Mapex Armory Double Pedal Review

[@BFedie518]

I'm having the exact same problem adjusting the angle of the left beater. On the one hand, it's nice to know I'm not doing anything wrong. On the other, it sucks that I can't fix it.

[@Kookingwithkuscha]

Just the video I was looking for. Thank you.

[@yordanmishev2764]

I have the same issue with Pearl demon drive on the left beater when leveling up the beaters on the same level, but I just put it out further back before tightening it up and it lines up nicely. Also you are suppose to tighten them all up much tighter than that, that's why it loosens up and leaves this gnarly marks and destroys the threads. Regards.

[@SPONGEGAAR]

I have this pedal and the left pedal has absolutely zero rebound, making heel toe almost impossible. I’ve messed with most the settings and still can’t get it. Anybody have any suggestions?

[@queryhsje7514]

The part that clamps the bass drum was not really in the centre (align with the chain?) So, you will not get the balance position in the middle of the bass drum?

[@davemoore3394]

Interesting that you find the spring tension lock nuts loosening after extended play. Maybe you need to tighten the lock nuts more? You shouldn't be able to move the main tensioning nut at all with the lock nut done up properly - it should be 'locked' in place :)

[@drewfasa]

Any way to adjust the floorboard height on this guy?

[@sahilwanikar4283]

Speed cobra 310 or mapex armory?

[@emanuelsosa9671]

Any advice?

[@ericmsandoval]

Speed Cobras all the way. Tama in general just makes better, way more durable products

[@emanuelsosa9671]

@@ericmsandoval thx 🙏

[@Daniel513555]

did you ever experience a squeaky sound and some friction / grinding from the left pedal? thanks

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

Hi Daniel! It's been a while since I used this pedal but if I recall, I did regularly experience sqeaking but not on the left pedal itself. I would experience it when releasing my feet from the pedals and allowing the beaters to swing back and forth while settling back into their natural position (if that makes sense). And I would experience it while playing slower quarter notes, but again the squeaking came from the right pedal. Sorry if that doesn't help much! Some well placed WD40 maybe? :')

[@rebecaperalta5863]

Good video that's Doble Bass Drum Pedal Mapex Armory P800 is amazing

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@irise.8607]

Do you have any issues with the leg falling off? I have an earlier version of this pedal, and was hoping there would be a locking mechanism, instead of a metal-on-metal tightened bolt. I don't seem to have the physical strength in my arms like I do with my legs, and it falls off within a small amount of time, playing. Any solutions??

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

So far I haven't had any issues with the leg (I assume you mean the cross bar between pedals right?) falling off while playing. I do have the screws tight though and they are metal on metal like with your pedal. Only once have I had issues with that mechanism where I didn't tighten it enough to begin with and so the leg slipped out from a rotationally flush position and mangled the peg slightly on the slave pedal. The downside of preventing this is possible mangling of the peg by tightening it too much but I haven't had any cracks or mangling yet and I've had it for around 2.5 years with regular weekly playing. With regard to over-powerful leg drumming, I would suggest taking it slow and practising lower tempo beats at a more controlled volume and working back up to your maximum tempo accordingly. It's just a suggestion and I find using a practice pad such as the Gibraltar pad 3 or more times a week can really help with controlling your power and getting the practice in. I don't know your level of drumming though so if that sounded patronising, I apologise! Hope this helps :)

[@irise.8607]

When you're playing Tool, there's no taking it slow. :) But yes, unfortunately, it doesn't remedy the issue but I'll have to borrow a pair of man-hands, methinx. Thanks for all the advice!

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

You have a good point there and if you're playing Tool then yes I'll admit you're right there :'') that might work haha, you're welcome. Good luck with your drumming and playing, you have a great voice!

[@zero28ism]

are these pedals really good? because for the price I think they look awesome

[@ericmsandoval]

Nothing about them stands out. I would stick with Iron Cobras or other Tama products.

[@zero28ism]

@@ericmsandoval kinda late but yeah, in the end I ended up buying a speed cobra double pedal like 4 years ago and it still feels like when I bought it, super durable pedal and great for gigs

[@ericmsandoval]

Awesome. I have one of those and it’s great. Nice Mega Man avatar btw. I used to be in a MM tribute band lol

[@Cryatrix]

Is the distance between the kicks possibly TOO SHORT for a Alesis Nitro Kit? I had an issue with a PDP double bass and I'd rather not spend more on a kick pad than I spend on the pedal itself.

