Best underated double kick pedal (not Pearl/DW/IC, etc.)

Hi,
As the title suggests, i'm looking for recommendation for a double kick pedal not from the known companies.
For example- Gdrums, Odery, Gewa, Marshall Natal Arcadia, AB drums...
That is, as they are sold at a relatively low price compared to the known companies (dw 5000/9000 in particular).

A) Can you guys recommend specific models from the brands mentioned?
B) If not, would appreciate recommendations for a good price-quality ratio.

Thanks.

Can you give us a price range you’re looking for? Perhaps there are some lesser known pedals from established brands that will work within your budget without having to risk buying a no-name brand.

Also, do you prefer chains/straps or a direct linkage? And what kind of footboard length and cam profile are you used to?

dante123 said:

Hi,
As the title suggests, i'm looking for recommendation for a double kick pedal not from the known companies.
For example- Gdrums, Odery, Gewa, Marshall Natal Arcadia, AB drums...
That is, as they are sold at a relatively low price compared to the known companies (dw 5000/9000 in particular).

A) Can you guys recommend specific models from the brands mentioned?
B) If not, would appreciate recommendations for a good price-quality ratio.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

There are a few Korean companies that offer amazing double pedals for slightly less than the known brands but if you think you are going to get the same level of performance from say...a Chinese Pearl knock off that costs $200 be ready to be disappointed.
The problem with Chinese knock offs is that their quality control is much less stringent than the known brands. They are improving (Significantly if Harbor Freight is a measurable indicator) but the old "You get what you paid for" really applies here.
I said Korean because unlike Chinese mega factories, they seem to really care about customer feedback and the quality of the items they produce, being that they are usually a much smaller operation, but of course that means that their prices would be almost on par with the known brands.
These are some example of that:

My advice would be to go with the known brands on the used market.

I spent way too much time lurking on these sites, and I am always amazed at the potential deals.

Cooper2020 said:

My advice would be to go with the known brands on the used market.

I spent way too much time lurking on these sites, and I am always amazed at the potential deals.

Click to expand...

Or bite the bullet and get a new brand name pedal (after testing them at the store and seeing if you like how they feel).
I can tell you the first time I tested the Axis pedals, I was able to play so much faster than with any other pedals I have ever played. $600 was a lot of money to me at the time so I didn't buy it and I read a lot of reviews that talked about the linkage breaking so there's that.
I then (later) I tested the Pearl Demon Drive, and they felt extremely heavy (very smooth action but too heavy for me) to be fair, I didn't adjust anything so maybe if I had fiddled with the adjustments I would have found a good setting for me.
But that is the main thing what works for me or others may not work for you at all. You have to go and test as many pedals as you can, then if you still don't want or can't spend that kind of money, look for the cheaper alternative that is reasonably close to what you liked from the name brands.
Used market is of course a good alternative too if you can find "The one".

TK-421 said:

Can you give us a price range you’re looking for? Perhaps there are some lesser known pedals from established brands that will work within your budget without having to risk buying a no-name brand.

Also, do you prefer chains/straps or a direct linkage? And what kind of footboard length and cam profile are you used to?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.
I guess 150 euros/200 usd is a good price range.
Unfortunately, we don't have many mid tier brands (only unknowns or the top brands) which is why I stated specific models/companies in my op.

As for specifics, I can't really say as it is my first double kick. I currently have a Pearl p-930 as my single.
A long footboard would be nice,but an all around quality kick is the most important aspect.

Cooper2020 said:

My advice would be to go with the known brands on the used market.

I spent way too much time lurking on these sites, and I am always amazed at the potential deals.

Click to expand...

There's not much action on the used market, and if there is, price is relatively close to a first hand. Thanks tho.

doggyd69b said:

Or bite the bullet and get a new brand name pedal (after testing them at the store and seeing if you like how they feel).
I can tell you the first time I tested the Axis pedals, I was able to play so much faster than with any other pedals I have ever played. $600 was a lot of money to me at the time so I didn't buy it and I read a lot of reviews that talked about the linkage breaking so there's that.
I then (later) I tested the Pearl Demon Drive, and they felt extremely heavy (very smooth action but too heavy for me) to be fair, I didn't adjust anything so maybe if I had fiddled with the adjustments I would have found a good setting for me.
But that is the main thing what works for me or others may not work for you at all. You have to go and test as many pedals as you can, then if you still don't want or can't spend that kind of money, look for the cheaper alternative that is reasonably close to what you liked from the name brands.
Used market is of course a good alternative too if you can find "The one".

