Jon Roberts is a rudimental drummer who marched with the Crossmen and is an instructor with the Jersey Surf. During the downtime he's been cranking out some homemade but VERY nice practice pads.
I bought one because the gum rubber is thicker than anything I've seen or that I currently own. I thought something a little softer might be nice to switch off to, and closer to the old Mylar-headed drums I played as a kid.
I was right.
The pad arrived today and I've been shedding on it for the last half-hour. My hands aren't tired or sore and I'm a happy camper.
As with any NEW gum rubber surface, it squeaks a tiny bit at first. When the newness has worn off a little the squeaking should stop.
This is a really nice surface to play on when your hands need that old-school Mylar feel, or when you want to chop a little while watching the evening news -- it's quieter than thinner gum rubber pads and won't disturb anyone but the most sensitive family members. (If they squawk, politely offer them headphones.)
At not quite 12 inches across, the pad is nicely finished and very sturdy, yet lightweight enough that if I want to toss it in my messenger bag and take it to a park I can. I'm going to enjoy playing this!
Two videos: the first is me demo'g my pad. The second is the video Jon tossed up at Youtube to talk about his pads.
NOTE: He is sold out of the first batch and is now working on a second. Hit him up in the comments at his Youtube vid to find out when more will be available.
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