A perfect Gibraltar Hardware drum rack addition for yourself or a friend this holiday season is our no-leg hi-hat and boom stands.
If you own a one-of-a-kind Gibraltar rack system, the 6607NL heavy weight no-leg hi-hat stand and the 6609NL medium weight no leg boom stand just makes sense. Why buy a traditional tri-pod base boom or hi-hat stand when, as a rack owner, you no longer need those extra legs? Gibraltar’s chrome SC-GCRMC or the SC-GCSMC clamps make the task of attaching both of these no leg stands to your rack system a breeze. And if your rack is already overfull with gear, investing in either our straight or curved rack stand wing extensions to support your new no leg hi-hat and boom stands will certainly do the trick.
The no leg boom stand features a three-tier height adjustment system (23-58 inches) and a cast hideaway boom. Its extra long height extension also gives drummers plenty of versatility in how low or high to set their rack bar extension adjustments.
The no leg hi-hat stand has similar attributes, giving drummers flexibility with our trademark hinged height adjustment, solid cast frame and step tension adjustment. It is everything you need in a hi-hat stand, but without the legs and extra weight being only 6.5 pounds.
Another reason our no leg stands make sense for drummers is the challenge of fitting three-legged varieties in between other drum gear. For example, if you play a double kick drum pedal, positioning the cymbals of a traditional two or three legged hi-hat stand to your stick sweet spot can be difficult, as can leaving enough room to move your left foot between your hi-hat and left kick pedal. The 6607NL heavy weight no-leg hi-hat stand solves that dilemma.
The same can be said for three legged boom stands. Finding enough floor area for boom stand legs without interfering with your drum rack base legs can be haphazard at best, especially at gigs where quick and efficient set-up is a must. Our 6609NL medium weight no leg boom stand eliminates that challenge.
One reason we designed our innovative rack systems was to reduce the leg clutter around your kit. These two new no leg stands bring our vision to another level.
Happy holidays.
Tag Archive for 'high hat stands'
Gibraltar Hardware is continuously innovating new products and upgrading current ones. These short videos highlight some of the products that can help drummers customize their set ups to achieve their own unique sound and style.
Like some cymbal package deals, there has long been a great misnomer floating around about drum hardware packs; that being many of them are too flimsy and cheap to be sold separately.
We spent a good deal of time at Gibraltar Hardware packaging our 4600 series hardware together exclusively as a sweet bundle deal with our sister company, Gretsch Drums, for obvious reasons. Because of the 4600 series line’s ever growing popularity, however, we have decided to offer them individually for the first time.
The 4600 series hardware includes a hi-hat stand, snare stand, 1 boom rod and 1 straight cymbal stand, and a kick drum pedal. It was originally designed to give Gretsch drum customers instant kit playability leaving the retail store or delivery truck at a reasonable price, but with the same high quality as our other individual lines. While the Gretsch/Gibraltar hardware packs are no longer Gretsch specific, they still very much pack a punch.
This gear solves several problems for the both the practicing and gigging drummer, especially for those who either are new to the drumming community or looking to upgrade their outdated equipment. First, it’s the perfect way to upgrade to great, low mass double braced hardware to expand your current gear offerings, have back-ups in case of emergency, or to finish off a shell kit purchase. If you don’t place your cymbal positions well above head level or love to thrash hard all the time, then the 4600 cymbal stands (boom stand extension ranges from 30-57 inches tall) are perfect for you. That said, the 4600 series cymbal stands are designed to hold virtually any cymbal weight. It is just a matter of how hard you rock them.
Because the 4600 series cymbal stand bases are a double braced tripod design with hinged height adjustment, drummers can also envision alternative set-up treatments as yet another advantage to owning such components. We’ve seen skinners mounting a tom-tom, cowbell, tambourine, and other percussive devices on these babies with no problems.
As for the 4600 series hi-hat stand, drummers can find an advantage in that the top height extension of 36 inches will certainly make it easier to fit the stand in a standard drum hardware bag without having to collapse it. And its rotating base tripod leg certainly helps provide more foot space for double bass drum players and those fitting a drum kit in tight stage or practice spaces.
The 4600 series snare stand gives drummers the same quality all cast adjustment points, but without the added weight. This may not be the best option for drummers with heavy 6.5-inch deep snare shells, but for smaller piccolo-like snare players and as secondary snare stand option, you can’t beat the price or quality.
And as for the 4600 series bass drum pedal, it is one of the better packaged deal pedals on the market today as a simple and fast pedal, styled with the Wave pedal board and hammer dual surface beater that delivers speed and ease of use. It is the perfect pedal for those learning how to play kick drum, or for old drummers who want a more efficient and transportable piece of gear.
You can see from the product description advantages above why we have decided to break this series out as separate Gibraltar Hardware options. We think you will find the series offering as the perfect individual addition or replacement, or complete line.
Protecting your drum hardware in properly-sized bags is one of the easiest ways to extend its longevity, yet I see so many drummers still throwing gear like the weekly dump trip in the back of cars with no regard for damage incurred along the way.
