Had someone come in the studio and his "drum tech" had one. This guy's kit sounded like garbage when he got there and the "tech" wasted about 45 minutes (on the clock, mind you) with his drum dial and only proceeded to make bad worse. The "tech" was just mystified that he hit all the recommended settings and what was coming out of the speakers was just awful. Considering I'd owned a similar kit years ago, I could have jumped in there and got them sounding halfway decent in a much shorter time, but I wasn't about to try to get in the way. Maybe that guy was an idiot and didn't know how to use the thing, but that pretty much convinced me I never need one.

I use the evan's tourque key as well. When putting all new heads on a freshly restored kit. I set it to a medium tourque then thurn each tension rod 1/2 turn working oppisite each t r, while pressing on the center of the head to get even tension. when the evans clicks on eact t r I start tuning by ear. make the snare pop and the toms smallest highest and bigest lowest. I dont have a gauge but as long as the toms are tuned down the scale it sounds like i like it. Im gonna get me one of those drum dials though and see what it will do. why not?

I think the drum dial works much better at higher tensions.

From what I'm seeing here, many folks use the Dial thingys when you put on new heads. Heck, I use a different tool, with the same results, kind of. I'm sure most of you have a 1/4 inch drill that has a torque setting on the chuck. These are great for new heads and restorations. Just set the torque setting to around 20% to 25% and have a go! I tend to over tighten new heads for a day or two so they stretch. Then they tune better, easier to find the 'spot', at least to my ears. Yep, I know, your thinking 'he does his tension rods with a drill?'. OK, I'm crazy & lazy, but it works as long as you remember to keep the torque brake setting low. Years ago I sawed the top off of a key and chucked 'er up. Now folks sell the keys made to be used in a drill. Ain't technology grand!

If you've ever worked in a drum shop and had to put together kits or change multiple heads, you'll find the cordless drill to be a very handy time and wrist saving device.

I've had one since i bought a TAMA Rockstar DX back in 1994,(yes it's made by TAMA) & it does work, The manual tells you to calibrate it every time you use it, keep it 10mm away from each tuning peg when tuning, and they give you values to tune to for most factions of music too, and a blank for you own values. I did however notice that it works very well on my 2007 PDP/DW CX, but,,, on my 1974 SONOR with it's rounded bearing edge i had to keep the dial gauge back to around 14mm away from each tuning peg, of coarse i do fine tune it, but in a live setting when you don't need any extra noise in the back ground it works great, I do how ever like the idea of using a cordless drill how ever batteries are undependable and short lived especially when you need it the most.

As for miking, it've never had an issue w/the sound. A good sound system, quality mic's and some knowledge on how to mix can make a bad sounding drum set come out sounding sweet.

I disagree....a bad sounding drumset no matter how much EQ is added is still a bad sounding drumset.

Thats like saying don't worry Linda, we'll have Paul fix it in the mix for you.......Mrs McCartney couldn't sing to save her life no matter how much EQ and other tweaks were made! Same thing applies to out of tune string instuments and drums. If it sounds bad to start with I don't care how much you try to tweak it, its still gonna sound bad.

What I hate is when the engineer in the control room says "don't worry, it sounds great in here".

So while I know what Thunderfeat is saying, that sometimes a kick can sound pretty good tweaked through the pa and suck at the kit, it's just plain wrong to start with a bad sound!

How is the drummer supposed to get into it if the kit sounds crummy?

Exactly! :2Cents:

What's a drum dial?