Sonor Jojo Mayer Perfect Balance Signature Bass Drum Pedal Demo

[@yoyoz333]

I tried this pedal today. It's easily the smoothest and most responsive pedal i've tried. If it came in a double-kick pedal, I would buy it.

[@TheSunMoon]

I like this guy, best reviewer, knows his stuff. And plays great too! 6:19 though.. hahah!

[@vipermad358]

That's meme-worthy right there!

[@ErikTeichmannDrums]

One thing that was left out besides the magnet for the spring, was the adjustment capability in the actual cam itself. The one on the spring assembly gives you 45 degrees of control (22.5 degrees each side of center) over the fulcrum point connected to the rod. There is also an allen bolt on the face of the cam that loosens the part of it that is connected to the beater and is toothed to allow 15 degree(I think) incremental rotation, so you can independently adjust both of those mechanisms, which honestly gives you so much control over the feel, it's almost overwhelming when you're first trying to dial it in. I use these all day everyday.

[@krusher74]

its a shame people review these things and miss out on several adjustments.

[@bgnPrinceton]

Strangely not even Jojo himself mentions this adjustment in his brief series of videos where he talks about setting up this pedal. Edit: I just checked by newly purchased standard version, and it is as you describe. The round cam is actually toothed all the way around (like the tilter on a cymbal stand) so beater angle is actually independently infinitely adjustable, only limited obviously by physical constraints like hitting your foot and being able to reach the drumhead when the pedal is fully depressed. I had intended to check this when I got around to setting it up, but reading your comment here confirmed what I suspected about adjustable beater position. Not the first time I learn something from an actual owner/user that a 'reviewer' somehow forgets to mention. Good job! Do you have these somehow strapped to your shoes? I'd like to use them all day too. :D

[@DanPaulDrums]

Is it just me, or with the beater at a neutral position (45 degrees as shipped) is the bottom half of the tension adjustment completely unusable? Thus it only exists to accommodate a player who sets the beater to be parallel to the ground? I can't wrap my head around this.

[@sebuteo]

Hi Eric, can you direct me to any videos elucidating the point you make here? I think this is exactly what I’m hitting a wall with this pedal over… the finer adjustments. I love it. But it isn’t quite giving me what I want at present. And I’m (pretty?) certain it can!

[@havespacesuitwilltravel9607]

I have been playing this pedal since it was released...a decade now? I love it and there are drum parts I have written that I simply can not play without it, but there is a big problem and that is the collapsing feature. It is integrated with the hoop clamping mechanism and when you tighten the clamp down on the hoop, it pushes back on the collapsing arm and for most drummers (especially ones using heal-up techniques) it will collapse while playing. If it doesn't collapse, then the integration with the collapsing arm and clamp will cause the clamp to open up ever so slightly each time you hit which will eventually back the pedal OFF the hoop if you use a wooden hoop...many of us do. Finally, after 10 years of use, the locking mechanism is loosening up making it a bit wobbly under foot, thus slowing me down while playing or making the the fast articulate stuff harder to play. JoJo addresses these issues in his promotional videos with a bit of a disclaimer. Basically, if you play like JoJo, with the bass drum hoops that JoJo uses, then there will be no problem. I honestly found this to be true, but I find myself asking, "Is all of this worth it to be able to fold the pedal in half? A feature that solves a problem that I didn't have?" I think not and it actually caused a problem for me on a blues gig. I am acquiring the non-collapsing model soon. I hope it addresses the issues I have with what is actually my favorite pedal to play and, IMO, the most interesting pedal design to come out since the DW x000 models hit the market decades ago.

[@kushking420]

I bought the one that doesn't collapse... Amazingly smooth, responsive, this pedal is very strong and durable, you can feel it just buy holding it. Price is fantastic as it was just under 300$ CAD, it's a steal.

[@Six3rdy]

Wait......it is? Lol. 300 buckaroonies does sound like a steal, alright. Lol. But who's doing the stealin'? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Ok, just playing, just playing. But for real, I'm curious to learn more about what makes the pedal worth it for you. I like what I'm seeing here, and I think the collapse feature would be great to have (especially with the quick setup it does when connecting to the kick drum). But that puppy costs around half a drumset, so I gotta consider it carefully......