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply.
As it is my first double kick, I fear there's not much experience in comparing and contrasting at the store level.
As you said, fiddling with it at home usually garners different results.

Therefore I'm looking for a safe bet 'out of the box' recommendation. I currently have a Pearl P-930 and can relate to the heaviness you are describing.

A few months ago, I'd have recommended you get one of the Sakae Axleandor doubles that Korg was blowing out for $200. Really though, you're best bet is probably going to be keeping an eye on the used market. I picked up both my Speed Cobras used for less than $200, so deals are out there, but you have to be patient.

Rob G. said:

A few months ago, I'd have recommended you get one of the Sakae Axleandor doubles that Korg was blowing out for $200. Really though, you're best bet is probably going to be keeping an eye on the used market. I picked up both my Speed Cobras used for less than $200, so deals are out there, but you have to be patient.

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Patience is the key word. And I would also say to be open for trade.

I traded my DW 3000 Double Bass Pedal for a 20 HHX Evolution.

Tama has double pedals that currently sell new for $170, $240, $270, and $350...before getting to their top-of-the-line pedals that sell for $600 and higher. They all have outstanding reviews.

I've never owned a bad piece of gear from Tama at any price. I can't imagine you could go wrong by choosing Tama for your first double pedal.

As others have mentioned, the used market is the way to go, and one of the benefits of going with a more well-known brand is that they are more easily serviceable and parts are more readily available. I'd look at the DW 3000.

dante123 said:

There's not much action on the used market, and if there is, price is relatively close to a first hand. Thanks tho.

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That's surprising. Where are you located? I ask because around here (Quebec, Canada), there are multiple deals to be made.

I am far from being a Pro, but I found out years ago that you need to invest in a good pedal and a good throne, if you have the budget of course. If you do not have the budget, the aftermarket is the key.

Pedals and throne affect your body way way more than any other parts of your drumkit.

You may have have a low end kit, but even with a cheap one, you still have the ability to arrange the stuff to play comfortably.

With bad pedals and bad thrones, you are stuck with their limits.

MattRitter said:

Tama has double pedals that currently sell new for $170, $240, $270, and $350...before getting to their top-of-the-line pedals that sell for $600 and higher. They all have outstanding reviews.

I've never owned a bad piece of gear from Tama at any price. I can't imagine you could go wrong by choosing Tama for your first double pedal.

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The old Iron cobra junior pedals and 200? Series are some of the most tragic cases of lateral footboard play I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t touch a used midrange tama with a 10 ft pole. The speed cobra 310’s seem like really good value but then I haven’t tried them for myself and I don’t really know how significant the downgraded parts are.

If we are looking at midrange, I have seen some pearl 900s that look like they’ve been to war but actually play alright. I have encountered a few sloppy ones too. Just noticed you already own one though.

So in answer to part a) I would say that you have the assumption that because they’re not a big brand that their pedal offering is cheaper but unfortunately I believe the pro offerings from these companies usually cost the same or more.

So for part B) I had a mapex falcon once and that was pretty well built. Pearl eliminators are great. Tama iron Cobras are great but they have a particular heavy feel that wouldn’t work for some. My Yamaha dfp8500 is really cool, I consider that an underdog.

I think you’re just better off saving up and coughing up and it’s a tragic time to be trying to figure out what your perfect pedal is because prices have really gone up. I have been able to own all sorts of gear at little to no cost by strategic buying and selling, but it is a long game.

Are you trying to play speed metal or something? You might be better off with 2 bass drums to avoid the sloppy driveshafts that come with cheaper pedals, they are one of the major problems.

Cooper2020 said:

That's surprising. Where are you located? I ask because around here (Quebec, Canada), there are multiple deals to be made.

I am far from being a Pro, but I found out years ago that you need to invest in a good pedal and a good throne, if you have the budget of course. If you do not have the budget, the aftermarket is the key.

Pedals and throne affect your body way way more than any other parts of your drumkit.

