While a pedals feel is very personal whether it works for your style of playing, some things are the same regardless.
If you want to compare the IC, Eliminator and
DW 9002 based on feel, don't let anyone tell you which one feels best. Try it yourself. What feels great for some people may feel terrible to you.
Double pedals list for in the US:
Iron Cobra: $269.99
Eliminator: $279.99
9002: $449.00
5002 $329.99
Single Pedals in the US:
Iron Cobra: $119.99
Eliminator: $139.99
9000: $219.99
5000: $149.99
Value wise, Iron Cobra wins, but most shops will drop the Eliminator price to match the IC so its usually even.
After value, if you stack features, adjustability and durability, then its definatley the IC, followed closely by the Eliminator, then 5000 and lastly the 9000. This is not an "Opinion" i am making, these are facts if you compare the four side by side. Read what i wrote carefully and you will notice nowhere did i mention smoothness or feel since once again, thats something that varies by the user.
The reason i rank 9000's last out of the four is for a number of reasons. (And before anyone says "Have you even tried one?" ill answer that right now and tell you not only have i tried one, i own one along with Eliminators and IC's).
DW STILL has the weak chain attachment point issues they have had for years. These DO break and frequently on heavy hitters who play with their feet far up on the pedal boards. I have replaced many of them along with entire foot boards where they have pulled out of the casting. The footboards themselves also have a bad habit of snapping in half. I know more then 11
DW pedal players (including many pro's) who have snapped more then one board at the tie point or clean in half. Barker snapped 3 last year and an artist playing in a major band right now (Who asked not to be identified) snapped 6 in seven months. I will post pics in this thread showing the major weaknesses
DW pedals have over
Tama and
Pearl.
The second issue on the 9000's and 5000's is the Hinges. They STILL use a design that wears much quicker then Iron Cobra's.
Pearl had issues with the pedal board hinges wearing rapidly as well but the new Eliminators for this year have adressed this issue.
DW did upgade hinges to the "Delta II" but while it lasts longer, its still a poor design.
The local GC has a 9002 as a floor model on a kit and it already has play in the hinges. These hinges need to be improved along with the boards themselves.
Next is adjustablity.
DW moved the angle adjustment inboard of the pedal towers on the 9002 and beacuse of this, it makes setup more difficult since you have to pull the beater down to make the allen screw adjustable to tighten or loosen it unless you have the key it comes with handy. But since your moving the beater to do it, you don't know exactly where the pedal board will be angled right away. Not a very smart design. Also, the beater screw is positioned so it cannot be tightened with a normal drum key which makes emergency quick fixes a possible disaster if the
DW key is not handy. Obviously a pedal desinged by an engineer, not a gigging drummer.
Lastly, the price. $449.00 is (in my opinion) way too much for a double pedal and $219.00 for a single is insane. While ill admit the pedal is very smooth, the fact its nowhere near as rugged as pedals costing almost half as much makes it a poor value since if you gig alot and your rough on your gear, its going to need alot of maintence. I would much rather buy an Eliminator or IC double and you would still have enough money for a matching Hi-Hat and you would STILL have alot of $$ left.
If
DW priced them more realistically then i would look past some of its shortfalls, but otherwise, you won't catch me paying that much a pedal.
Tama Iron Cobra's are without question the most rugged pedal out today. I have seen them come back after three years of HEAVY gigging and they still have the original parts (minus the springs). No pedal side play, no board failures. In fact, i am still trying to find someone who has cracked an IC footboard in half and has a picture to prove it.
I was on a tour where an artist snapped a
DW 5000 clean in half on stage. I have seen one
Pearl pedal snapped.
Pearl makes a great pedal as well. Thats what i am currently using but i am keeping my IC's since they are so great. My 9000's are awaiting there fate of being sold.
Pictures to follow shortly.