Product Review: Bill Sanders Practice Pad

Bill Sanders designed his practice pad in 1973, to approximate the feel of his Premier drum kit while greatly reducing the volume. The design was so successful that he went into manufacturing the pads and selling them, first in the UK and then internationally.

I'd wanted to try one of his pads for a long time but the cost of importing one from England, including import fees and shipping, was beyond me. In retirement, I was finally able to purchase one and it arrived this week.

The pad comes in multiple sizes, from a very small 4" diameter mini-pad to a 13.5" model that fits neatly on top of a snare drum. (More recently, Bill has released a brush pad and a marching version with snare beads inside, but those are beyond the scope of this review.)

I ordered a 13.5" size.

The pad is light in weight, 2 kg or around 4.5 lbs.
It has a relatively low profile, similar to that of the Sabian QuietTone without the legs, of around 3/4". The top uses only 3mm of rubber, the bottom has a thin nonskid layer and it's all wrapped very neatly in a metal band around the edge.

The pad easily fits in the basket of a snare drum stand. (Suggestion: Tighten the basket arms just enough to secure the pad, without squeezing the metal rim too hard. I'm confident that the metal band is sturdy enough to last, but it's also made of rather thin metal and there's no need to abuse it.)

The nonskid underside does the job, but is not really meant to be played on as it is very thin.

I tried to take a peek at the base sandwiched between the top and bottom layers, and couldn't really see much without disassembling the pad, something I'm really not prepared to risk.
I would guess that the base is a fiber material that could be similar to what's used on the QuietTone pad, based on weight and feel. (Before Sabian bought QuietTone from Henry Adler, the first QuietTone pads used a fiber baseplate that was made of asbestos. Obviously, Sabian had to change the material for safety purposes! If I were to make an educated guess about what Bill uses in his baseplate, I'd think it was similar to what Sabian replaced the asbestos with. And while I would never ask a pad maker for the recipe to the secret sauce, I'd be happy to learn that the baseplate is something else entirely, as long as it doesn't throw off tons of offgases.) 

The videos below show the pad:

-- mounted in a stand
-- set on a platform at my practice pad station
-- set on the platform and then set on another pad on the platform

The sound changes noticeably when you slip another practice pad underneath, which is why many modern marching drummers, especially here in the US, will stack several pads in order to get a more muffled tone.

Since I have pads that are designed for big, heavy marching sticks, I am using lighter concert and drum kit sticks here. (I did try a heavy marching stick and did not like the feel or tone. But "marching" in the US means big, heavy sticks on a very tight head. In the UK it more often refers to pipe drumming, which this pad would make a lot more sense for.)
This pad, being sold mostly in the UK, is used there by drum kit, concert and pipe drummers far more than American-style marching drummers, and this seems the most appropriate focus.

 

 

 

When I asked Bill about his design, he had this to offer:

"The pad uses a very special rubber surface....Its so special that if I could not source it my business would fail. I have used this rubber for over 45 years and it was only last week I went to a school that uses the pad every day since 1985. and there is not a mark on it. That's why it's such a popular pad over here.

I have been told by the marching guys which I agree they say  the feel is just under a tight snare head. ( be interesting to hear what you think) but of course this will vary on the weight/wood or size of drum sticks one uses on the pad. However its not just the rubber which is only 3 mm thick. (It's a fallacy to think that the thicker the rubber the better the bounce.) I went through 100s (sic) of bits of rubber to find the right one.

We use an elasticated glue which adds to the special secret of the Sanders pads.

I purposely designed the pad to be only 13.5 inch in diameter so it would fit snugly into a 14 inch snare including S-Hoops enabling you to lift out easily. It has a chrome metal rim which is standard on all our pads and non slip underside.

The BS 726 [the one I ordered - Ed.] is the largest pad we do.
My pads have a 10-year guarantee on the special drum feel rubber that we use."

Bill Sanders offers all of his practice pad designs directly from his web site. He offers international shipping if you are prepared to pay the cost. At present, there is no US distributor for his pads. If you have questions, reach out to Bill Sanders directly and he will be happy to answer them. All of his pads are made in the UK, under his direction. Sanders is currently the only company specializing in drum practice pads in the UK. (Other British companies offer pads as accessories to their drums, but those pads are made elsewhere, usually in China.)

My BS 726, 13.5" pad is priced at 45 pounds. Based on the exchange rate at the time I ordered, that came to around $62 US. (Plus shipping and fees, of course, which will depend on location.)