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

I'm not quite sure to be honest with you. The best answer I can give is that it is long enough for my Roland TD-17 KVX kit and I've used it on real acoustic kits where the snare shell means you generally have to have your legs wider than on an electric kit. In all those scenarios I've found it to be long enough but just to be sure I'll measure the maximum distance between the pedals when I get back to the kit after christmas for you :)

[@JpmSparky]

how do you like this pedal compared to the eliminator you had ?

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

The Eliminator is definitely a better pedal choice and in the end if I were to choose between the Mapex and the Eliminator (both double kick pedals) I'd go for the Pearl provided money was no option. As it happens money was the deciding factor in buying the Mapex but I'd say that if you or anyone was trying to choose between spending more for the Pearl or getting the Mapex, that they should just wait a little longer and get the Pearl. Honestly the single pedal Pearl was perhaps the best piece of drum kit I've bought and I doubt a double-kick version of that pedal could be anything but stellar in performance! -Sorry for the late reply to this btw Edit: It might be worth checking out the Mapex Falcon btw if you're interested in spending a little more for assured quality but I put all my faith in the Pearl eliminators from my experience

[@JP-tr6yu]

I just want to ask, is there any delay between the slave pedal and the left beater?

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

It does feel somewhat looser than the main pedal but that could be down to my left foot being worse than my right. Essentially if you wanted to learn on a pedal then this would suit just fine and probably teach you more control than a pedal like the Pearl Demon pedals for example which may do some of the work for you. That's just my opinion but as a beginner/intermediate double kick drum player I don't think there's a huuuge problem with the left pedal. In the end I'd say if you come across a problem like you're asking about, it can't be major and will only help improve your technique to overcome it. Hope this helps :)

[@JP-tr6yu]

thanks, i have had more expensive pedals in the past and I dont really want to change my techneque that much, if at all.

[@larrytate1657]

The falcoln by mapex is great if u can spend a few more bucks. Slave on that feels extremely close to the master.

[@JP-tr6yu]

Thanks, I will consider it.

[@JP-tr6yu]

I have purchased the Gibraltar 6711-DB and it is absolutely incredible how smooth it is. You should get one and review it. It is only £131 from dv247.com at the moment.

[@mikerom7991]

Hey would you say that these are good for 180+ bpm metal

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

I don't play above 160bpm currently so I'm afraid I don't know the answer :( They're pretty solid pedals though, as an educated guess I would say they may wear out quicker than the top quality (and more expensive) alternatives at those speeds for long periods of time. However, the fact that these pedals use double chains as opposed to single chains or belts means they should take a considerable beating before they decide to break. Sorry I couldn't offer more insight into speed metal playing.

[@mikerom7991]

@@StarWarsMeerkat--James haha thats alright man i guess im just gonna have to get these pedals and find out myself

[@andrewscottgreer]

Hey buddy if u want you can play 180 too nearly 220 16th note rolls on the cheapest double pedals “like Dixon” I’ve witnessed people do it. I personally have this pedal and can do 200 bpm 16th note roll with these for like a minute straight. The super super high speeds like 220 plus come from long board pedals.

[@pselivers]

How much different from the Mapex P600TW?

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

I'm afraid I've not had a go with the P600TW so I can't comment :( hopefully someone who has will post :D

[@thenecropolis_ov_former_lo3396]

how would you compare these too say speed cobras? as I'm buying these too replace my old and warm speed cobras lol

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

I've never actually used the speed cobras but, from a quick search, the specs look similar to the armory pedals.. except that the cobras are a much much higher quality variant. The cobras are in the top tier price bracket (double the price I payed for the armory pedals) which makes me think they're more on a level between the thePearl Eliminator and Pearl demon drive pedals. I've used single pedal Eliminators before and they're by far the most solid, controllable, pedals I've come across so I can only imagine the Cobras are top quality pedals too. With that in mind I'd find it difficult to say the Cobras aren't worth getting unless money is your main issue. If you're a beginner double bass player I'd say the armory level pedals are better but if you're used to playing and want an upgrade to professional standard pedals the Cobras can only be a great choice! ...or if money isn't a concern then go for the Cobras because they will probably last you many many many years with no problems. That's a little bit of educated guessing on my part but I hope it helps :)

[@jamesdurfee3523]

With the left beater slipping when you adjust the beater angle, it it does have something to do with the rod or left pedal, you could probably fix this by detatching the rod before you change the angle.

