Jojo's new pedal

[drum6282]

First, I don't have great foot technique - it's ok, but never where I've really wanted it - I hate working on foot technique too - it's like trying to make myself go run, I played a DW9000 for a long time and never really liked it - too bouncy for me - I don't have a heavy foot, kinda weak actually. I pretty much want to hear what I'm playing - so I switched to a Yamaha Direct Drive pedal - I loved it - took a couple of days to get used to, but waaay better than the 9000 for me. After seeing the stuff on Jojo's pedal, I figured I'd give it a try too.

Right out of the box I didn't like it. I had to slide the where the spring connects towards me about halfway between all the way and middle - that way the beater came back further - right out of the box, the footboard would feel like it was going almost flat - I had no power at all.

The pedal moves around too - I'm playing on carpet right now and the heel is off the ground a little bit. Only when I put my heel on the pedal does it go down. This probably isn't an issue on harder surfaces, but my Yamaha and DW pedals both stayed flat on the carpet without issue.

The feel of the pedal was worse than the 9000 - my foot was moving faster than the footboard - it couldn't catch up...so my technique was exposed.

I'll play around with it a little more, but the Yamaha Direct Drive seems to be for me as of right now.

Disappointed in the Perfect Balance Pedal and the Yamaha Direct Drive exceeded my expectations. Maybe because one is overhyped and the other is underhyped. I don't know.

Let me also add that I received the pedal this morning and really haven't had time to play with it - with shoes, it feels much better - I'm also not used to such a long board and there doesn't seem to be a real sweet spot like you can find on other pedals - This is initial reaction only - I'm going to give it some time and give it a chance before making the call.

I will say that after the minor adjustment and playing with shoes, I have much more power and is heavier than the direct drive - the direct drive feels good, but I don't get a big sound out of it because it's so light.

[Christopher]

Tried it out today. Put me in the "not a fan" camp.

At least with the stock Kevlar strap. It stretches. Gives the pedal a spongey, slow feel.

Kudos to Jojo for going for a new design. Maybe the chain drive is better. Dunno.

Pass.

[twenty3]

To be honest, i had to get used to it as well.
But as far as i'm concerned it's the best pedal
that i have.
One thing about it thats really different is the way you
have to set it up. You have to bring the beater far back
to get a good throw and forward motion. Once you've set
it up right it plays like heaven.
It feels light but i can easily Play louder with less effort.

Take care

[deseipel]

I've always played with the beater fairly far back, so I'm curious to try this pedal. I started out heel down and I'm of the opinion that it is a great foundation for pedal technique. It seems lame now, but I learned some decent foot skills from the Carmine Appice drum tapes. This was pre-Internet though. Those tapes and Led Zep 1 & 2 .. well, all of their albums are good for foot study.

I've not tried direct drive pedals, never really felt the need. In fact, I put straps on my eliminators because I never bought into chain drives. And I have a hard time believing that you can feel kevlar stretch. I have an old chain drive DW 5000 and that cam has teeth to dig into the chain, so it's a 'valid' use of a chain imo. But most of the newer chain drives are just a gimmick imo. And I think they're too heavy feeling. I mean, it's like putting a chain on a sprocket with no teeth, how does that make engineering sense? It doesn't imo.

It would be really interesting if they put teeth in a belt drive, like some motor cycles have. There's the next gimmick we'll see,

[Peter C]

Thank you, Cheggs and hi, everyone.

It's been a while and I am sure, as it
has been for me, with life marching on
and unrelenting - it has been for you.
I miss being here and hope to reacquaint
myself with old friends, as well as make
new ones.

First, THIS is a pedal that I have been
eagerly waiting for. NOT that I was
aware of it in design. I was in mystery
with the rest of you. This link is the
first that I see of it.

I want to be clear about having NOT
played it, yet. I am looking at these very
effective videos for the sparks of what
I know I need in any pedal.

Since I have been gone, I have come
across designs that I think very worthy.
I'll find a place to share them with you
and I look to post on THIS Jojo pedal
in the future.

Jojo is one of the great players and I
am so happy to see such a player as
clear in approach and dissemination.

I hope you are all well. Blessings. I
hope to catch up with you.

Regards,


Pete

[Morgenthaler]

So good to see you check in here, Pete. Lot's of good thoughts your way!

[Peter C]

Thank you, Morg. You are such a
gentleman. I appreciate it.

