Product: Ludwig Speed King
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
07/23/2009
at
04:39pm
by
Eaton Holder
Features
:
10
The Ludwig Speed King actually is a very simple pedal. I think this pedal came on the market during the 60??s. Since then the drum manufacturing industrie has supplied us with belt and chain driven pedals. Please note that a belt or chain driven pedal can never react as accurate as a pedal with direct drive.
But we followed the industrie, like the sheep follow a leader. What made the Speed King a good pedal is its build quality and the fact that it is a direct drive pedal. Now, finally, Axis, Yamaha and even Pearl have seem to have discovered that a drirect drive pedal is much better. See the new Pearl Demon Drive. But are these new direct drive pedals better than the old Speed King, to be honest, I don??t think so. I think the functionality of that simple but effective Ludwig Speed King pedal has not been matched yet.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
Reliability/Durability, well, I play regular, I earn my living with it and my Ludwig Speed King pedal is about 30 years old and has never let me down. Thats a fact which says it all.
Customer Support
:
8
Never needed their customer support, so I don??t know.
Overall Rating
:
10
Overall, if you want a good, fast, responsive, but still simple pedal, get the Ludwig Speed King
Product: Ludwig Speed King
Price Paid: USD 100
Submitted
04/27/2008
at
07:20pm
by
boxofrocks
Features
:
7
This is a single pedal speedking
Direct drive
2 screw spring adjustment
Not very heavy, can remove footboard and beater and pack in a bag easy.
What I love about the speedking is the heel plate, if you flip it around it sticks up a little bit, you then can use it for effortless heel toe.
Comes with a standard felt beater.
Reliability/Durability
:
5
I do gig with the pedal weekly
It holds up well, but is starting to show wear at the bearings now after 6 months of abuse.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
I never needed CS so dont know how they are
Overall Rating
:
7
I've been playing a little over a year now, and a little bit back in high school (90's) I used a vintage speedking back then and I remembered I liked it so I bought another one when getting back into drumming.
The new versions are not made as well as the vintage ones.
If it was lost or stolen I would probably replace it with a Pearl, the Pearl eliminator likes me :)
I love the heel plate that makes heel toe a breeze, I hate the direct drive that sticks out and rubs the drum head, have to attatch it to the very edge if the hoop so it doesnt rub.
I hate that it has no adjustments really. When I have it set up to feel good the beater is so far back it hits my shin bone, there is no adjustment for this as far as I know.
I hate how flimsy they are making this thing now, cheaply made today.
I wish it had a more sturdy base, and more adjustments, they need to update this product to todays standards, keep the old version available for traditionalists and an updated improved version for others.
Don't get me wrong it's still a good pedal, and around the best direct drive you can get for 100$.. I play the crap out of it and it preforms well...
