as an acoustic, but I did have to tighten the springs on my Iron Cobra double pedal. Maybe I'm just caught up in trying to learn double dynamics but the KD120 seems fine. I'm trying to decide where to place my foot - heel up or down, and where to place the ball of my foot - top or middle or bottom of pedal. It seems to me spring tension and foot placement have more to do with bounce than the head.

I've found the KD120 to be much more responsive than a KD7. Haven't tried a KD8 so I can't compare to that. My problem with the KD120 is size and placement. I have it off to the right side with the right rear leg over the lower bar on my TD10 rack but the legs stick out too far for my tastes. My hi-hat pedal is to the right of the other half of my bass pedal, which I finally settled on after a lot of moving my foot back and forth.

To me you should just tighten the head to where you can slightly depress it with a medium firm finger push and spend more time tweaking the pedal and your style. Some instructors say that you should be able to use a pillow and still get the 'bounce' because the bounce is in the technique, not the head.

Bruce

[Michael Render]

I agree with you both. The KD-120 feels more like an untreated acoustic kick. The KD-8 feels like a kick with apillow in it. Which is what I pefer. I sold my KD-120s and went with KD-8s.

[lopan]

I started out with a KD-8 and later bought a KD-85. There was a huge difference in the feel. I have to admit, I also liked the KD-8 feel, but it wasn't practical for me because I was wearing through the rubber pad too quickly (I guess you can get a replacement cover, but I don't know where?). I recently upgraded to a KD-120. For me it's the closest to an acoustic kick so far. I still play an acoustic kit on occasion and i don't notice much difference in the feel these days. I tensioned the head on the KD120 pretty close to the acoustic kick I use, which is pretty loose. I play heel up and the beater is making contact with the head most of the time. I had to do some tweaking to keep it from re-triggering.

[rbressers]

I also play heel-up and loosened the tension quite a bit now. I was used to playing acoustics with a blanket AND a pillow inside , so i really miss the mushy feel of the pad. Maybe i just should try it out for a while.

Could it be the pedal (DW7000) ?

[lopan]

I also play heel-up and loosened the tension quite a bit now. I was used to playing acoustics with a blanket AND a pillow inside , so i really miss the mushy feel of the pad. Maybe i just should try it out for a while.

Could it be the pedal (DW7000) ?

I guess it depends on how much spring tension you want. I use an Iron Cobra pedal with the tension set around 3/4 of maximum. I also have a weight on the beater shaft, and this may be helping to slow the rebound.

[TNT]

lopan,

That's an interesting idea you have there, using a bicycle pedal clip. I've used them a lot as a cyclist, and now I use clipless pedals.

Does it help your bass drum playing in any way? Or is it just basically a toe stop? I've never seen anyone do that before... I'm intrigued.

Regarding the bass trigger pad, I've only used the KD-8 since I own a TD-6SW kit. But, I'd be worried about too much bounce from a mesh pad as well. I like the solid thud that I'm used to from my acoustic bass drum. A springy mesh kick might drive me nuts!

[lopan]

Does it help your bass drum playing in any way? Or is it just basically a toe stop? I've never seen anyone do that before... I'm intrigued.

The clip is primarily there as a toe stop. I got tired of my foot constantly sliding into the chain. The small toe stops that come with the cobra are useless. As a side benefit, the foot-board comes up faster .

[SuperPuss]

The clip is primarily there as a toe stop. I got tired of my foot constantly sliding into the chain. The small toe stops that come with the cobra are useless. As a side benefit, the foot-board comes up faster .

That is a really cool idea.
I'm going to look into that for my pedal too.

[Big Bopper]

When I said 'pillow' I meant pillow only, as in using a pillow for the kick. But I can't do it, at least not yet. My Iron Cobra is also tensioned about 3/4 of the way to full like lopan's, but the beater head is plastic, not felt, which might help with some bounce-back.

Is your beater felt, lopan? I was under the impression that a felt head would wear through the mesh head faster. Not true?

Bruce

[Swaledale]

Lopan, that's a very neat idea. How did you attach the clip into the cobra pedal?

[TNT]

How did you attach the clip into the cobra pedal?

Looks to me like a drill bit and a couple nuts and bolts.

[lopan]

Looks to me like a drill bit and a couple nuts and bolts.

Correct! It was also easy to do. I used a new drill bit and it went through like butter.

Bopper: Yes, the beater I'm using is felt. The only wear I really notice is the felt on the beater.

[Michael Render]

When I said 'pillow' I meant pillow only, as in using a pillow for the kick.

I knew that. That is how I practice double strokes. It was just a coincidence that a KD-8 feels like a kick drum with a pillow in it also.

Bopper: Yes, the beater I'm using is felt. The only wear I really notice is the felt on the beater.

How long have you had it? I was also under the impression that felt was very bad for mesh heads.

[SuperPuss]

I must say that I am also really liking my KD8. It feels very much like the acoustic kit I've been playing at jam sessions with a friend's band. The kick on that kit is undamped and it still feels very close to my KD8. The only real difference I notice is in the feel of the pedal itself (different brand with different tension).