I am pleasantly surprised at how this pad feels and sounds, though I admit that the tone did take a few minutes of getting used to when compared with my other practice pads. I also think that I like it better on a platform or table top than in a snare stand, but I'm glad to know it's perfectly usable either way. And I appreciate its light weight for portability, as I like to take a pad with me whenever I go out. (You never know when you'll have to wait in line somewhere!)
If you want to spring for something really interesting to add to your pad collection -- and really useful! -- this would be a great pad to get. I'm happy to add it to my stable and it's a pad I'll use regularly with my concert and drum kit sticks.

Happy drumming.

Dom Famularo’s Pad Sticks are back!

Dom Famularo, a beloved drummer and teacher who passed away in 2023, designed a specialty Pad Stick that was manufactured by a series of companies, including Vic Firth, Promark and Vater.

Shortly after his death, production of his sticks was halted while his estate was sorted out. Multiple requests for a reissue of his Pad Sticks have finally been answered by Vater, which have begun manufacturing the model again.

I’ve had a pair of the older Vic Firth version for many years. I bought mine used from another drummer, and they already showed some wear when I received them. I went ahead and bought two pairs of the Vater reissue just now. Available from multiple online retailers, including Sweetwater (where shipping is free).

These sticks are highly reminiscent of Vic Firth’s earliest Thunder Rock sticks, which themselves were based on Bunken’s 3S design. (Interestingly, Dom admitted that his Pad Sticks were also based on the Bunken 3S sticks.) 

Promark briefly made Dom’s Pad Sticks, with their ActiveGrip coating. I tried a pair and didn’t like the feel. I tend to stay away from synthetic anti-slip coatings on my drum sticks as a general rule.

Another variation of this ball-tip design can be found in the Tom Gauger #12 model, slightly longer and later made by Vic Firth. Other Pad sticks are still produced by Rohema and Agner, in maple and a heavier Hornbeam, respectively. (I have those models as well, and each has its own slightly different feel.)

Cooperman’s #22 Parley model echoes the same design, but is made of heavier hickory and has rope drum applications rather than pad-specific application.

If you haven’t tried pad-specific sticks, Vater’s reissue of Dom’s Pad Stick is a very affordable way to get into them.

DIY Percussion: Homemade practice pad

Inspired at least a little by the Live Edge drum pads, where someone took a tree round, dipped it in flex seal and charged a hundred and fifty bucks for it, I decided to make my own.

It’s not pretty.

I used the bottom deck of an old Remo practice pad. The second generation of these pads used hard plastic rims that would chip if you hit a rimshot too hard, and eventually the rims cracked completely. I removed the screws, the broken rim, head and foam insert.

Roughed up the bottom, poured successive thin layers of Flex Seal liquid, let each layer dry for two days before pouring the next. (Outside, in the shed, with the screen window wide open. Don't do this inside your house!)

I had trouble wrangling the can and the liquid and made a bit of a mess. But I wore protective gloves and shop glasses, and got it done.

The end result is surprisingly functional. Best with concert or drum kit sticks.

You may want to glue a closed-cell foam backing to the bottom to give it more muffling and a nonskid surface.

I ended up doing three of these pads and I’m giving a couple to friends as gifts. I probably won't try this again, as a can of Flex Seal starts at around 18 bucks. 

Right now, this pad is drying outside because I decided to glue an ensolite foam pad to the underside.

I think it will help with the tone and slightly reduced vibration.

 

Video below shows the pad in use with jazz sticks, concert sticks and light marching sticks.

 

 

 

Vintage Corner? Pecker Practice Pad Company, 1970s-80s?

The Pecker Practice Pad Company was based in the very small town of Wills Point, TX, located about fifty miles from Dallas.

The pad’s construction is very similar to designs from Rudimental Drummers and Rudimental Control, with a smaller wood disc glued atop a larger laminated baseplate. 

(Because of the use of Allen bolts instead of drum tuning bolts that take a key, I wondered if this might not have some connection to either Rudimental Control or Drumslinger, both made in Texas; but so far I haven’t been able to connect the dots clearly to either one.

I also searched for businesses registrations in the vicinity, which turned up nothing; and for obituaries for anyone named Pecker in the vicinity of Wills Point, but so far the only obit that came up was someone who’d served in WWI and died long before this pad was designed or made. (Research geeks: sometimes obituaries can lead you to the maker of a vintage pad that wasn’t mass-produced.)

