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
I need to add 6″,8″,and 10″ toms to this setup, I want to add them directly above the floor toms. Which parts do i need besides the ones listed above?
Hi Corey,
Thanks for checking us out. As to your question of how best to mount your 6″, 8″, and 10″ toms above the floor tom. There are a couple options that will work for this, you can decide which will work best based on the weight and how you need to mount the drums. The link below takes you to our web site showing a rack side extension. This can be added to the floor tom side of the double bass rack. If you have each tom mounted on an arm, you can simply mount each tom arm to the side extension with a multi clamp.
Another lighter option would be to use a rack wing extension. This is just like the side extension but smaller. Check out the link below for more information.
Please send in some pictures of your set up once you complete it. It will be great to show other people your idea to mount toms.
Thanks for supporting Gibraltar,
Ken
What attachment allows rack tubes to accept up 1″ accessory tubes? Like the ones used on the stealth racks.
Hi Tony.
The Stealth VMS (Vertical Mounting System) has a RMAA Rack Mount Accessory Attachment at the vertical tube that accepts 3/4″, 7/8″ and 1″ tubes using nylon adaptor inserts in the clamping mechanism. Works very well.
http://www.gibraltarhardware.com/?fa=detail&mid=2289&sid=616&cid=31
link to RMAA:
http://www.gibraltarhardware.com/index.cfm?fa=partsmain&curcat=2&bnd=11&cid=113&sid=489&pid=1728
thanks
Ken
I have a old 1975 Slingerland drum kit. The double tom mount is broke on lelt side. It mount off the bass and comes up to a bsll clamp “T” off to hold the toms on each side.Do you have any ideas that I for my tom mount holder problem.
Thank you,
Rick Cesario
this is an insane setup.
what would i have to add another spash sized cymbal somewhere near the center?
and I cant seem to see (by the pictures above) how the ride is apart of this setup. please inform me what piece is used for the ride and what it is mounted to.
also confused about the Extra cymbal mounting with SC-RMAA.
in text it says you added 3 to each vertical tube (each side and in middle). yet in the picture 6.2 you can click on it shows two with a yellow box around them (on sides) showing you the SC-RMAA . AND on top of that, when you download the parts list for this entire setup, it says ” 1 pc SC-RMAA Rack Mount Accessory Attachment”
so how many do you need. 1 , 2 , or 3?! (according to this setup)?
and is the SC-RMAA the same as (what guitar center calls) “Gibraltar Rack Tube Var Attachment Mount ” (http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibraltar-Rack-Tube-Var-Attachment-Mount-490773-i1394993.gc)
thanks
thanks
@Charles Brown
There are a couple options for you. First you can just use a standard multi clamp (SC-GRSMC) and place it close into the center bar. Then adjust the arm to position the splash cymbal where you want it. Second option if you have a standard boom rod (12.7mm cymbal boom rod) is to use the SC-GRSRAA ratchet clamp which is a little less $ than the multi clamp.
On the ride cymbal question, we are using a Ultra Adjust cymbal arm mounted off the side of the rack system horizontally. This is a long arm with gearless positioning so it works well off that side, you might also be able to use a long boom arm mounted the same way to get a similar position.
Sorry for the confusion on this set up, there is a lot going on in this set up. We did add three of the RMAA to the three vertical posts of the GRS-850DBL. The picture with the arrows is indicating that the piece attached via two drum key screws. So for this set up we did use a total of 3 SC-RMAA’s.
Hope this helps with your set up
Ken
Ken Fredenberg
Percussion Marketing Director
KMC Music Inc.
If I were to buy just the setup alone for just holding my cymbals, without buying any additional clamps, how many cymbal arms would it be able to hold? I read on GAK that it could hold up to 8 cymbal arms i believe but does it come the enough clamps to do so, or yet if i buy additional clamps can it hold more cymbal arms?
Basically, How many clamps does it come with and how many cymbals can it hold max?