Gibraltar carries six different models of hardware bags and because we are experts in the hardware-making business, our bags are specially designed for not only cymbal and hi-hat stands, but also rack systems.
I personally own a hardware bag on wheels and can say it has saved my back – and probably a few arm ligaments – huffing up to 100 pounds of stuff down a club’s back alley stairs and across a dark, uneven parking lot.
Our newest bag does just that. The GHLTB bag is built for the gigging drummer in mind. At 44-inches long – taller than most collapsed stands on the market today – and 11-inches by 11-inches of breathing room inside, drummers can fit an average full-sized kit of hardware in this baby and more. This ain’t no plastic piece of crap either. We made this model out of high-test nylon, and yes, we know one of the very first things that break on hardware bags is the zipper. So we made ours from heavy-duty stock with ABS perimeter reinforcements. And if you are playing a small club and don’t have time to throw your empty bags back in the car, this bag has rails on the back panel with fold up side panels making for easy empty storage and stability when full. Did I mention she’s on wheels, too? We added inline skate wheels, which by the way look very cool to admiring fans after a long show. The bag’s two end panel carry straps and long middle one make towing a snap.
How many of you hate unscrewing your hi-hat pull rod and seat arm at the end of a long practice or performance? I sure could do without the hassle and enjoy a nice beverage instead. Or do you have extra long stands that you’d rather not take a pipe cutter to at 2 a.m.? We designed our GHB-M bag with all of that in mind. Though it’s the perfect bag for all types of stands, the GHB-M is 48-inches long to accommodate extra length gear and it fits all Gibraltar racks except for our GRS 400C and 100C models. And if that is not long enough for you skinners, we also carry a sister GHB-L bag that will fit curved and v-style rack bars. Heck, a baby giraffe could almost fit inside this model at 52-inches long. Both of these bags also have a cool top zipper compartment for all those extra felt pads, hi-hat clutches, sleeves and empty beverage cans.
One of the main challenges in packing and unpacking drum hardware is smaller items becoming accidentally bent, scratched or loosened to the point where you simply lose stuff at totally the wrong time. At 32-inches long, our GHB-S bag is specially designed to fit smaller stands, pedals, throne bases, and stand and rack attachments. It also has a side zipper compartment for some of those empty beverage cans that club owners despise, etc. This model would also work great for XLR and quarter-inch patch cords, mics and gig towels. On that same size parameter, we added wheels to our 32-inch-long GHTB bag that works great with our four different Gibraltar Stealth Rack rigs. And it has inset wheels as well for those gigs where walking home is best.
Our final model, the GRB bag, is the best option for storing and transporting rack systems and no wonder it’s one of Gibraltar’s most popular products. At 54-inches long with ABS insert, our team here designed this to fit most manufacturers’ straight and curved bar rack systems. The bag is round in shape to accommodate the unique rack dimensions out there – not to mention ease in navigating through thick crowds and tight corners – and it has heavy duty centered carrying handles and zipper.
Some drum hardware manufacturers make cases that simply force drummers to just chuck everything in and call it a day. Gibraltar has designed our sleek, heavy-duty bags with distinct specificity and organization in mind to give you the storage options necessary for successful playing opportunities.
- Tim Kane is a freelance drummer, instructor and writer living in Massachusetts. He writes a regular blog for Gibraltar Hardware.
In conclusion of this two-part series (click here to read part one) on the most common top 10 drum hardware problems, we hope to guide you through potential solutions through wise investment in Gibraltar products and discovering other unique spot repair innovations.
6 – A SHELL GAME
One of the largest problems at a gig or practice that can be a real downer is when a piece of hardware actually tears away from your interior wooden shell and/or exterior lamination. Stress is the most common culprit such as when too much pressure is applied to a Gibraltar tom hoop while its mount is integrated with a shell. Another common issue involves continuously over tightening a Gibraltar tension rod, ultimately warping your shell’s beveled edge and causing lug screws to eventually tear through the shell. While it is easy enough to replace Gibraltar lug screws and tension rods, the more difficult challenge is repairing the cracked wooden shell itself. The best medicine to avoid this is to ensure you have the proper Gibraltar washers under all your lug screws.
As an amateur drum repair guy myself, I’ve found the easiest way to fix a cracked shell – minus just sending it back to the manufacturer or a local drum shop – is by removing all the hardware and injecting wood glue into both sides of the cracked wood and then clamping both sides together to dry. Rather than writing a 2,000-word diatribe on this complex topic here, a really well prepared article on cracked shell repair was recently featured in Drum Magazine that you should check out.
7 – WHY SO TENSE?
Mentioning tension issues, there are several other potential problem areas to consider. Using the wrong sized tension rods in their lug receptors (also called swivel nuts) causes stripping. At Gibraltar, we carry plenty of replacement lug screws and tension rods and can help you find that perfect dimension. Given you do have the right size, unfortunately not much can be done once the stripping has occurred in the receptor chamber itself. An ounce of prevention here is certainly worth a pound of cure.
