tonybologna
Jonathan from the Deadbeats uses a vintage Iron Cobra. He frequently throws in Pantera style bass hits.
All kidding aside, they are really nice pedals.

I use a Pearl pedal, that works just fine. I don't think bass drum pedals are all that important. Maybe just the beater you are using.

HAHA "what's the best bass drum pedal for surf?"

I have been used to playing heavier music, I used to play pantera/slayer like crap with my buddies in high School, thats why I bought the DW pedal in the first place. I guess the real question, is this, are these fancy pedals, overkill? All I care about is a good solid pedal.

Vintage Iron Cobra I believe he bought that one when he was really into Heavy Metal Hey Tonnetti I think you should just go to a local Drum Shop and test some pedals out. I personally never liked those DW5000 pedals, it always bothered my heel. Even tho I suck at drumming ther is still a preference in pedals, but My lil' bro has the same pedal as Tony and it was cheap and pretty decent. The only thing I don't like about it is the Beater. It pretty much wore of from excessive use. Its all flat now. Test a pedal with the same kinda Beater as this one:

It will never flatten, and they feel pretty good when you hit the drum, you should try one out. and I'm not telling you to go out and buy something like this, but always test it out before you buy. Oh and don't get any pedal that has Direct Drive, those things SUCk

The Deadbeats

I think the pedal is totally up to the drummer - should be the one that lets you play the drum comfortably at the volume level you want. Unlike a drum or drum head, I don't think the pedal affects the sound, of course the beater will. DWs of course make fine pedals - not sure if you need the 9000 model to play four on the floor or other surf beats. I have a DW 7000 (which is really like the old DW 5000s) and that has worked fine...except the one time the chain nut snapped at a gig. That's why I always carry a Speed King in the bag for a backup. Honestly, I'm not sure what can break on a Speed King - gotta love the direct drive - no delay to worry about with a chain or strap. I also like the Camco chain drive, which was innovative at the time and was the forerunner of the DW 5000 (DW bought the Camco factory and/or patents), but, like the DWs, shit can break and then you have to bring out the back up. So, select a pedal you're comfortable with, make sure its dependable...and always bring a back up!!

65acrolite

tonybologna
Jonathan from the Deadbeats uses a vintage Iron Cobra. He frequently throws in Pantera style bass hits.
All kidding aside, they are really nice pedals.

HAHAHAHAHA yea I use an Iron Cobra Powerglide pedal. When I bought myself a vintage Ludwig drumset it came with a vintage Ludwig Speed King pedal. Since I didn't really like the Iron Cobra beater I switched to a beater that I do like. The classic beater feels better to me when it makes contact with the head. That's why I switched them. Plus who else out there can say that they own a VINTAGE Iron Cobra Anyways there isn't a "surf" pedal. But the beater can make a difference depending on what type you us. Also I'm gonna start experimenting with my Iron Cobra double pedal. Try using the classic beater and see if you like it. Remember that just cause I like it doesn't mean that you will either. It's all up to you.

I guess I shouldn't have stated "surf pedal" specifically, I am just getting back into playing drums/guitar again, and Im trying to take a more open minded aproach, I'm not looking for someone to say "you must buy this pedal" I'm just trying to get an idea of what other drummers use, in this genre. I definately will be trying it out at a shop, I just want to go in there with an open mind. When I bought the DW5000 double pedal when I was younger, it really had nothing to do with form or function, it was just cool, and fast! So, I guess I should have made my post a bit clearer. I apologize.

Thanks for all of the input guys, I went into the shop, and came out with this. The price was right and the quality was great. Nice smooth action, fast and solid!

TAMA Iron Cobra Jr. Ill probably be replacing the beater with the all felt one I have.

tonetti
Thanks for all of the input guys, I went into the shop, and came out with this. The price was right and the quality was great. Nice smooth action, fast and solid!

TAMA Iron Cobra Jr. Ill probably be replacing the beater with the all felt one I have.