[@robbiegrier]

6:19

[@Dywrektor]

:D

[@venteach.6289]

Letsgodudagig

[@henne2k]

Best Pedal I´ve ever owned. Used it on almost all my Videos and on Tour

[@taryndeclyn1474]

Went to sweetwater and picked one up on Sunday! Smoothest and nicest pedal I have ever played!

[@unclerhombus]

Still using it?

[@taryndeclyn1474]

@ definitely

[@unclerhombus]

@@taryndeclyn1474 I really want to try one!

[@Dywrektor]

Perfectly Blanaced... As all things should be.

[@clinicallyrad]

Blanaced

[@jeffreyperry8782]

I have the pedal. Love it !! You forgot to mention the little magnet in post to hold the spring when not connected!!! A very cool pedal !!!!!!

[@22chuman]

I found that there is interference with the bass drum claws on my ludwig and dw 22's. It barely fits and does not center exactly where I want it to. Sometimes the button is sticky when removing the pedal and sometimes the pedal nearly slides off of the hoop after playing for awhile at gigs. If I adjust the thing to grab the hoop tighter, It may not want to release so I don't bother. The playing action is really good, It's very quick for a round cam design. I found a new old stock dw 5000 strap drive double pedal and put a trick drive shaft on it for gigs so the JOJO Mayer pedal has been in its bag for a couple years. I'd give it an "8".

[@felixweber6593]

I have two of these fantastic pedals... and even the "non foldable" one which is a bit more affordable... I love this pedal because it is transparent under the foot... it does exactly what you want it to do... no more, no less...

[@MichaelClaudio13]

Thank you Nick another amazing video as usual!

[@sebuteo]

Great video, but… This is an excellent t and useful video. Thanks for making and sharing it. But, as some other comments allude to here, there quite a bit about finessing the set-up of this pedal that this video doesn’t cover. And that’s what I was looking for! But nevertheless, a very informative and positive video about a great piece of drum gear. Thanks!

[@ValentBesley]

Hey nick, you forgot the magnet that hold the spring ear from hanging around like that before you put on the bag.. anyway nice review

[@ricohorton]

The one I ordered from Sweetwater I had to return due to defective hinge that stuck. Also I hear that the locking mechanism can come undone rendering the pedal useless when trying to play. I would rather recommend the Standard JoJo Sonor pedal that does not fold. It also has upgraded bearing hinge.

[@ErikTeichmannDrums]

I use this pedal everyday. The only time the locking mechanism comes undone is when you have the adjustment too tight. A 1/8th turn to loosen it a bit will prevent this.

[@drs-Rigo-Reus]

The latest iteration of the JJ pedal has the upgrade bearings/hinge too.

[@U2WB]

It looks like an old Rogers pedal. I wonder why almost nobody uses compression springs, when they feel so much smoother than tension springs.

[@kevinbothwell8425]

If anyone is reading this, buy the STANDARD version of this pedal. Doesn’t fold up, costs less. The folding mechanism, while insanely cool, is unbelievably unreliable, and WILL fold in on itself while you’re playing. Huh the standard version of this pedal 👍👍👍

[@EatSleepDrumRepeat]

I have been waiting for a video on this one. Nice job Nick!

[@yambu007]

6:18 Let's go!

[@CarstenGoeke]

Cool video ✌🏼

[@conanthesmackercts1169]

my school has this pedal. My fellow drummers absolutely love this pedal but personally, I hate it. It is really hard to control. doesn't seem like the reaction is fast enough. I suggest playing on this before buying it because it just feels really weird. But it works for some people. I prefer the dw 7000. the model is a lot more basic and it feels really natural.

[@yoyoz333]

its probbaly hard to control because its a strap whereas you're used to a chain. strap drive and direct drives requires more control over the pedal. no offence, its the cold truth. I had to do the same when changing from my DW 7000s to Trick.

[@MrGreenthumb_]

@@yoyoz333 i got the same issues as conan with this pedal. Got back to the Speed King the best drum pedal for me.