You may have have a low end kit, but even with a cheap one, you still have the ability to arrange the stuff to play comfortably.

With bad pedals and bad thrones, you are stuck with their limits.

Click to expand...

I'm from Israel, drumming is a pretty niche market, especially metal drumming.

And I have an electronic TD-17kvx, so not a low end I would say.

Well guys, I think I'll settle on a Mapex P600TW first hand, double chain with falcon beaters for 280 USD. It's a new model here and at a relatively low price compared even to even the Tama HP200.

Does anyone have any personal experience with it? Standart footboard but for the price..

I know you seem to be heading in a different direction but if you have (and like) the Pearl P-930 I'd strongly recommend getting the P-932, even if you need to save up a little more. The single version has been my go-to pedal for years and I love mine. I owned the double pedal version for a little while and it feels exactly like the single version.

dante123 said:

Thanks for the reply.
I guess 150 euros/200 usd is a good price range.
Unfortunately, we don't have many mid tier brands (only unknowns or the top brands) which is why I stated specific models/companies in my op.

As for specifics, I can't really say as it is my first double kick. I currently have a Pearl p-930 as my single.
A long footboard would be nice,but an all around quality kick is the most important aspect.

Click to expand...

Sounds like you've found a pedal, but if you haven't pulled the trigger yet there are others to consider within your price range. For around 200 USD and under, PDP (a division of Drum Workshop) has two pedals that could totally work. Meaning you could have a DW pedal at a fraction of the cost.

While I don't own either of these exact pedals, I do own an older PDP double pedal that's pretty much the equivalent of the 800-series below. My pedal feels great and I was able to get the slave pedal to feel nearly identical to the main pedal, which is sometimes an issue with double pedals. The only caveat is I didn't like the heavy beaters it came with, so I swapped them for much lighter Iron Cobra beaters and that did the trick.


The 700-series is essentially the same pedal, but with single chains and without a solid footboard under the main pedal (but at a cheaper price).

TK-421 said:

Sounds like you've found a pedal, but if you haven't pulled the trigger yet there are others to consider within your price range. For around 200 USD and under, PDP (a division of Drum Workshop) has two pedals that could totally work. Meaning you could have a DW pedal at a fraction of the cost.

While I don't own either of these exact pedals, I do own an older PDP double pedal that's pretty much the equivalent of the 800-series below. My pedal feels great and I was able to get the slave pedal to feel nearly identical to the main pedal, which is sometimes an issue with double pedals. The only caveat is I didn't like the heavy beaters it came with, so I swapped them for much lighter Iron Cobra beaters and that did the trick.

800 Series Double Pedal | Pacific Drums

Features a dual chain, concentric drive system, cast footboard with an integrated needle-bearing hinge.

www.pacificdrums.com

The 700-series is essentially the same pedal, but with single chains and without a solid footboard under the main pedal (but at a cheaper price).

700 Series Double Pedal | Pacific Drums

Features a retro-styled, single chain, concentric drive system with a dual-post primary pedal and more.

www.pacificdrums.com

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Thanks for your reply.

The PDP 800 isn't sold at music stores where I'm from, at least from the quick search I just did.

Regardless, I already bit the bullet on the MAPEX Mars 600 Series Double Pedal (P600TW), which by both the music store's guy and online reviews, is sturdy and a smart purchase, also given its good price. Hope it's a good beginner-intermediate double kick.

dante123 said:

Thanks for the reply.
I guess 150 euros/200 usd is a good price range.
Unfortunately, we don't have many mid tier brands (only unknowns or the top brands) which is why I stated specific models/companies in my op.

As for specifics, I can't really say as it is my first double kick. I currently have a Pearl p-930 as my single.
A long footboard would be nice,but an all around quality kick is the most important aspect.

Click to expand...

That's the thing, what constitutes "A good all around quality kit"? I love the way the Yamaha FP9 direct drive pedals look, but I have not tried them yet, those are $600 I also love the way the Pearl Demon XR look but at double the price... but then the other side of that is spend once for quality and features or spend twice for cheap and limited.
There are a lot of cheap Chinese pedals on that price range and some are actually decent just don't expect many features but like I said before Chinese factories are improving their quality so it may be worth checking them out.