Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Floor Tom to Bass Tom Conversion

So I've got a couple of gigs coming up where I'd like to play a quieter, stripped down kit. A benefit and a camping trip with my on-again-off-again folk/rock/blues/jam band. My plan is to use the high hat and snare and attach a splash via boom arm to the high hat stand. Then I'd use a 16" floor tom as a bass drum with a pedal. I figured out last night that a fully open high hat cymbal makes a sufficient ride for my purposes as well.

Gibraltar and Pearl (and others) make conversion kits to do such a thing (convert a floor tom to a bass drum)...but you either end up having to drill holes in the tom or buy extra hardware...and you come out around $100 down the line with something that, from reviews, is only marginally satisfactory.

My inclination, of course, is to make my own.

The easiest and most available material I have at my disposal is wood. I'm planning to use three 1x4's (front and sides to keep drum from sliding forward or rolling side to side) and two 4x4s (as risers at front and back). There won't be a way to attach a pedal, but I'm not sure how important that is. I think I can just push pedal up flush with riser. If it doesn't stay, I might be able to fashion an attachment. It'll probably end of being a little heavy, but more compact than bringing a full bass drum.

I tried it out last night by putting my tom on some pillows and using the pedal, and even that worked pretty well. So I think I can jerry-rig something that will function, though it won't likely be pretty or super sturdy.

The unbelievable thing is that no where on the internet has anyone posted this kind of project. People post the question to forums and are always directed to just buy a conversion kit. Really? It doesn't seem like it's that hard to make. Internet you disappoint me.

I'm gonna try it out tonight. Pics to come hopefully.

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