Best Hardware Manufacturer - Poll

[Blaze_Drumz]

Ok so I did this when I first joined DFO it was incredibly scuffed so I'm trying it again a few years later. Interested to see how it'll go.

 

[hsosdrum]

For me, different companies do different hardware things well. I'm using DW9000 pedals and DW5500 hi-hat (although any old hi-hat would work OK for me), Ludwig cymbal stands and snare stands, and a Tama throne and hi-hat brace. I'm still using one Pearl cymbal arm that's over 35 years old (back then I had the tube cut way down so I could mount it on a tom holder arm).

Between 1990 and 2013 I used Pearl hardware (single-braced stands, snare stand, thru-the-shell tom holders) and it worked very well before most of the stands just plain wore out. Between 1984 and 1990 I used Yamaha single-braced cymbal stands and was very disappointed in them — the tubes dented from the pressure of the wing nuts and after a while the stands wouldn't telescope and had to be fully disassembled for transport. That soured me on Yamaha hardware for life.

I have no experience with Gibraltar or Mapex hardware. The new Rogers hardware looks pretty good in pictures; if I had to give up my DW9000 pedals I'd probably use the Rogers Dyno-Matic pedals, based on my (very positive) experience with older Rogers Swiv-o-Matic pedals.

 

[TheDrummerFromAmsterdam]

Eventhough I use DW hardware now, and have used some Gibraltar and Pearl in the past, nothing holds a candle to Yamaha in terms of durability.

Sure other brands have more options, or are cooler to see, but Yamaha hardware will outlive you.

It already has, with the late 70’s models for some drummers.

 

[sixplymaple]

My pedals, hi-hats, and snare stands are all DW. Plus my kit is a DW. But my whole rack system is Pearl and everything else is a mixture of Pearl/DW. I love Pearl’s infinitely adjustable Gyro Lock cymbal tilters! It’s a shame that the Gyro Lock tilters are so expensive and hard to come by nowadays. DW & Pearl use the same 8mm & 6mm threads for most of their wing nuts and screws, so almost everything is interchangeable.

 

[Buffalo_drummer]

I voted for DW but I'll give a shout out to the Ludwig Atlas Classic hardware. In a crowded field of retro flat-based stands these are really well made and pretty light. Too bad they are so hard to find on the used marketplace.

 

[noreastbob]

Of course all these brands' hardware are made by the same company in China. There are design and cosmetic differences however.
I own all DW hardware and it is bullet proof, stable and shiny.
I've never owned or encountered any Yamaha hardware so can't comment other than to say I have the utmost respect for their prowess in anything they do. I ride an 21 year old R1 that looks and performs like new despite hard use including track days, multiple cross continental and more east coast trips than I can count.
Yamaha is on my very short list of alternative drum brands.

 

[mlucas123]

Reliance.

 

[John DeChristopher]

Of course all these brands' hardware are made by the same company in China. There are design and cosmetic differences however.

Reliance.

Bingo!

 

[JDA]

do bad designs last long in the marketplace

 

[JDA]

do bad designs last long in the marketplace
2) usage of one series or one brand of hardware is pretty rare isn't it (I'd say an emphatic yes)
hardware's raison d'etre is "don't break" on the gig.
not really much of a "sound" factor.
instead of -on a drive- what brand of oil matters less than does it have any oil in it.
if you are carrying your own the (same as oil) concern is weight
stands make your engine able to perform
no reason- use what you like- to pick sides I don't think (...)

 

[Cauldronics]

Yamaha and Tama are equal, to me. Both the best.

 

[varatrodder]

Tama all the way.

 

[boomstick]

I use a mix of Tama, Pearl, Gibraltar, and Yamaha hardware, and it's all fantastic. I like how Gibraltar has such a huge variety that you can mix and match to make "custom" hardware. But if I had to pick an off-the-shelf favorite, it would have to be Tama.

 

[K.O.]

Of course all these brands' hardware are made by the same company in China. There are design and cosmetic differences however.
I own all DW hardware and it is bullet proof, stable and shiny.

I'm pretty sure Yamaha is (or at least was) an exception to that. DW, Ludwig,Gretsch, Gibraltar, and probably others do all come from the same place. Yamaha and Tama seem to do their own thing. Not sure about Pearl.

I prefer Yamaha myself although I own a vast mix of everything, new and old. If I had to stick with only one brand it would be Yamaha for me. To me it seems to be both ergonomically and stylistically a cut above the rest. Just my opinion of course.

 

[Jhouse86]

Best I've used is Tama. I have no idea what the best on the market is, there's lots I haven't used.

 

[Pickinator]

The only Tama hardware I have is a pair of Iron Cobra bass drum pedals from 1997. They are still the best pedals I own.

 

[kallen49]

I bought, at the time the "heaviest duty", Tama Titan hardware in 1974. Sold the last stand this year.
I've since had Ludwig, Gibraltar, Pearl, Yamaha, DW, Axis. All good.
I'd say most modern hardware is better than what was made before 1974.
I'm very happy with the Inde mounts I bought this year!
Like carbon fibre hockey sticks, perhaps half a dozen factories produce most of the world's drum hardware, a better use of our planet's resources?

 

[equipmentdork]

Yamaha. Best design. Been using them since 1983 and never a single failure. I've used bits from Tama, Pearl, and DW, too, enough to be happy with them, too, but to me, Yamaha is the bestest with the mostest.



Dan

 

[WLVN]

I started using all Yamaha about twelve years ago. The Hex Rack, HH, BD pedals, tom holders, cymbal holders, cymbal booms, auxiliary HH, clamps etc... I hadn't bought any hardware since the eighties and previously owned Ludwig, Pearl and Tama. I was not happy with the older hardware because the design and quality left a lot to be desired be it pedals or stands. It was a big surprise to see how much improved hardware was with the Yamaha stuff. I voted Yamaha.

 

[Deafmoon]

I used Rogers in the early 70’s, Ludwig in the later 70’s, Tama in the early 80’s, Yamaha in the mid 80’s to mid 90’s, Pearl in the late 90’s to the present. They all were okay and gave me very little problems. I do remember: 1) the ribbed upper hi hat tube on my Rogers Supreme HiHat slipping down on me at gigs, 2) Ludwig giant black handle screw on bass drum Tom holder stripping out the inside threads and not working at a show, 3) a snare stand from Yamaha that would no longer hold up the drum due to a brass knurled nut inside the cast stand strip out. And 4) the worst of all…Tama King Beat pedal post cracked right off on me during Zeps The Immigrant Song. Can’t remember too many other hardware nightmares.

 

[Cauldronics]

Much as I love Yamaha, I can't remember ever using any kind of clamp from them or even seeing much to choose from. Everything else, from cymbal and snare stands to pedals and thrones, I have nothing to complain about. Quite the opposite, actually.

For clamps though, it's been dw, Gibraltar and Tama for me.