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What's so great about Speed King pedals? Last viewed: 1 minute ago

Posts: 51 Threads: 15
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the speed king is the pedal i can envision people saying "the don't make em like that anymore"

and, like an old car or truck, for good reason.

i had one. got rid of it when i got my camco. liked the camco so much i got two more.

anywho, the metal linkage to the beater is odd, and can get bent.

the way the metal linkage pulls on the beater assembly is at an odd angle, and has an unnatural feel.

the internal springs were a neat idea, but i like to be able to adjust things without disassembly.

thing is there have been many improvements made since this pedal was designed. chain drives, off set cams, roller bearings, pedal boards etc etc.

they still have fan, and uses. but don't just go by what the people say. this ain't high school.

when it's not their money, people will tell you exactly what to get.

but it's your money, and time. so try different things out before you drop some coin on something that might just be a ****.

Posted on 12 years ago
#61
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OK... my memory is getting bad. Not sure if I weighed in on this or not! I'll just put in my :2Cents: again:

Everyone has their own thoughts on the legendary Speed King. For myself, it's never been a pedal I liked. I've even had some nice reconditioned SKs over the years and have one with my new Classic Maple Downbeat kit... BUT... I still don't like it! It's only there because it looks cool with all the other vintage hardware with the Downbeat! The kit is really for show, but if I gigged with it, I'm sure I'd use another pedal.

Again, this is only my view of the Speed King. Others swear by it... and I respect that!

Mark

Posted on 12 years ago
#62
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I must have half a dozen or more Speed King pedals... I've never really liked 'em. You'd see 'em languishing, unloved and ignored, at yard sales and second hand stores for nothing back about twenty plus years ago. I always picked the poor things up and brought them home for a buck or two... kind of like a stray dog. Except you don't have to feed a pedal and it doesn't have an accident behind your favorite chair.

The first pedal I really really liked was a pre Ludwig Ghost... still got it. Switched to a Camco pedal, used it for eons... still got it. About three or four years ago I switched to a DW 7000, got two of them.

I used a Pearl 'something or other' for a while... still have it as well.

So, in answer to your question: 'What's so great about...?' Well, they don't eat much. DOH

fishwaltz
Posted on 12 years ago
#63
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Here's just a few of the many Speed Kings that have come with sets over the years. It's amazing how popular this pedal was (and still is)...often sets of all different brands have been with a Speed King...not only Ludwig but Gretsch, Rogers, Slingerland, Camco, etc. Based on my experience it was definitely the best selling pedal in the '60s and '70s.

I'll be getting rid of these soon as I'm moving and don't want to take them with me (please no pms, already have an interested buyer).

[img]https://www.classicvintagedrums.com/speedkings.jpg[/img]

http://www.classicvintagedrums.com
Posted on 12 years ago
#64
Posts: 5550 Threads: 576
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every one here can say what they may about the speed kings, but i know this about that pedal. The last 50 years or so I have gone back and forth between my ghost and speed king, the older day's for hard playing, the ghost out performed all for endurance and reliability (till you broke a coil spring) but I have done things with the sk that i cant do with any other pedal, listen to the drummers of old some of them sound like here playing a double base with just a speed king, Bonzo comes to mind.... that's all i have to say about that....

April 2nd 1969 scarfed pink champagne holly wood and 65/66 downbeat snare, and , supra same year very minty kit old pies
66/67 downbeat with canister
Super 400 small round knob
1967 super classic obp





once the brass ceases to glitter, and the drum looses its luster, and the stage remains dark, all you have left is the timbre of family.
Posted on 12 years ago
#65
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From mlvibes

Here's just a few of the many Speed Kings that have come with sets over the years. It's amazing how popular this pedal was (and still is)...often sets of all different brands have been with a Speed King...not only Ludwig but Gretsch, Rogers, Slingerland, Camco, etc. Based on my experience it was definitely the best selling pedal in the '60s and '70s.I'll be getting rid of these soon as I'm moving and don't want to take them with me (please no pms, already have an interested buyer). [img]https://www.classicvintagedrums.com/speedkings.jpg[/img]

LoLoLoLoJust goes to show... lots of loyal, slow learners among drummers.Bowing

Posted on 12 years ago
#66
Posts: 53 Threads: 12
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Even if you think there are better pedals out there today you have to admit that this design was ahead of it's time and still competetive with 'modern' pedals.

Posted on 12 years ago
#67
Posts: 1597 Threads: 96
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It is the best pedal ever made like it or not .. you can do things with a speed king that are not possible with any other pedal.... and it is the most popular pedal ever hands down, John Bonham liked them as did Ginger baker and a host of others when someone as popular as either of those two tells me it sux then I might listen.... but thank the Gods they have made many models so everyone can be happy!

On second thought i probably would not listen I like them to much and have played them for to long...

Posted on 12 years ago
#68
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TWO THINGS:First, I've had em all, Pearl, Yamaha, Axis longboards, DW 5/9000, Iron Cobra, Slingerland, and the new Tama Speedcobra is an amazing pedal. Feels like part of your foot. Timing is perfect.Second, I just picked up a Speedking to use on a vintage kit to keep it period correct. QUESTION: It looks like someone cleaned this one up pretty good, but the heel swivel piece is on backwards. It works fine but when it's flipped over the smooth half is toward the heel and the tread part is toward the toe part. Was this some kind of mod people did (when the footboard is depressed the heel comes up so you can not only get rebound and spring to pull the beater off the head, but as you rock on the pivot, your heel pulls the beater back too), of did someone just screw up when refurbing this thing??

vbb, check out post #23 & post #214--pretty sure all those pedals have the heel piece in the correct position. Sounds like yours is on backwards, but still works okay, I guess. I'm a fan. Got one I need to strip down & re-lube. Maybe this weekend........marko

Posted on 12 years ago
#69
Posts: 53 Threads: 12
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Yeah, all those heel pieces are opposite of how mine is installed. I can see a benefit from having it this way though. As the pedal goes down, the heel comes up and vice versa. So I can use the heel to retract the beater from the drum head (along with the spring tension). Think of a return throttle cable for a motorcycle, it pulls back on the throttle even though the carb has a spring on it. Or better yet, think of a see/saw. With a fat kid on the heel side, the little kid on the far end hits the ground but shoots back up really fast. Also, flipped all the way around twice, the heel flips up and makes the whole pedal base a spring.

I'll try to take s photo.

Posted on 12 years ago
#70
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