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

Thanks for the advice! I have given this a try, unfortunately upon re-attaching the rod, the torque introduced by the weight of the slave pedal chain mechanism then pulls the beater into a new position...I suspect with enough practice and time you could find the ideal pre-adjustment but either way this is a minor point and hasn't affected the playability over the years I've found :)

[@mikaeelyaghoobzade1487]

I'm left-handed, can I change the direction of this pedal to the left?

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

Unfortunately the slave pedal only has a connecting point (to the rod) on the right side, and the foot pedal only has a connection point to the rod on the left side so it couldn't be used in a reversed manner. A quick look at the Mapex website shows that they don't do the Armory in left-footed, but they do for the Falcon. I hope that helps :)

[@hecbiz75]

You're picky. I'm a beginner drummer after playing bass guitar for 30 years. I bought a used Ludwig kit for a whopping $230. Then I bought a no-brand double pedal for less than $60. I'm basically poor so budget is very limited. Obviously that no-brand pedal had several serious issues. On the advice of a friend who is also my drum teacher (who's been drumming for at least 2 decades), I bought this pedal you're reviewing. I just received it today. It feels great and I don't foresee any major issues. Even as a bass player, in my 30 years of playing I never owned expensive, "top tier" gear and I never had any major issues. My most expensive bass guitars ever were a couple of Ibanez basses valued at around $650 each. I played my first gigs on a bass that cost me $50 used. And I got those in 2020 - after 28 years of playing bass. But hey. It's all good. 😁

[@Alfredo_Miguel]

I can't understand Why they make videos on bass pedals and then they are not testing the spring flexibility and how many times does the Pedal handle go back and forth to really prove the flexibility of the springs! In other words, this would be the most important thing for me as a double or single pedal ... Um Abraço de Sintra (Portugal)

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

I think the most important thing about a pedal to someone is subjective and circumstantial. I tried to cover what I thought were the main points that were important to me in case others shared similar questions before considering buying the pedals shown. Something like "Do the lock knuts loosen over time on their own?" was more important to me than "how many times do the beaters bounce back and forth under removed load?". If you like though, then I can go and test how many times it bounces back and forth for you with different spring tensions (and post the results here)? I'm just a guy who plays drums and tried to make a helpful video :/

[@ashiethbhardwaj7245]

Would you prefer pearl demonator or this one? (Excluding the money constraints)

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

I've never tried using the Demonator before but taking a look at the specs I'd be cautious about the single chain on the Demonator vs the double chain on the Armory. That's not to say it wouldn't be build solidly but as I've not tried them out and they are only marginally more expensive that the Armory pedals I can't see there being a major difference in quality. If money was no problem, I'd say getting a Pearl Eliminator double pedal set would be more of a worthy investment than either the Armory or probably the Demonator. Hope this helps, obviously these are just my opinions so bare that in mind :)

[@Chris.3883]

oh.... cheers dude! hot the weights out thankfully!

[@reyhanvivaldi9597]

is the left pedal as smooth as right one?

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

I think so yes, sometimes it's hard to tell if you're new to double kick drum playing because the left foot may not be as skillfully mastered as the right foot but having played this pedal for a few years it's definitely as smooth as the right in my opinion

[@reyhanvivaldi9597]

StarWarsMeerkat well, is mapex p800tw fast and smooth? I'm looking for a budget double bass pedal that is fast and smooth, is mapex p800tw the right option?

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

on a scale of 1 to 10...I'd say 7 in terms of smoothness

[@devPunks]

can this pedal be converted to standalone double pedal? Thanks in advance!

[@Bendeguz03]

Yeah

[@devPunks]

@@Bendeguz03 Thanks Bobert. Why does everyone keep telling me no? read response I got from reverb below: Unfortunately this pedal is not designed to split in to two single pedals. There are very few that are set up to do that. Some may advertise that it is capable but that requires completely disassembling the pedals, breaking factory seals then reassembling which generally leaves the pedal feeling not as smooth and responsive afterwards and is easier said than done. There is a few higher end pedals I believe that already have the parts in place with out having to do all that work but they generally come with a hefty price tag. Hope this info helps! Jeff Ryder's Drum Shop Jan 09, 2020 08:19 AM

[@Chris.3883]

I had my drum key pushed on the face of that 10g weight. Tapping it, pushing it, going "wtf, why wont these slide out ffs!?" ...Stupid Alan Key, figured it had to do something lol

[@emmanueluchiha1]

Have you tried PDP concept double pedals? What would you recommend for metal? Nice video (:

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

I haven't I'm afraid, I only put up this review with limited experience of other pedals so take my comments with a pinch of salt..chances are if you're asking about PDP pedals (which I haven't heard of) then you probably know more about this than I do :D Thanks for the comment!

