Custom Drum Hardware Blog

Building a double bass rack system with the GRS-850DB

Set-up Logic

The classic double bass drum rack seen throughout the 80s was known as “the cage”. This setup pays homage to the cage – with an updated vibe and jaw dropping appeal. With Gibraltar you can turn your own custom design into a one of a kind look.

If you have a big kit, a rack is the way to go. Racks deliver the tight framework needed for mounting lots of drums and cymbals while keeping set up clean and unobtrusive.

Download the parts list PDF for the GRS-850DBL Double Bass Rack Kit

Our kit for today consists of two bass drums, 8″, 10″, 12″ and 13″ mounted rack toms, and 14″ and 16″ floor toms. For this set up, we chose to use the Gibraltar Road Series GRS-850DBL rack because right out of the box, it has almost everything you need to handle this type of set-up. This rack fits tight into the set up, riding just above the bass drums and supplying all of the mounting surface you need to position lots of drums and cymbals. It’s sleek design gives a clean looking kit set-up and great stage presence. For set up and tear down, the rack conveniently breaks down into three sections making for easy transport to any gig. Set up is a breeze memory locks secure on all mounting positions. Keep all mounts exactly the same every time you set up the kit.

The Set-up

Gibraltar’s GRS-850DBL rack supplies the framework for this double kick, four-rack tom, two-floor tom set-up. The rack comes stock with the following;

System includes:

• 2 pc GRSTLA T-leg assemblies
• 1 pc GRSMTLA mini T-leg assembly
• 3 pc SC-GPR36 36″ vertical bars
• 2 SC-GPR40C pc 40″ curved horizontal bars
• 4 pc SC-GRSMC multi clamps
• 4 pc SC-GRSHML hinged memory locks
• 10 pc SC-GPRML memory locks
• 2 pc SC-GRSRA right angle clamps
• 2 pc SC-GRSSRA Stackable right angle clamps
• 1 pc GPR-LOGO badge

We mounted three SC-RMAA rack attachments to each vertical tube for added cymbal mounting.

Extra cymbal mounting with SC-RMAA

We added three SC-RMAA rack mounting accessory clamps to each upright of the side racks (figure 6.2). The SC-RMAA Rack Mounting accessory attachment fits over any 1 ½” diameter tube and allows mounting of ¾”, ½” and 7/8″ cymbal tom and accessory arms. This allows a cymbal boom arm or any down tube to be mounted from the vertical rack tube giving more mounting options.

Setting up the rack

We placed the horizontal rack bars approximately 6″ above the bass drums to allow enough mounting space for cymbal and tom arms. Pre mounted memory locks on each vertical leg section lock in the height of the horizontal bar position. This ensures that the bars are level each time the rack is set up.

No-leg snare stand

One major benefit of a rack set up is being able to mount anywhere off the rack. Snare stand tripods can take up valuable floor space needed for multiple pedal set ups. A 30-inch straight rack tube (SC-GPR30) is mounted to the middle vertical leg section of the rack tube with a right-angled clamp model (SC-GRSRA). A super multi clamp (SC-GRSSMC or SC-GRSMC) is used to mount the 9606NL No-leg snare stand in place.

Cymbal Mounting

SC-UCB Ultra adjust double UA cymbal mounting arm and SC-USCB Ultra adjust cymbal boom arm.
Gibraltar’s Ultra-Adjust cymbal arms use a ‘ball joint’ that can be rotated in all directions of the axis, yet tightens with only one wing nut. To illustrate, imagine a globe. The South Pole goes into your cymbal stand base. The North Pole is the tube that will terminate at a cymbal tilter or tom-tom or whatever. You can tilt that tube down, from the north pole towards south, on any meridian, and you can also tilt it around the globe east to west at any latitude, all at once. It’s similar to a ball & socket tom mount (used on drum sets since the 60s), but with greater range. It’s really cool, and Gibraltar has included it in a variety of cymbal arms, tom and percussion arms, a snare stand, and a funky new, semi-remote hi hat stand.

• 1 pc GRS-850DBL Double Bass Rack System
• 1 pc SC-RMAA Rack Mount Accessory Attachment
• 1 pc SC-GPR30 30 inch Straight Rack Bar Tube
• 1 pc SC-GRSRA Right Angle Clamp

From players left moving right:

• 2 pc 9611DD Intruder single pedal direct drive
• 1 pc 9707NL-UA Ultra Adjust No Leg Hi Hat
• 1 pc SC-EA200 Extension Arm with Clamp
• 3 pc SC-UCB Ultra Adjust Cymbal Arm
• 2 pc SC-USCB Ultra Adjust Boom Cymbal Arm
• 3 pc SC-LBBT Long Cymbal Boom Arm with brake tilter
• 4 pc SC-BCLR-L Ball L-rod Tom Arm (12.7mm)

• Bass Drum
• Toms
• Floor Toms
• Snare Drum

Adds cymbals
Download the parts list PDF for the GRS-850DBL Double Bass Rack Kit

Possibly related posts:

• May 19, 2009 -- Image is Everything: Gibraltar GRS-420CC All Chrome Curved Drum Rack Setup
• September 28, 2009 -- LA Drummers Meetup, October 21st 2009
• June 22, 2009 -- Brent Sets Up A Gibraltar Custom Drum Rack for Joey Bumpus