I have always known that he preferred
rounded cams and well, of course, most
of you that know me, know that I do not
prefer them.

A look at his foot technique and right
away, you know it is eccentric. There
is a lot of movement and sliding etc.
I was surprised that he went with the
strap idea given its tendency towards
added movement. I have always been
a direct-drive fan.

While the folding mechanism is a kind
of cool idea, I don't think that it is a
crucial feature for any drummer who
really is active on the kick.

I hate springs, though it appears that
one can experiment there. That
beater has to go...

Looking at the specs, I am not holding
my hopes too high but I think I have
to get my hands on one and work
with it giving Jojo and Sonor the
benefit of the doubt.

Lately, I have been working with the
very, very latest from crazy Mike
at Drumnetics and that thing has me.
I cannot believe that the big manu-
facturers have not jumped on him.
Someone will be sorry. That pedal
is the sh--.

When this is finalized and I have
tried the twins and if I am pleased,
I will do up a full review of it. This
model is not available anywhere and
is not viewable on any site. It is
way above the initial offering from
Mike. It has addressed critical
detail and I have been impressed.

Right now, I can't love it much more.
When I am ready, I will say what I
want to say about it and show you the
new ideas he's been at, just recently,
which led to these modifications.

Regards,


Pete

[Josiah]

I've not tried direct drive pedals, never really felt the need. In fact, I put straps on my eliminators because I never bought into chain drives. And I have a hard time believing that you can feel kevlar stretch. I have an old chain drive DW 5000 and that cam has teeth to dig into the chain, so it's a 'valid' use of a chain imo. But most of the newer chain drives are just a gimmick imo. And I think they're too heavy feeling. I mean, it's like putting a chain on a sprocket with no teeth, how does that make engineering sense? It doesn't imo.

I'm guessing you aren't an engineer then.

Sprockets, in this case, are more for alignment and to reduce lateral movement then anything. The chain is pulling off the bolt at the end of it. It doesn't need teeth to do it's thing, draping it over a surface actually reduces friction. IC's have used this design for years.


Straps are cool - but I've seen dozens break over the years. That is not an acceptable risk factor. Never seen a chain break ever.

[Paul Marangoni]

Sprockets, in this case, are more for alignment and to reduce lateral movement then anything. The chain is pulling off the bolt at the end of it.

A sprocket would probably spread out the forces so that less force was directly applied to that one bolt. A half-sprocket would be lighter too (less material). But, the teeth of the sprocket would add a bit more friction and wear to the individual chain links. Chains wear out, ever so slightly, especially if they're not lubricated regularly.

I haven't broken a strap since the 70s. The straps that have been in use for the last 20 years are incredibly strong. I loves me a strap pedal.

I like the few direct drive pedals I've tried (especially the Yamaha), but I've never played one aside from fooling around in a drum store. I used to love my Ludwig Speedking a million years ago though.

I'm sure this Sonor pedal is nice, but my pedals are fine.

[deseipel]

I've not tried direct drive pedals, never really felt the need. In fact, I put straps on my eliminators because I never bought into chain drives. And I have a hard time believing that you can feel kevlar stretch. I have an old chain drive DW 5000 and that cam has teeth to dig into the chain, so it's a 'valid' use of a chain imo. But most of the newer chain drives are just a gimmick imo. And I think they're too heavy feeling. I mean, it's like putting a chain on a sprocket with no teeth, how does that make engineering sense? It doesn't imo.

I'm guessing you aren't an engineer then.

Sprockets, in this case, are more for alignment and to reduce lateral movement then anything. The chain is pulling off the bolt at the end of it. It doesn't need teeth to do it's thing, draping it over a surface actually reduces friction. IC's have used this design for years.


Straps are cool - but I've seen dozens break over the years. That is not an acceptable risk factor. Never seen a chain break ever.

I'm gonna try to be nice about this, but I found your first sentence incredibly condescending. I'm gonna assume you were responding like most engineers respond though.

You see, when you have a bolt screwed at a single point on the cam, that's the point at which it pulls from. With a true sprocket with teeth, the load of the pulling force is not allocated to a single bolt, but spread among the teeth that reside on the sprocket. I agree that they are used for precision movements.

I agree it doesn't need teeth, but when you consider that a chain isn't serving its design purpose(to be pulled by sprocket teeth), it seems illogical.

What part of an IC engine uses a chain drive with no teeth?

Never had a belt break in 20+ years.