Update: further testing on the refreshed Drumslinger pad

Since getting back my refreshed Drumslinger pad, I’ve played it a lot.

It took a little time for the new head to settle in after playing, dialing in proper tension and playing some more. I’ve also had a chance to try several different sizes and models of sticks, to get a clearer sense of the pad’s range of usefulness.

This pad is called the Marcher Series pad, meant for Rudimental drummers who don’t play on high-tension Kevlar heads. It makes a great pad for rudimental and limited concert used, and suits my needs well.

It came with a new Remo Pinstripe head, which I appreciated.

However, in the two weeks since I got the pad back, I’ve noticed that there appears to be some cracking in one of the layers of the two-layer head. I believe this came about only when I began using some nylon-tipped sticks this past week, and that the nylon tips may be responsible for the damage to the head. I hadn’t noticed this sort of thing when using wood-tipped sticks.

It’s useful information, and tells me that I either need to stop using nylon-tipped sticks, or I need to switch to a different type of drumhead

Meanwhile, I enjoy playing on it, even on harder days like today (while I deal with residual brain fog and dizziness from Long Covid, and pain from the arthritis in my hands). It’s a good pad, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a more serious practice implement.

Drumslinger’s lead time now averages four to six weeks, depending on the type of pad ordered.

I’ll be looking at other kinds of heads for this pad and may test-drive them here.