just watching the poll here,

it may change over the next few days but it would seem its half and half.

I suppose pedals are like sticks, guys use whatever they like the feel of, there isn't really a "right" or "wrong"

I'm suprised that there was only one mention of Tama Camco, no mention of Gretsch Floating action or Camco strap drive or Slingy Yellow Jacket. All great pedals. By the way, I voted new pedals. Been playing DW, Axis longboard and Taye.

I have several from the 20s and 30s that work just fine for me,.. some action is a little strange to get used to, but others are great!

This is sorta funny, because I was working on several pedals over the weekend. i have some parts sandblasted and powder coated and still have them all on the table. I just finished restorin another ludwig junior pedal and a slingy pedal and still working on a sonor pedal. personally I use a DW 5000 pedal at our jamhole, but have a iron cobra double in the closet and use a iron cobra hi hat at the jamhole.

Atomicmorganic reminded me of one of my all time faves. I had a pair of the Tama Camco pedals for my twin 24 Tama kit. Man, I loved those pedals. They never let me down. I remember when I ordered the kit. The store guy said the kit came with some sweet top line pedals. I had been playing the Speed King forever and saw the look of the Tama Camco's. They had the same basic look. Way closer than that other pedal they were going to include. I got the kit about four months later after they built it and shipped it on a very slow boat. I popped those pedals on those twin basses and went to town. Unreal feel.

I started on a friend's Gretsch Floating Action, went to Slingerland Epic (great light pedal) and then played a Speed King from '65 to '81.

For part of one set I used a Ghost pedal on a gig in 1973, but the footboard broke and I went back to the Speed King. I also had an original US made Camco that had been altered to chain drive (pre DW during the 70's), but it felt too lightweight for gigging. I've since converted it back to strap drive, but only use it around the house.

In 1981, I discovered the Tama/Camco chain pedal. I've played one ever since. For many years I had access to almost every brand of pedal, but none matched the feel of the T/C. I bought a spare pedal and the important spare parts that I've yet to use.

BTW, I sold my remaining Speed King to mcjnic. I don't really miss it that much.

I've been using the DW5000 with wood beaters for years. Recently I tried my son's Iron cobra double pedal and it was quite simple. Always been a bit attached to those old ones.

Camco by Tama - simple, fast, light, cheap, still available all over ebay.

I be thats because you MAINTAIN it....LoLoLoLo

I've used pretty much all of them, be it my own or borrowed, or whatever someone had on the kit at the local open mic nites.

Personally I prefer the vintage pedals to the modern ones. Most modern pedals have WAY too many adjustments to my liking. A pedal should feel right, right out of the box without a lot of messing about with, you know?

Here's my top four with the top two pretty much interchangable:

1) Speed King

2) Ghost

3) Tama King Beat (yes the compression spring model from the 80's)

4) Gretsch Floating Action/USA Camco 5000

The pedal of choice for right now is the Ghost, but I've had a few I didn't like. The particular one I have now was practically new, so I think that has a lot to do with the feel of the ghost pedals too, since they are pretty much unrepairable as no one offers parts for them. If and when this one gives up the ghost (sorry, couldn't resist :D) I'll most likely go back to a Speed King.