Nice review of the ASBA Caroline pedal

[Skyrm]

Makes me want one!

 

[Houndog]

I wish I could try before I buy ….

 

[Skyrm]

I wish I could try before I buy ….

Pre-Order: ASBA Caroline Bass Drum Pedal

Pre-Order now for next production round with estimated shipping Q2 2023 (April-June) The French reproduction of the iconic model! The return of the historical ASBA model • More comfortable, faster, more precise than ever • Finishes from the original catalog TECHNICAL SPECS ✓ A modern pedal...

www.drumsupply.com

"If all is perfect, but just not the pedal for you , you have 15 days from receiving to request a return. No worries. "

 

[Freewill3]

Makes me want one!

Nice to see another simple, practical pedal design!

 

[Renoroger]

I used one for a session in Joliet 116 years ago, looked pretty unorthodox but wow what a feel and action!

 

[Drums]

Love the look and features of it -- just don't need one now. Will consider it in the future when my bomb-proof 5000 goes...

 

[benobriensmith]

Makes me want one!

Thanks for sharing the vid! As you probably noticed, we had a lot of fun with this pedal and love the design. The easily accessible, non-drum key adjustments make such a huge difference.

 

[Rich K.]

I used one for a session in Joliet 116 years ago, looked pretty unorthodox but wow what a feel and action!

Was that one of the Thomas Edison sessions?

 

[MrDrums2112]

Great review, thanks for posting.

 

[karlcrafton]

I bought one of these a couple weeks ago.
I flippin' LOVE it.
Very solid and stable, no cheapness to it at all. The footboard stays with your foot the whole time, but is effortless to play. Played lightly or with a heavy foot, it's just a really great feeling pedal.
The "no heel piece" is a really nice thing I think. I just move my foot and it does it.
No thinking, no effort. You KNOW the pedal is there but you don't have to work it.
I haven't had that with any other pedal ever (45+ years).
In the video they say something along the lines of it's like the action of a comfortable stick that you don't notice is in your hand. I agree.

EDIT: I DID FIX THIS. Easily, after I stopped overthinking it haha. It just had to be a permanent solution.
The fix is in post #20
Here's the BUT...... the actual piece that attaches the pedal to the hoop seems pretty short, and the posts/screws that tighten it down are right at the front. With the cam sticking past the posts, the cam/strap hits the head unless the "hoop gripper" is partly off the hoop. Ludwig hoops aren't even that skinny.

I had this with a NEW head, as well as a used and more stretched head, so it's not a matter of the curve of the head being too deep.
If Ludwig still made their own heads (that are basically NO collar), it probably wouldn't happen....but they don't so that's out.

I use a lifter with my 24, so no real issues with that drum, but with the 26 it's not usable unless I can get a solution for the hoop issue. Especially since I need to use backline kits sometimes.
Being a gearhead nerd, I don't mind the challenge, but it would be way nicer to not have to worry about it. 95% sure I've figured something permanent out, just have to put it together.

If I can actually fix this issue I have with the hoops I have, I will get a second one to have the same pedal as a back up at gigs, and have one on each kit at home.

 

[Houndog]

I bought one of these a couple weeks ago.
I flippin' LOVE it.
Very solid and stable, no cheapness to it at all. The footboard stays with your foot the whole time, but is effortless to play. Played lightly or with a heavy foot, it's just a really great feeling pedal.
The "no heel piece" is a really nice thing I think. I just move my foot and it does it.
No thinking, no effort. You KNOW the pedal is there but you don't have to work it.
I haven't had that with any other pedal ever (45+ years).
In the video they say something along the lines of it's like the action of a comfortable stick that you don't notice is in your hand. I agree.

Here's the BUT...... the actual piece that attaches the pedal to the hoop seems pretty short, and the posts/screws that tighten it down are right at the front. With the cam sticking past the posts, the cam/strap hits the head unless the "hoop gripper" is partly off the hoop. Ludwig hoops aren't even that skinny.

I had this with a NEW head, as well as a used and more stretched head, so it's not a matter of the curve of the head being too deep.
If Ludwig still made their own heads (that are basically NO collar), it probably wouldn't happen....but they don't so that's out.

I use a lifter with my 24, so no real issues with that drum, but with the 26 it's not usable unless I can get a solution for the hoop issue. Especially since I need to use backline kits sometimes.
Being a gearhead nerd, I don't mind the challenge, but it would be way nicer to not have to worry about it. 95% sure I've figured something permanent out, just have to put it together.

