Lightweight hardware

[Steve Turner]

Most of the hardware I have is double-braced and too damn heavy to be carrying
around all the time; I REALLY want to lighten my load. Do you guys have any
recommendations for some good lightweight single-braced hardware that I can
take out on gigs what won't be so damned hard on the old body?

[Pete Pemberton]

On 2011-01-07 11:05:15 -0500, Steve Turner

Post by Steve Turner
Most of the hardware I have is double-braced and too damn heavy to be
carrying around all the time; I REALLY want to lighten my load. Do you
guys have any recommendations for some good lightweight single-braced
hardware that I can take out on gigs what won't be so damned hard on
the old body?

The old DW 7000 series is nice if you can find it. The aluminum hihat
stand by Axis is lightweight, if expensive, ditto the pedals. Likewise
the old Sonor Exclusive hardware was Aluminum and made in plain and
black. It's also pretty expensive, if you can find it. Others point to
Yamaha hardware, I never have used it.

PP

[Steve Turner]

Post by Pete Pemberton

Post by Steve Turner
Most of the hardware I have is double-braced and too damn heavy to be
carrying around all the time; I REALLY want to lighten my load. Do you guys
have any recommendations for some good lightweight single-braced hardware
that I can take out on gigs what won't be so damned hard on the old body?

The old DW 7000 series is nice if you can find it.

Like this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400101998140

Post by Pete Pemberton
The aluminum hihat stand by
Axis is lightweight, if expensive, ditto the pedals. Likewise the old Sonor
Exclusive hardware was Aluminum and made in plain and black. It's also pretty
expensive, if you can find it.

Yeah, I'd like to keep the cost down if possible.

Speaking of aluminum, I've always wondered why nobody seems to use it. It's
certainly strong enough, probably not that much more expensive than chrome
plated steel, and certainly a lot lighter.

Post by Pete Pemberton
Others point to Yamaha hardware, I never have used it.

I do have one Yamaha single-braced stand, and another boom arm and they are
quite nice, but other than being single-braced the rest of it is quite
heavy-duty and I don't know that it's much lighter than my double-braced
hardware (most of which is old Gretsch Techware or newer Pearl stuff).

I don't really recall any modern attempts to target a "lightweight high-tech
hardware" market; have any companies ever tried it? I'd think it wouldn't be
too tough to sell something like that if the price was reasonable.

[oldschool]

Gibraltar 8600 series. Cheap, light, sturdy. I get mine at Steve
Weiss.

Good luck!

Post by Steve Turner
Most of the hardware I have is double-braced and too damn heavy to be
carrying around all the time; I REALLY want to lighten my load. Do you guys
have any recommendations for some good lightweight single-braced hardware
that I can take out on gigs what won't be so damned hard on the old body?

[Steve Turner]

Post by oldschool
Gibraltar 8600 series. Cheap, light, sturdy. I get mine at Steve
Weiss.

The other part of my problem is that I tend to like to use more drums and
cymbals than is convenient to carry, so there are quite a few stands competing
for floor space. Based on my experience with flat-based stands (in my younger
years, when most of my gear was entry level) I don't think I would be
compatible with this particular line of hardware. Thanks anyway for the
pointer. I will check them out if any of the local stores carry them.

[-MIKE-]

Post by Steve Turner
The other part of my problem is that I tend to like to use more drums
and cymbals than is convenient to carry, so there are quite a few stands
competing for floor space.

Have you looked into these?

http://www.zzounds.com/item--TAMMCA63E

[Steve Turner]

Post by -MIKE-

Post by Steve Turner
The other part of my problem is that I tend to like to use more drums
and cymbals than is convenient to carry, so there are quite a few stands
competing for floor space.

Have you looked into these?
http://www.zzounds.com/item--TAMMCA63E

I have quite a few of the Gibraltar equivalents. I'm actually using as many of
these as is practical in an attempt to reduce the actual number of stands, but
it only helps up to a point.

My band plays a _wide_ variety of music, so I carry a lot of crap and I use it
ALL. My rig (Gretsch USA Maples with mid-80's Techware hardware) is basically
this:

One Pearl Eliminator hi-hat stand. Love it, but it's heavy.

Two Pearl double-braced snare stands. One holds my home-made "doo-dad" tray
that sits to the left of the hi-hat. Extra weight for sure, but I'd be
crippled without it. I love these stands too, but clearly I could use
something lighter; snare stands don't NEED to be this heavy.

Two rack toms (10" and 12") on a single Techware stand (actually, the 12" hangs
off the bass drum along with a cowbell). That stand also carries three crash
cymbals (one 12" and two 16") via Gibraltar arms.

Two "floor" toms; a 15" rack hanging from another Techware stand, and a regular
16" floor with legs. That stand also carries a set of woodblocks and two
Sabian rides (21" raw bell and a light 20" with rivets).

A third Pearl stand carrying my main ride (22" Bosphorus) and a 17" crash.

Roc-N-Soc throne with a double-braced stand.

A music stand.

I get ALL of this into a single SKB X1 case
(Loading Image...) I should
probably use two smaller cases instead, but I have my system and it works, it's
just HEAVY. I'm putting together a second kit now and I need to purchase
hardware for it, so when I do I'd like to get the lightest stuff I can and
leave the heavy stuff at home.