Congrats Thats a really good pedal for the price. That was the pedal I was going to buy myself but then I decided to just get the Iron Cobra Powerglide instead. But still the Iron Cobra Jr. is a very good pedal.

drumuitar
"vintage" Iron Cobra? I don't think I'd term any Iron Cobra as vintage.

Shawn, this is an inside joke kinda thing. They aren't serious. Tony just said that because Jonathan's drum kit is a 65' Ludwig Club Date. And he uses an Iron Cobra with it

The Deadbeats

Love playing surf drums...... Love doing the fast and powerful fill like in Los Straitjackets Hornets Nest, love playin the jazzy Harlem Nocturne. Even love playing the sometimes monotonous The McCoy. Our bass player says that it all seems to sound the same to him though.

I love this subject as drummer and I read with much interest all the posts.
I personally consider myself a "surf drummer" and think the surf beat is the most important tempo for this genre without any doubts.
I agree with the ones who say the ride is the main cymbal to use instead of the hi-hat, I feel the hi-hat much more aggressive and not the best for a "classic" approach. But at the same time the progressive style of playing drums requires the usage of the hi-hat, pushing the tempo and increasing the relevance of the snare beat and the bass drum.
I love both styles, classic and modern surf drumming, but, as I'm a big fan of vintage sounds and tunes, I have to say that I prefer the vintage approach to the instruments. This, for me, is valid for any instruments, drums, guitars and eventually vocals.

As a genre derived from rock 'n' roll I think the bass drums has to stay most of the time in 4/4, that is the way I play it normally. But I suppose that much depends on the sounds you are taking out of the drums and the attitude you have with it. My drums (Ludwig sparkle, very old, with super classic snare) have a very open tuning, I don't care much about the notes the singles toms are producing, I like to feel the sound. I use smooth white skins and I love them, no muffling at all on any toms except the bass drums where I use the old way of putting a felt strip on the beater head.
Also my bass drum has a typical jazz sound, it is very open, it is not pushing like in modern music at all, but I like it like that and I like the kind of presence it has within the other instruments.
Again, this is my personal taste, and I like any other approach. Truly I would not feel my drums fitting properly with some of the surf bands we all know (like Slacktone), but for classic surf (like Eliminators) this way is the one I prefer.

I am a big fan of the Astronauts. They were using in most of their songs a beat slightly different from the basic surf beat, with a triple beat on the snare. I use it a lot. In many songs, like "surf party", the change of beat, from the surf beat to this one, does a great difference and push the songs right in the middle giving much strength to the main guitar melody.

Well, that was just to do some chatting about drums. I love playing surf drums and I think you have to understand deeply this genre to feel it in the right way.
I also play guitar and I have been playing with other drummers. That is when I feel the difference. If I have a drummer who is not involved much in this music I can feel immediately that his approach to the rolls, the cymbals, is different. It's ok, it's keeping the tempo, but it's missing - sometimes - the energy that I have in my mind for the song we are playing.
It's also much fun if you have a studio musician, someone who is used to stay in the rules... it's just like someone is scared about rolling, play hard, mess up the sound and put "fantasy" in his playing. So he asks me "I could do a roll here" or "can I do a solo" and so on. Surf drummers have to be loud, have to do rolls, have to have fantasy, it's all about energy and expressing the meaning of each single songs. You keep the main stream of the songs and the main tempo, but you have to put something personal in it. Playing instrumental music means to express with your arms and legs what the song wants to say.

Have fun.

Lorenzo "Surfer Joe" Valdambrini
(www.surfmusic.net)

surferjoemusic
I love this subject as drummer and I read with much interest all the posts.
I personally consider myself a "surf drummer" and think the surf beat is the most important tempo for this genre without any doubts.

It's also much fun if you have a studio musician, someone who is used to stay in the rules... it's just like someone is scared about rolling, play hard, mess up the sound and put "fantasy" in his playing.

Have fun.

Lorenzo, I first dug "Surf Rider" when I heard you play it on stage. That was some of the tastiest drumming I'd ever heard!

Happy New Year.

tom

Sound of the Surf, the movie
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