I’ve reached out to the city of Wills Point to see if they can tell me anything, and also to Rudimental Control and Drumslinger; both companies are based in Texas.

I got a response from Bill at Drumslinger, who wrote: “ From Bill at Drumslinger: 

"I remember a couple of '70s/'80s West Coast drummers mentioning the Pecker Pad, when trying out my pads at my PASIC booth, pre-Covid. I had never seen one before your pics. From what I remember, they might have been made briefly in the 70's. Looks like a stacked center type with soft fill under the head. It looks like it would be quiet, like you mentioned, and suitable for general drum set or concert/orch. stick warmup or chop out work. 'Popcorn' pad sound, but a step up from a Remo."

It’s a cool little thing that reminds me a little bit of the Baby Chop pad from Rudimental Drummers (and which also comes with an 8” head). The only downside of this pad is that it takes just four tuning nodes, rather than five or six; so if you’re tempted to crank it down too hard you will warp the metal rim a bit as has happened here. I may cast around for a replacement rim, but for now I’ve lowered the tension a little and it seems fine. 

The more I chop on the pad, the more I really like it.

Vintage Corner: my last Remo pad post for awhile, promise!

It was pointed out to me that I haven't shown the internals of the vintage Remo tunable pad.

For those who want to tear into one, here’s a blow-up.

The oldest tunable Remo pads are made of wood and have a metal rim. Be careful when disassembling these sixty-year-old pads, as the wood may be degraded and the foam beneath the head may be disintegrating into particles. Consider working outside if weather permits, wearing a painters mask, or both.

After you carefully unscrew and remove the bolts, set them aside and lift the rim off, followed by the head. The metal retaining ring inside may come off with the head, and if it does you’ll need to gently and carefully pry it loose with a thin flathead screwdriver.

When you lay everything out, you’ll see the construction is relatively primitive.

Take the outer rim, the inner retaining rim and the plastic head and gently wash with warm, 

lightly soapy water and let dry.

While those parts dry, turn your attention to the baseplate.

The earliest tunable pads use a tilt panel made of compressed fiberboard this is not terribly robust, attached by three wood screws to the underside of the primary baseplate. If you carefully remove these wood screws, you’ll see that two of them tilt the bottom panel away from the primary baseplate by means of two rubber washers. I find that these tend to stay in place when I unscrew the tilt panel because age and compression have set them against the wood and fiberboard pieces for so long. If they fall off, don’t lose them! You’ll need to reinsert them when you screw the tilt panel back on. 

Inspect the tilt panel and the main baseplate for wood damage. If there is significant cracking, you can often apply a spot of Elmer’s wood glue and let this dry to stabilize the crack. When reassembling, do not force the wood screws past the point of tightness or you’ll strip the soft wood/fiber.

Because the third screw attaches without a rubber washer, I like to add a very small bushing of thinner rubber or leather to stabilize this point further and prevent the tuning bolt from “bottoming” out and possibly damaging the tilt panel when the pad is reassembled. In a pinch, a small circle of yoga mat works fine. You can use the wood screw to start the hole in the bushing.

(Note: the second generation of these tunable pads, circa 1969 through the late 1970s, used a hard plastic primary base and rim, and a tilt panel made of metal that attaches the same way. You will need to be just as careful when refurbishing these pads because the wood screw can easily strip the plastic if overtightened. By the early to mid 1980s, these were being phased out in favor of a pad that used a softer plastic and no tilt panel because most beginning drummers were being taught matched grip instead of traditional grip.)

If the foam inside the pad is crumbling you should replace it. Getting replacement from from Remo is basically impossible these days, so I usually substitute a firmer pad cut from an old ensolite camping pad. If it’s not quite thick enough, you can lay down a primary layer of thinner yoga mat, or even padded material from a mailing envelope, before adding the ensolite pad. This will give the pad a little bit of resistance that adds some freshness back to the feel and rebound. The ensolite material is closed-cell and much denser than the stock foam. Use the inner metal retaining ring as a tracing outline for any layer you want to add.

If the original foam is intact go ahead and use it again. If you want, you can still add a thin layer of yoga mat or mailing a envelope underneath, though the sound will be different than with a pad made from ensolite.

Remo used a silver paper sticker with their logo on it to seal the ends of the metal outer rim, and that sticker is usually torn or missing by the time the pad has arrived in my hands. I use a strip or two of metallic plumbers tape to cover the gap and stabilize the rim. 

