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"Pancake" drums (??)


sparksongs

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Hello. Just wondering if anyone is familiar with thin-shell drums that were sometimes referred to a "pancake" drums. I remember seeing them years ago, and they were one way for drummers to have less to carry around. I haven't seen them for a while, so I'm figuring that they (1) weren't very popular and/or (2) didn't sound very good. Pearl currently offers the "Rhythm Travler" set, which is a similar concept, but with slightly wider shells. Any comments or knowledge on this would be appreciated - thanks.
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  • 3 weeks later...


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There are the Arbiter Flats drums

 

Arbiter Flats

 

I think I have seen one or two other brands still around.

 

Some of these kits will have a double headed (but still very thin) snare drum.

 

I did a gig where we sat in on another band's equipment that included a flat drum kit. When my singer saw the drummer setting up his whole kit from a single bag he carried over his shoulder, she said why don't you use drums like that?

 

When it was our turn on stage I played a little fill on the "toms" = "Puh!" "Puh!" "Puh!" She made a face.

 

"That's why" I said

 

Still if you have club date in a downtown area with no decent place to park or even unload, they can be just the ticket. A two headed snare is decent and if you are taping/muffling the kick anyway...

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Also Orange County and DW make drums that are shallow in the Professional caliber of drums.

DW called the Fast Toms.

I had a set of the DW's that were killer! PHAT sound. Unfortunatly, I got caught in a downpour at Fan Fair in Nashville about 4 years ago, and my satin finish was ruined. Insurance is a good thing!

 

DJ

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  • 4 weeks later...
There used to be a company called Purecussion which made shell-less drums. I have this kit - 20" bd, 12" & 14" toms, along with 2 built-in cymbal stands. I used a Ludwig SupraPhonic snare. I could carry my entire kit on the subway train! The toms sound very good; the quality of the bass drum sound is very room-dependent. In some rooms it sounded great and thunderous (usually on a wood stage), and in other environs it sounded flat. Definitely NOT recommended for outdoor gigs; the bassdrum just doesn't project without walls.

I used to think I was Libertarian. Until I saw their platform; now I know I'm no more Libertarian than I am RepubliCrat or neoCON or Liberal or Socialist.

 

This ain't no track meet; this is football.

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Yeah by looking at them you would think that - but it's not the case. The toms just sound GOOD regardless of environment, and if you need volume you can mic them. The bass drum is entirely room-dependent, and micing it won't rescue it in an environment where it doesn't sound good.

 

Originally posted by Super 8:

I would think you would really have to mic a kit like that to get anything out of it -unless you were in a pretty small room.

I used to think I was Libertarian. Until I saw their platform; now I know I'm no more Libertarian than I am RepubliCrat or neoCON or Liberal or Socialist.

 

This ain't no track meet; this is football.

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