[@unclerhombus]

6:20 his face 😂 come on bro

[@gabrielemartino7788]

Hi nick! Great review... As always😆

[@callummasters5189]

Does the standard one come with hex key lol?

[@thebarak]

No-one can describe gear as well as Nick.

[@sajithmendis9911]

What about the left hand players , we play the other way can we have it the other way.

[@drs-Rigo-Reus]

Not needed here I think (leftie here too).

[@johndough7160]

Wow! It's roughly three hundred bucks. That's affordable. I dig the way it fastens to the kick drum.

[@Samford404]

For a single pedal, it's really not affordable

[@DanPaulDrums]

Is it just me, or is the bottom half of the spring tension adjustment completely unusable? The spring comes to zero tension when adjusted halfway on the tension adjuster and then obviously going below that the pedal and spring just flop around. I have the standard version.

[@brianchisnell1548]

5 more adjustment features and you'll have a Rogers Swivomatic!

[@bluesky6449]

Perfectly balanced--- just like Nick's expanding waistline :)

[@daemon3spade]

I think Yamaha FP9 got some few features inspired by this..

[@aboutthemetal8783]

Does anyone know if this pedal could hold up playing fast double bass?

[@krusher74]

sounds like NO from the comments

[@francisjames1377]

Kool

[@aboutthemetal8783]

Every time I've used them they ended up collapsing, admittedly I was playing double bass with them, but still , for that money I expected more.

[@Fabelnegros]

j'achete !!

[@ezquimal]

7 minutes video and you never put the foot on the pedal? Why?

[@josteinv.jordet257]

Cause its so beautiful

[@mitchmaule6517]

The only negative is probably the hoop connector

[@robinhoodwasasocialist.1401]

These have poor quality control. Lots of flimsy and sticky hinge models went out over the years.

[@m.iqbal_akbar]

I Giorno Gomayer have a dream, to make a Perfect Balance pedal

[@kirjian]

Stand User: JoJo Mayer Stand Name: 「 J U N G L E 」

[@EarthtonesCymbals]

Pretty nice but pretty expensive in my opinion.

[@jimmackraz2734]

The new version doesn't fold and doesn't have the cool bag, but it's less $ and even simpler.

[@billmint8122]

more stable, too. This one wobbles because of the hinge

[@MrFatdaz]

Had to get rid of mine as it kept collapsing during playing! Smooth, yes, but sooooo unreliable.

[@rubytuesday1345]

Nah. Still prefer my 1970s Ghost. Nothing comes close.

[@kindnick58]

NERVE

[@bigneutron5510]

Sorry but this pedal iss a rotten mass. Absolut lowest "quality" Sonor, once was a proud german company but nowadays everything from Sonor is built in China and the quality is terrible low only the price is "excellent"

[@johnl7905]

This review is about 7 years too late. And the pedal has been redesigned and replaced with the standard pedal, without the issues from the folding mechanism. This old model is junk.

[@ErikTeichmannDrums]

If you own an old one, I'll buy it off you for cheap since it's "junk"

[@Drumsmurf]

John L folding system is not reliable enough. Had this one, now the standard version which I like much more. Very annoying when during playing the pedal collaps.

[@henne2k]

I own the old one for years. Everybody who has issues just doesn´t know how to use the folding Mech. Also, it´s not discontinued. The Standard Pedal is an addition!

[@CymbalsOnly]

Groovelessons - not quite true about the collapsing. I have owned 4 of these. The first one with the overly elastic strap, that would allow the foot plate to contact the bottom (and click). New straps were sent out after that initial run, but were stiffer, and didn’t feel the same. The second had the annoying binding back hinge. And pedals 3&4, both of which would randomly and suddenly collapse (which neither of my first two would not do), on gigs and while recording. I was a Sonor dealer at the time, and had many customers return theirs for all of these reasons. I stopped selling them because they were a customer service nightmare. None of us were doing anything wrong with setting them up - many were flawed. Some of them are fine, but the rest were junk. Make sure you get a good one, or just move on to the latest shiny pedal from company x.

[@micaelmunoz5417]

Looks over engineered, hard to set up and really fragile. Glad i got my Yamaha fp9 direct drive (also recommended by my boy Nick) couldn't be happier.