Shoring up a loose bass drum tom mount

[scole]

I have an early 2000s Made in Mexico PDP CX kit and it's great. One day I was surfing the web and noticed that Sweetwater had an updated bass drum tom mount that now had an accessory clamp on the front side:

I liked the idea of having a clamp so that I could place a 10" cymbal behind the two toms and according to the listing, it fit the CX line. I ordered one and once I got it, it looked virtually identical to my kit's original mount except that the diameter of the vertical shaft is *slightly* less than my original. When I insert it into my bass drum, the tightening clamp maxes out before it even secures it in place. I'd still like to use it so is there anything I can do to make it work? Wrap the shaft with one or two rounds of gaff tape?

Thanks!

 

[Renno]

I have an early 2000s Made in Mexico PDP CX kit and it's great. One day I was surfing the web and noticed that Sweetwater had an updated bass drum tom mount that now had an accessory clamp on the front side:

I liked the idea of having a clamp so that I could place a 10" cymbal behind the two toms and according to the listing, it fit the CX line. I ordered one and once I got it, it looked virtually identical to my kit's original mount except that the diameter of the vertical shaft is *slightly* less than my original. When I insert it into my bass drum, the tightening clamp maxes out before it even secures it in place. I'd still like to use it so is there anything I can do to make it work? Wrap the shaft with one or two rounds of gaff tape?

Thanks!

 

[dsop]

I'd still like to use it so is there anything I can do to make it work?

Does it stay put just with the memory lock fastened? How does the bass drum mount fasten the holder? Does the bolt go straight against the holder's pipe, or does it squeeze its opening around it?
Personally, I'd return it and try to find something that fits, OR, swap out the part on your bass drum with a newer version.

 

[repete]

I would just look for something that actually fits correctly or get a double ended clamp to put on the existing holder.

 

[scole]

Does it stay put just with the memory lock fastened? How does the bass drum mount fasten the holder? Does the bolt go straight against the holder's pipe, or does it squeeze its opening around it?
Personally, I'd return it and try to find something that fits, OR, swap out the part on your bass drum with a newer version.

Here's a quick video conmparison of old vs new:

As Repete suggests, I do have a double ended clamp lying around so I could use that off of the original post..

 

[ARGuy]

Looks like the original uses a 1" tube and the new one is 7/8".

 

[CherryClassic]

Did you happen to receive a plastic ring that fits the vertical tube to be used as a spacer? If not I would call the company or send it back and tell then how disappointed you are with their product. I realize you would like to have a same brand product but there are other companies that make the same product and I'll bet Gibraltar has one that will fit. Or you could use the old one and just add a generic clamp mount and Gibraltar would have that also.

Sorry your having this problem,
sherm

 

[K.O.]

I think I'd return that and then order a similar platform with the correct sized downtube (1" I'd assume) that has that extra clamp in place.

For example this one from Gibraltar

SC-DP - Gibraltar Hardware

You can swap out ball arms from DW hardware to Gibraltar (I have done so many times) as the balls are the same size (I suspect both come out of the same factory in Asia) and would assume, likewise, that you could do the same with PDP ball arms. Of course I do not know that for 100% certainty. Worst case you might have to buy a couple of the correct sized ball arms as well.

The other option if you wanted to use what you bought would be to find a tube from an old stand that has a 1" diameter and accepts a 7/8ths pipe (if those are indeed the correct sizes needed here) then stick that pipe in your bass drum bracket as far as possible then insert the tom holder into that. You could cut down the length of the "adapter" if necessary. That would be your easiest solution if you happen to have an old cymbal stand with the right sized middle pipe floating around. (old Ludwig Hercules center section would work).

 

[bpaluzzi]

Did you happen to receive a plastic ring that fits the vertical tube to be used as a spacer? If not I would call the company or send it back and tell then how disappointed you are with their product. I realize you would like to have a same brand product but there are other companies that make the same product and I'll bet Gibraltar has one that will fit. Or you could use the old one and just add a generic clamp mount and Gibraltar would have that also.

Sorry your having this problem,
sherm

It's a different size tom mount. It has nothing to do with a defective product or missing piece. The bass drum is expecting a 1" rod, the purchased one is a 7/8" rod.

 

[JazzDrumGuy]

Contact DW and ask them. Their customer service is great. Either they've changed their rod diameter, are missing a plastic sleeve or something (but doubt you need one), or they may have another suggestion........

As it is, you can't play it like that and I'd return it.

 

[scole]

Lots of suggestions, so thanks for that. I will follow up with PDP/DW and see what their response is (I don't remember seeing any sort of plastic spacer in the packaging). In the meantime, the simplest suggestion offered up here is what I'll go with- a double ended clamp off of the existing tom mount:

 

[CherryClassic]

It's a different size tom mount. It has nothing to do with a defective product or missing piece. The bass drum is expecting a 1" rod, the purchased one is a 7/8" rod.

Yes, but I was thinking it would have been nice if the company had included a plastic sleeve to fill in that space. But thin again maybe it wouldn't have stood up strain of supporting two toms.

It was just a thought,
sherm

 

[ThomasL]

As a side note: I have tried mounting a splash on my bass drum, but I couldn't stand hearing the cymbal hitting the sleeve (it was a Tama hard plastic one) each time I played the bass drum.