If the head is intact, dent-free and in good shape, cleaning it with some warm soapy water will improve its looks considerably and it can be reinstalled. If the coating is worn off in the center but the Mylar is still in good shape, there’s nothing wrong with adding a layer of clear package tape underneath at the worn spot and it won’t affect the sound or feel. If there are multiple dents or the head is cracked, replace it. Remo still makes replacements heads that will fit any of their pads, whether made in 1966 or 2026. 

When reassembling, take your time. Never force anything.

I like to position the tilt so that the higher side is to my left and the lowest part of the tilt is to my right, just as it would be with a drum, because I play with traditional grip. If you play with matched grip you can position the high side at top or bottom. The tilt isn’t severe enough to adversely affect your practice. Once you determine where the tilt will go, position the logo of the replacement head at what will be the “top” of the pad when you look at it on a table or stand, and begin to reassemble the pad. 

These pads are not marching-specific! Over-tensioning can break them, so if you need a high-tension pad for marching practice, use a more modern pad. 

Tighten the bolts carefully and in small increments until the pad is reassembled and the tension is playable again.

I have a bunch of these old Remo pads in my collection and enjoy using them even now. They’re great for students because they’re affordable and have replaceable heads. (My first Remo pad from 1973 has had a few replacement heads over the years and still holds up well.)

Have fun!

Vintage Corner: my very first practice pad, circa 1973

In the Fall of 1973, I walked into my grade school auditorium to see about joining the band.

I originally wanted to play a brass instrument, French horn or trumpet; but the few that the school had were already out on loan, and my parents couldn’t afford to rent an instrument from a music store. So I asked the music teacher what was available on loan.

After considering Cello (beautiful, but too big for my bicycle basket), flute (too much danger of hyperventilation) and clarinet (too squeaky, no thank you), the music teacher was out of options.

Except… 

“Well there’s a drum class that meets once a week, and anyone who passes all the lessons and quizzes can join the 5th grade band at the semester.” He paused.

“What?” I asked.

He pursed his lip, and then said, “Well, right now there’s ten boys in the class, and if you join you’d be the only girl. They might make fun of you. But if you hang in there — and I think you can — then you’d be able to join the band in January, with two or three other students. I expect the rest to get bored or wash out before then. And you’d start with a practice pad and some sticks, which would easily fit in your bike basket.”

I thought for a moment. And then, I said yes.

I went home with a pair of drum sticks, a lesson book and this practice pad.

I wrote my name on the bottom in case it got lost. I showed up for every class, and learned how to read rhythm and count and how to play long rolls and flams. Other rudiments would follow later. In January, I joined the fifth grade band with three other kids, and after just a month, I was moved up to the sixth grade band because I was making rapid progress. (The fifth grade boys were jealous, but even they had to admit that I had earned it.)

This pad went with me into middle school, high school and college. For many years, long before specialized drum pads became commonplace, it was my only practice pad. I replaced the head my freshman year of high school, and again in college. The bottom foam strip got a little dirty and dinged in the bottom of my backpack, but the pad held up beautifully. I just stuck a new-old-stock replacement head on it today, and added a thin layer of yoga mat material under the original foam to stabilize the foam a bit. It still works as advertised, and it’s still a cool little pad.

Vintage Corner: I just can’t stop loving old Remo pads.

Fun with pad history:

Remo began selling practice pads in the early 1960s.

I’m a huge fan of the older Remo pads, with flat metal rims and fiberboard base plates. They are repairable and the Mylar heads can be replaced (and a 2026 replacement pad head will fit a 1962 pad).

Remo’s web site features a history page where you can learn about how they developed their pads and their Mylar heads, and includes a chart outlining the evolution of their logo — a helpful aid in dating their vintage pads.

My first practice pad in1973 was a 6” Remo pad with a hard plastic rim. I went through three heads between fifth grade and my senior year of high school. I still have that pad.

But here’s an even earlier version from 1962, with an original head that’s in great shape.

(If anyone comes across an older Remo pad in need of a new head, I have a few replacement heads available for sale or trade.)

A reminder, especially for younger pad enthusiasts: Vintage practice pads from before the rise of Kevlar or Hybrid heads were not meant to be tensioned as high as marching-specific designs! Tension these as you would a drum for use behind a drum kit, and remember that the technique in use for these lower tensions will require you to “pull” your strokes out of the drum, rather than waiting for the rebound.