Looking for a Gibraltar Linear Motion "Catapult" Bass Drum Pedal

[drumgadget]

Hello all -

Anyone out there have one of these contraptions sitting around? I'm curious to give the concept a try ..... but they were probably discontinued for a good reason! Open to good used condition, or even one needing repair of some sort.

Gotta live up to my moniker .......... !

drumgadget

 

[Rockin' Billy]

Gear | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

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; )

 

[drumgadget]

Gear | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

; )

Thanks, Rockin' Billy -

Yeah, I've seen this ...... and been tempted by it. But today, I actually got my hands (and foot!) on one down here in Tucson. Waaaay overpriced (list), but there it was in all its Brobdingnagian glory - I mean, the thing is effin' huge! The footboard is at least 4 - 5" longer than any pedal I've played, and the arm on the thing is by itself as tall as the center of a 20" bass drum head. That's without the beater stick installed ....... !

I think I'm going to make my own version, much smaller ....... I've got an electronic trigger pedal I made from scratch a few years back that might serve as a good basis for such an experiment. The idea still fascinates me ......

Mike

 

[mewing]

My two cents. I had one and didn't like it. Awkward motion. Sold it.

 

[drumgadget]

Thanks, mewing -

Out of curiosity - what size bass drum did you use it on? What was your major criticism? Just looking at the thing (no actual drum involved, just a cardboard box!), it seemed to me that the rebound might be a tad slow. The whole mechanism seemed to have too much mass and thus inertia ....

Mike

 

[EvEnStEvEn]

My two cents. I had one and didn't like it. Awkward motion. Sold it.

Same.
I tried to like it but the design and feel were both strange and there was a noticeable absence of power in the downstroke.
I was unable to execute even the simplest beats with the thing. An engineering marvel that just didn't translate well to the user, sadly an epic flop for Gibraltar.

 

[mewing]

Thanks, mewing -

Out of curiosity - what size bass drum did you use it on? What was your major criticism? Just looking at the thing (no actual drum involved, just a cardboard box!), it seemed to me that the rebound might be a tad slow. The whole mechanism seemed to have too much mass and thus inertia ....

Mike

I used it with 18" and 22" bass drums. I'm not that fast, but the pedal couldn't rebound as quickly as I could lift my foot, and the down stroke seemed heavy, then suddenly a hard thud. Not good for my mostly jazz playing!

 

[drumgadget]

Yikes!

I do believe I will steer clear ........ thanks!

M.

 

[Ickybaby]

Terrible pedal. I got one right after they came out because the literature looked good. No adjustment to alter the response. Very slow, unresponsive pedal. I sent an email to Gibraltar asking why they would make a pedal that had no adjustment capability. They responded that this pedal was designed to provide a specific feel. That-it-does; sluggish

 

[Treviso1]

Yikes!

I do believe I will steer clear ........ thanks!

M.

There's a new old stock one sitting at Huber & Breese Music in Fraser, MI. 586-294-3950

 

[Gunnellett]

I have one. Smooth as can be but the rebound isn't great even with the tension maxed out. I'm going to try a different spring.

 

[drumgadget]

I have one. Smooth as can be but the rebound isn't great even with the tension maxed out. I'm going to try a different spring.

I bet that ventilating that catapult arm with a bunch of lightening holes would reduce the inertia and speed up the action. Have to do this carefully so as not to weaken the thing; but hey, it looks seriously overbuilt.

M.

 

[Gunnellett]

I bet that ventilating that catapult arm with a bunch of lightening holes would reduce the inertia and speed up the action. Have to do this carefully so as not to weaken the thing; but hey, it looks seriously overbuilt.

M.

It is a solid very well built pedal for sure.

 

[phatsolid]

I have one, but haven't used it in ages. I thought it had a great feel for jazz but didn't have enough power for rock (and adding a heavier beater just slowed it down more). I agree a heftier spring would make it snappier. The biggest adjustment is how long the pedal board is and that alters how far away your bass drum sits... not great for BD-mounted toms.
- D.