[oldschool]

"Based on my experience with flat-based stands (in my younger
years, when most of my gear was entry level) I don't think I would be
compatible with this particular line of hardware"


For the record, even though the Gibraltar 8600 stuff is marketed as a
flat-based stand, you can actually extend the legs past a flat
position to reduce the footprint.

Not trying to talk you into them or out of them, just a little more
information for ya.

Also, for the record, I also have some of the DW flat based stuff, but
I have not found it to be particularly sturdy or stable. Kind of
surprising to me, given their reputation, but it is what it is.

[Sean Conolly]

Post by oldschool
"Based on my experience with flat-based stands (in my younger
years, when most of my gear was entry level) I don't think I would be
compatible with this particular line of hardware"
For the record, even though the Gibraltar 8600 stuff is marketed as a
flat-based stand, you can actually extend the legs past a flat
position to reduce the footprint.

I'm currently using one of the 8600 snare stands and cymbal stands, and I
love them. I would not recommend trying to hang a lot stuff off them them,
though.

My stage rig is a five peice with three crashes and two rides, with the toms
offset to the left - a four peice plus one if you you will. The high tom and
two crashes are on one double braced stand, the flat ride is on the
Gibralter stand, and on the kick I have the second tom, one crash, one ride
and a cowbell.

For me it's a nice balance between the what I like to have on stage and what
I'm willing to carry. The stands go into a long hardware bag so I only hve
to fold the legs up. From load in to having everything up, tuned, mic'd and
ready to go is about 45 minutes.

Sean

[Pete Pemberton]

On 2011-01-07 20:44:39 -0500, Steve Turner

Post by Steve Turner

Post by Pete Pemberton
On 2011-01-07 11:05:15 -0500, Steve Turner

Post by Steve Turner
Most of the hardware I have is double-braced and too damn heavy to be
carrying around all the time; I REALLY want to lighten my load. Do you guys
have any recommendations for some good lightweight single-braced hardware
that I can take out on gigs what won't be so damned hard on the old body?

The old DW 7000 series is nice if you can find it.

Like this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400101998140

Yeah, I know they don't make the full line anymore but at one time they
had everything in the 9000 series. The 8500 to me is the 9000 without
double bracing. The 7000 tube diameters are smaller.

Post by Steve Turner

Post by Pete Pemberton
The aluminum hihat stand by
Axis is lightweight, if expensive, ditto the pedals. Likewise the old Sonor
Exclusive hardware was Aluminum and made in plain and black. It's also pretty
expensive, if you can find it.

Yeah, I'd like to keep the cost down if possible.
Speaking of aluminum, I've always wondered why nobody seems to use it.
It's certainly strong enough, probably not that much more expensive
than chrome plated steel, and certainly a lot lighter.

I saw the flat based stands from DW have aluminum legs. I would imagine
it' s a cost/demand issue. If more people wanted it, the price would go
down.

Post by Steve Turner

Post by Pete Pemberton
Others point to Yamaha hardware, I never have used it.

I do have one Yamaha single-braced stand, and another boom arm and they
are quite nice, but other than being single-braced the rest of it is
quite heavy-duty and I don't know that it's much lighter than my
double-braced hardware (most of which is old Gretsch Techware or newer
Pearl stuff).

I always thought Yammy hardware was heavy. Works great, reliable,
sturday, but heavy.

Post by Steve Turner
I don't really recall any modern attempts to target a "lightweight
high-tech hardware" market; have any companies ever tried it? I'd
think it wouldn't be too tough to sell something like that if the price
was reasonable.

Sonor did in the 80's with the HiLite series. It wasn't reasonable here
in the states.

PP

[Steve Turner]

Speaking of aluminum, I've always wondered why nobody seems to use it. It's
certainly strong enough, probably not that much more expensive than chrome
plated steel, and certainly a lot lighter.

I saw the flat based stands from DW have aluminum legs. I would imagine it' s a
cost/demand issue. If more people wanted it, the price would go down.

Seems to me the tubes could be aluminum too and that would cut down on the
weight even more.

[Pete Pemberton]

On 2011-01-08 22:23:23 -0500, Steve Turner

Post by Steve Turner

Post by Pete Pemberton
On 2011-01-07 20:44:39 -0500, Steve Turner

Speaking of aluminum, I've always wondered why nobody seems to use it. It's
certainly strong enough, probably not that much more expensive than chrome
plated steel, and certainly a lot lighter.

I saw the flat based stands from DW have aluminum legs. I would imagine it' s a
cost/demand issue. If more people wanted it, the price would go down.

Seems to me the tubes could be aluminum too and that would cut down on
the weight even more.

I wouldn't want to clamp anything to an aluminum stand. I would be
afraid of crimping it.

I would lose the techware stand and replace it with a 7500 DW tom stand
from ebay. It will hold the toms and whatever else no problem, might
have a little sway. Anything has to be lighter than that old techware
crap. It's HEAVY!