If I can actually fix this issue I have with the hoops I have, I will get a second one to have the same pedal as a back up at gigs, and have one on each kit at home.

I like to see a picture , I’m wanting to try one myself …

 

[karlcrafton]

I FIXED my hoop/clamp issue.
I used a piece of 5/16" 80 durometer squeegee rubber I had at the shop.
That probably means nothing to most people, but it's just a hardish rubber, that is as thick as a bass drum hoop. I cut it 5/16 wide, and secured it to the hoop.

I'm still messing with it, and I may just need to put small pieces on the pedal itself instead of the hoop.
Affixing the piece to the hoop, I used some 2" wide strips of clear, thick/strong Gorilla Tape top and bottom.
Assuming I use this rubber piece on the hoop--when I add a wide strip of fuzzy velcro (used to protect the hoop anyway, it won't be going anywhere.
Pics when I finalize what to do--and not have to think about it.

 

[karlcrafton]

BTW, the strap used on this is really cool. It's some sort of vinyl/rubber/fabric-y/flexy material.
It seems like it would NEVER wear out.
It's also used to attach the footboard underside and the wires under the pedal. It doesn't use a pin and bearings. No heel piece, so it's not needed.

I've liked a few pedals that have come out the last 10 years or so, but I am completely SOLD on this pedal.

 

[karlcrafton]

Pre-Order: ASBA Caroline Bass Drum Pedal

Pre-Order now for next production round with estimated shipping Q2 2023 (April-June) The French reproduction of the iconic model! The return of the historical ASBA model • More comfortable, faster, more precise than ever • Finishes from the original catalog TECHNICAL SPECS ✓ A modern pedal...

www.drumsupply.com

"If all is perfect, but just not the pedal for you , you have 15 days from receiving to request a return. No worries. "

DrumSupply is where I bought mine.
There is a pre-order happening for the next production batch.

 

[Skyrm]

I like to see a picture , I’m wanting to try one myself …

If you mean pics of the pedal, there are plenty here: https://www.drumsupply.com/products/asba-caroline-bass-drum-pedal

 

[Houndog]

I

If you mean pics of the pedal, there are plenty here: https://www.drumsupply.com/products/asba-caroline-bass-drum-pedal

Wanting pic of issue …

 

[Skyrm]

I


Wanting pic of issue …

I was afraid of that - can't help.

 

[Tubwompus]

Hopefully, they fixed the setup with the beater’s angle adjustment and it’s wing nut. I had one of those back in the 80’s. Wingnut used to work it’s way loose and just end up stripping eventually. Went through 3 wing nuts and a bunch of songs on gigs that didn’t finish with any bass drum in them.

 

[Hop]

I bought one of these a couple weeks ago....

Here's the BUT...... the actual piece that attaches the pedal to the hoop seems pretty short, and the posts/screws that tighten it down are right at the front. With the cam sticking past the posts, the cam/strap hits the head unless the "hoop gripper" is partly off the hoop. Ludwig hoops aren't even that skinny.

I posted a pic of one of my old Carolines pedal attached to my 26" Ludwig ('vintage') BD in this thread: https://www.drumforum.org/threads/asba-caroline-is-back.198443/post-2360722
But I'll repost the images here for continuity. It's close, but doesn't touch at the cam/strap area (or from the hoop clamps wingnuts - even if adjusted purpendicular to the hoop / pointing at the head).

Can you post up a pic?

 

[karlcrafton]

Hey everyone, YES I fixed the issue. EDIT WITH PICS.
I will get pics up, but just got over a day and a half of a no power nightmare.
My fix with a bumper on the hoop worked, BUT, I was overthinking it.
My ACTUAL solution, because just backing the pedal off a bit wasn't going to work (stability), was a spacer on the pedal.
Under the metal that clamps down, and where the edge of pedal meets the hoop, that area is a solid backed piece. Usually, and pedal is "open" between the posts, but, since this is solid, I was able to just put a small piece of material cut to fit that spot to keep the posts from going all the way forward and keeping the cam from touching the head.
It backed the pedal off just under a 1/2" so the cam clears the head.
With the bumper in place, the whole thing is very stable. The placement now looks pretty much exactly like the pic HOP posted above.

I even contacted Sounds Like A Drum, and Ben kindly responded.
He said they tried the pedal on a few different bass drums, and didn't run into this issue.
SO, this is PROBABLY something that I do when tensioning my bass drum head that doesn't work perfectly with this pedal.
I'll take and post pics of this very simple solution that DID work, soon. EDIT: Did it haha.
I'm really glad, because I LOVE the feel and action of this pedal.