Before writing off that piece of gear, however, it would be wise to remove that tension rod from the lug’s swivel nut and see if the teeth are in fact stripped. Use a headlamp or hand held flashlight to probe for strippage inside the receptor. If detected, replace it immediately, as putting the same stripped rod back in its swivel nut will only advance the dilemma. If the swivel nut inside the lug is damaged, you will need to take your drumhead off and unscrew the lug from the shell’s interior to replace it. Gibraltar carries two different sized swivel nuts that fit most drum kits in small and large sizes that will spare you the expense of replacing the entire lug.
The good news is you can play a gig or practice without a tension rod or two, if need be. If your stripped swivel nut is an important top batter side element of your kit, I suggest you borrow another lug for the time being from a bottom resonant side drum until a replacement arrives.
The other problem that often occurs with lugs on older, vintage kits or even some new beginner level sets is the metal spring inserts produce excessive noise. Most drummers describe it as a “weird boinging sound.” The best way to fix this sound problem that can wreak havoc in a studio or while mic’ed up live is to literally take the lug off its shell and stuff the inner cavity with cotton or cloth so that it surrounds the spring insert, and reattach the lug to the shell. Trust me, the noise will be gone or greatly diminished.
7 – YOU’RE SCREWED
Stripping is also common among screws used to fasten your hardware stands’ components together. Prone to grime buildup, the particular screw most impacted is your cymbal stand wing screws.
First, it’s always a good idea to carry screw and nut spares and Gibraltar carries a full line of them. Two problems occur when a stand’s screw becomes stripped. Your stand will either be stuck in its fully extended position, or unable to be extended to the desired height. While playing and then transporting a frozen stand is no big deal, duct tape is certainly your temporary friend for stands that can’t be adjusted.
The problem with stripped screws is the receptor hole most likely is also stripped and needs to be re-bored by a professional machinist or drum shop tech. And often times that can cost as much as simply purchasing a brand new replacement boom stand or boom arm from Gibraltar.
8 – WHAT’S UP YOUR SLEEVES?
We’ll keep this topic short. While most everyone knows – or at least should – not to place your cymbals directly on the metal mount without a Gibraltar nylon sleeve in place first, the reality is sleeves do get lost – even our black flanged base threaded varieties. I’ve used anything from gaffers tape to a plastic straw for the quick fix until I can order replacements. That’s much better than causing irreparable damage to your cymbal.
9 – BEING THE CLUTCH PLAYER
The hi-hat stand gives drummers immense pleasure and can cause a great deal of suffering as well. If you break even one component of your hi-hat stand during a performance, you basically lose the transmission drive powering your drum kit. I bring two hi-hat stands – or at minimum a second clutch – to every gig or practice just in case. The reality is not all drummers own two hi-hat stands, though Gibraltar carries a large array of replacement parts. Before you can fix the problem, however, you need to know what it is.
Starting at the top, you should first check to see if the upper and lower clamps of your clutch are separated. If those are ok, your next step should be to see if the upper pull rod that essentially lifts your hi-hat cymbals up and down has separated from its bottom pull rod counterpart. You will need to take the stand’s upper shaft off to access the rods. If they are screwed together fine, your next process of elimination involves inspecting the hi-hat’s chain or strip that connects to your foot pedal. Check. Continuing down your stand, the hi-hat foot pedal is the final element to review. If your pedal is swaying from side-to-side, you have probably disconnected or broken the heel plate’s Y-shaped radius rod away from the frame.
While there are no easy answers when hi-hat parts break, duct tape can get you through, including taping your top hi-hat cymbal directly to the pull rod for the time being. Doesn’t look pretty, but neither does a drummer playing without a hit-hat.
10 – GROUND CONTROL TO MAJOR TOM…
Finally, our top 10 drum hardware problems conclude with a salute to errant tom-tom support. Realizing the great innovations with Gibraltar tom-tom suspension system technology, the so-called tom-tom sway is really a thing of the past. Still, stuff breaks. I own an extra tom-holder for my kit just in case. Nothing looks worse than a tom-tom falling off your kit or suddenly taking a dive mid-song. Gibraltar’s tom mounts are amazingly diverse and well built, but not all tom holders are made with the same integrity. I’ve found some competing models’ tom mounts employ small wingnuts to secure the mount tilter. Replacing that nut with a rack system T handle definitely tightens things up and avoids potential stripping and weak connections.
If the tom clamp is beginning to lose its grip, a proven get-me-by is to cut two 1-inch squares from a plastic coke bottle and put them in the jaws of the clamp that grip the rotation ball. And if all else fails, use the top basket portion of a back-up snare drum stand attached to either a Gibraltar boom stand base or universal grabber clamp to hold your tom-tom up for the time being.
- Tim Kane is a freelance drummer, instructor and writer living in Massachusetts. He writes a regular blog for Gibraltar Hardware.
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