After a series of back-and-forth emails with Rene Van Haaren, one of the co-owners, about my drumming style and preferences, I was able to make an informed decision and get the pad most suited to my needs.
I got the Chop pad (which, in my exuberance, I mistakenly call a Marching Band pad in the video below), which is medium tension and comes with a Mylar head. It's built on a hardwood base with real tuning lugs, and you can choose a regular or curved "stick saver" rim. And while it's loud enough to give you an idea of how clean your playing is (or isn't), it's quiet enough that I can practice behind a cloised door and not bother Sweetie. (If you want a louder version of this pad, order the Marching Pad, which comes with sound vents for more volume, and can be used for ensemble practice.)
RD also offers pads to approximate the feel and response of traditional rope-tension drums, high-tension Kevlar (drum corps) drums and others. I really appreciate the time Rene took to receive my questions and provide clear, helpful answers that made it easier for me to decide what pad to order.
Best of all, the turnaround time was pretty much as promised: about seven to eight weeks on average. (That stands in stark contrast to two other companies which have had trouble delivering their very popular products in the turnaround times promised. One, Xymox, remains in business but continues to be plagued by extremely long turnaround times, made worse by the COVID pandemic. The other, Drumslinger, appears to have closed up shop for good.)
Below is a preliminary video of me chopping out a few bars of "Downfall of Paris" and being shocked at just how GOOD this pad feels and sounds. But yeah, this pad is THAT good.
I expect to make some videos later on as I put this thing through its paces. Stay tuned.
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