Another solution for your snare stand is the one leg snare stand with a
clamp arm, I think DW make one. maybe others. Ditto the tray, could you
boom it off a nearby cymbal or hihat stand?

There may be a way to hang the 15 off the floor tom.

Not telling you what to hang, but three rides seems a bit much. Have
you considered a Roland pad to handle all the auxilliary percussion?

I have hung two toms, cowbell, two chinas, two splashes, three crashes,
a ride, a set of X hats and a 2002 Bell AND a mic for the bass drum off
two DW 8500 tom stands using their dogbone system. Also a snare stand
and hihat. Yes it's heavy but fits easily into one of the Enduro large
hardware boxes.

PP

[baby dodds]

anyone use this?

http://www.maxwelldrums.com/ultralight-hardware-case-with-stands-c-299.html

[Sean Conolly]

Post by baby dodds
anyone use this?
http://www.maxwelldrums.com/ultralight-hardware-case-with-stands-c-299.html

Lightweight stands : Good

Dismantling them to fit in a carry on bag: Bad.

Setup & tear down goes a *lot* faster if you just fold the legs and use a
longer case.

Just MHO,
Sean

[oldschool]

"My stage rig is a five peice with three crashes and two rides, with
the toms
offset to the left - a four peice plus one if you you will. The high
tom and
two crashes are on one double braced stand, the flat ride is on the
Gibralter stand, and on the kick I have the second tom, one crash, one
ride
and a cowbell. "

Ai caramba! OK, I see where you're coming from.

Yeah, I agree, I would not plan on hanging lots of stuff off of the
8600's. I sometimes set up with a rack hanging off of a cymbal stand,
when I do that I use a Yamaha cymbal stand rather than the 8600.

Good luck with your search!

[Pete Pemberton]

Post by Sean Conolly

Post by baby dodds
anyone use this?
http://www.maxwelldrums.com/ultralight-hardware-case-with-stands-c-299.html

Lightweight stands : Good
Dismantling them to fit in a carry on bag: Bad.
Setup & tear down goes a *lot* faster if you just fold the legs and use a
longer case.
Just MHO,
Sean

I have all my DW stuff memory locked and color coded. Takes me longer
to get the drums out of their cases and the floor tom legs extended
into place than it does to set up the hardware.

PP

[Sean Conolly]

Post by Sean Conolly

Post by baby dodds
anyone use this?
http://www.maxwelldrums.com/ultralight-hardware-case-with-stands-c-299.html

Lightweight stands : Good
Dismantling them to fit in a carry on bag: Bad.
Setup & tear down goes a *lot* faster if you just fold the legs and use a
longer case.
Just MHO,
Sean

I have all my DW stuff memory locked and color coded. Takes me longer to
get the drums out of their cases and the floor tom legs extended into
place than it does to set up the hardware.

You're just not as lazy as I am :-)

Sean

[Benj]

Post by Pete Pemberton
I always thought Yammy hardware was heavy. Works great, reliable,
sturday, but heavy.

My single braced Yammy hardware is MUCH lighter than my double braced
Gibraltar stuff. And the Gibraltar stuff actually has the center posts
aluminum. (Legs are steel). And the Yammy works great and is strong
too. So I guess heavy has to be heavy relative to what!

The main difference in single vs double braced stands is that with
single braced the rivet that the legs use as a hinge when folding up
tends to get loose. When that happens the whole stand gets wobbly.
Double braced stands somehow have a different rivet configuration and
don't develop this problem. But let me say that my Yammy single braced
stands have NEVER developed loose rivets and gotten wobbly. That has
NOT been the case with a variety of other (usually low cost) single
braced stuff I've used over the years.

[n***@zoomnet.net]

 Do you guys have any

Post by Steve Turner
recommendations for some good lightweight single-braced hardware that I can
take out on gigs what won't be so damned hard on the old body?

I too carry around the Yamaha 900 series stuff as well as Pearl 2000
and DW 9700
and it's heavy.

Recently I bought a few of these from Pacific. They are double-braced,
however, they are not too
heavy.

800 series
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pacific-PDP-CB800-Boom-Cymbal-Stand-/170567584314?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b69eca3a

and the very light 700 series

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pacific-PDP-CB700-Boom-Cymbal-Stand-/150521500881?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230bc7d4d1

They will stand up to the demands of wedding receptions and cocktail
parties;-)

MN

[Steve Turner]

Post by Steve Turner
Do you guys have any

Post by Steve Turner
recommendations for some good lightweight single-braced hardware that I can
take out on gigs what won't be so damned hard on the old body?

I too carry around the Yamaha 900 series stuff as well as Pearl 2000
and DW 9700
and it's heavy.
Recently I bought a few of these from Pacific. They are double-braced,
however, they are not too
heavy.
800 series
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pacific-PDP-CB800-Boom-Cymbal-Stand-/170567584314?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b69eca3a
and the very light 700 series
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pacific-PDP-CB700-Boom-Cymbal-Stand-/150521500881?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230bc7d4d1
They will stand up to the demands of wedding receptions and cocktail
parties;-)
MN

Do you know what it is about these stands that makes them lighter? Smaller
tubes? Lighter gauge steel on the legs? Thanks for the suggestions.