[@strange_horse_art]

Can't rigg the tension well, too low too hard . Nor easy , I put the 10 g , not sure is a good idea to high speed , and now impossible to remove them ,stuck inside . Not very happy with these . Maybe if I can remove the 10g , if I found a solution to , can be easyer to rigg ... No idea !!!!

[@exxxyx1702]

A very well made review, uhh question. Is the color Green or Gold, I cannot tell lmao. Aswell as is it good for longer periods of double peddling ( not just fills ) and does it handle speed well? Thanks, you earned a sub!

[@stevenslade1963]

bought a pair last week, it's black and green, so sexy :3 I love them so much

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

It's Green with a mat black finish they do look really cool! The spring adjustment nuts do tend to loosen after a while of constant playing but they're just there for a backup to stop the spring from loosening so mot a major issue and they do handle speed remarkably well, obviously depending on how you set them up tension wise and I find they're great for fast fills :) Hope this helps

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

That's awesome! they're really worth it aren't they especially at the price, enjoy playing!

[@exxxyx1702]

+StarWarsMeerkat +Steven Slade thank you both for responding, I guess I must be color blind lmao! But yeah thanks for explaining, I just recently bought mine, it comes in tomorrow (or atleast sometime soon) and after getting a Mapex Armory Snare Stand, I decided to give their double kick pedal a try! Hopefully it'll do me good. Will respond after my use of it! :)

[@joeg816]

Nice video. I have had a Mapex Armory Rock and double bass hardware kit for a couple of years. I really like it except for the left pedal. It just feels "dead". I have never been able to get it right no matter how much I tweak it. For me, it is hard to beat a true double bass setup...

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

I've never had a problem with the left pedal other than my left foot being a step behind the ability of my right but as you're a more experienced tester of the hardware and a real double bass setup I can't throw that excuse your way :')

[@sunkenship8572]

I was thinking to buy this model , is recommended or not? :/

[@alamakluke]

Thanks for uploading this video.. I just bought this pedal myself used and I am noticing that the left pedal does not have much bounce compared to the right pedal... I am played with the spring but there is a huge difference with the feel of both pedals which to me I would have thought that they should be more similar... is there any other adjustements that you can recommend? thanks in advance. New subscriber :) cheers from Canada.

[@ascendcuh]

Yo I just bought the Mapex Armory too recently & I noticed the left pedal does that. What type of spring tension do you do on these pedals?

[@ericmsandoval]

Just do yourself a favor and stick with the Iron Cobras or other Tama pedals. Just played this Mapex pedal and absolutely nothing stands out about it that the Tama pedals don’t already do.

[@teacher5376]

Yamaha fp 9 .will be best .pedals too.( 2020 products....good

[@AMJ564]

This vs tama speed cobra 310

[@DruGaTecH]

This.

[@jerryrose9472]

This! Everyone compares these to the 910 Speedcobras but for some reason no one has tried to compare them the 310s despite being in the same price range.

[@Jv2332]

fuck sake man us leftys are neglected i stg

[@frankkharshiing3177]

P400tw is better

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

Essentially the two have pretty similar specs but a few things standout as being potential problems in the P400TW: 1. The single chain on the beater pedal- Not necessarily a problem as I've never experienced chain snapping but the day that happens on my Armory pedal is the day I'll be glad it was a double chain. 2. The lack of heel rest compared to the armory pedals may be a bit restrictive for people who have varying playing styles when playing at different tempos (some people like heel down and centre board pressure at higher speeds). 3. I also believe the spring system on the Armory is better but that's from the Mapex website rather than experience. Not a criticism, just a justification for why maybe these pedals cost more and maybe could be better...or worse..that's up to you

[@Eric-ro8bw]

Pedal is trash. I haven’t played in years so I though it was me. Almost tore my hair out adjusting it. Turns out it’s just garbage.

[@StarWarsMeerkat--James]

Hi A. Lugo, not meaning to provoke negative feelings or anything but any chance you could list some of the problems with adjustment you've been having... Just because if anyone wants to read the comments it might be helpful for them if they're considering getting these pedals in the future :)

[@takeabit]

You said nothing about the 10 or 20g weights. Which one is better?