Changing timp heads on Balanced action pedal timps

One determine that you have Balanced action timpani

These would be any timpani with a pedal that has no locking device such as a ratchet teeth, or post and clutch or heel or toes spring release.

If you are unsure do this.

Can the pedal move up or down without “releasing” anything?

Does the pedal pivot under the centre of the foot like a gas pedal on a car? Push the toe down you go higher? Push the heel down you go lower?

Then you have Balanced action timps.

Typically they are nearly all Ludwig, and Yamaha drums except the most expensive.

They are the professional series Adams drums and Symphonic series and Prophonic series majestic drums.

Determine the make.

IF Ludwig- hold the heel down while turning the big knob on the base just in front of the pedal, under the bowl, counterclockwise until you can pull out that knob and the rod attached to it. You do have to release it so you can pull it out, but just leave it there once disconnected, don’t pull it out it is covered in grease and you can lose the parts.

If you have any other manufacturer balanced action timps, hold the heel down and jam a block of wood, textbook, bird house, whatever, under the toe of the pedal to force it to stay on the heel down position. Make sure whatever you use is secure. You can injure yourself if you do not.

Put a mark with a pen, or piece of tape on the hoop at the first tuning bolt to the right of the pedal. Put a similar mark on the strut of the drum below that. This will aid in putting the hoop back on the same place in case you give up and go fro a beer half way through and forget where the hoop fit.

A bit at a time, say 5 turns, release all the tension rods until the can be removed. Remove the hoop and rods and head as one piece and place it over a smaller drum or stool or something, so that is stays together, this will help prevent lost bits and keep the grease on the rods from mucking up your carpet or such.

Using steel wool or a kitchen scrubber, clean the nearing edge of old wax, grease, dirt, hair and gunk.

You can also use a fine fine sandpaper, for metal about 400 grit but a scrubber does fine.

Using a white candle or other piece of paraffin wax, rub a thin layer of way around the rim. Not too much and not lumpy.

Use an old cork and vigorously rub the wax into the rim. The cork will create heat which will melt the wax and smooth it out nicely.

You can forego wax and use Teflon pipe tape-I have used the white stuff-fussy and finicky to get smooth but works well. And the pink stuff, easier to handle but harder to get it to stick. But they work, a single layer, no wrinkles, no overlap.

The point of the tape or wax is to reduce friction on the head when it is being stretched during use, otherwise you get the dreaded cracking noise when you tune the drum during that really soft violin solo.

Now get out your new head and install it on the drum, logo across from the player and readable by the player, so in the 12 o’clock position. Just trust me on this. This will align the head properly.

Now take the rim, remove the old head and wipe the inside clean of dirt and lint etc.

Place the rim back on the drum over the new head, making sure it is in the original position. (remember that mark we put on it earlier? Now is why).

Resisting the urge to do the lugs all at once, get each tension rod started.

Then go back and working across the drum in opposites such as 12 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 9 o’clock 3 o’clock etc, screw down each lug until it just touches the hoop.

Now continue across the drum and using only your fingers, and best to do a pair simultaneously, screw the rods down more until you cannot do them anymore with just fingers.

The object is to get the head on deal flat and even all around. Careful you do not pull it to one side or the other. The spider in the centre of the bowl or underneath can be pulled off side. So periodically check the spider and hoop that they are still centered on the drum..

Once the rods are finger tight you need to start using the key. Same rule applies, ½ turn maximum per rod, work across the drum. The goal is to get the head into playing range or a little higher as it will stretch a lot in the first few weeks.

Playing range is D for a 32” bowl, F for a 29 or 30” bowl, A for a 26-28” bowl and C for a 23” bowl. If you can get slightly lower notes than these and still have your pedal function then go for it but start there..

The best tool for getting the head on perfectly even is a Drum Dial tension gauge. About $90 online. They come with instructions.

Otherwise I suggest you make a rim height gauge from a good flat square piece of wood and a bolt.

Get a piece of wood, maybe 3” wide by 14 inches long and less than 1” thick.

Drill a hole in it right near one side through the 1” dimension, in the centre of the 3” dimension.

Put a bolt through this, round head works best. Put some nuts on the other side.

Lay the wood on the head pointing to the centre outward so that the bold head rests on the rim right next to or at the point where the tension rod is.

See drawing.

The arrow represents the head of the bolt passing through the wood to measure the distance between the rim of the bowl and the hoop. Set the bolt head to measure this at one point, then move the wooden gauge and bolt head to every other tension rod and using the drum key, adjust the tension at those points so that the rim just kisses the bolt head.

You may have to go around a few times and then start again as the head also need to be in the right pitch range.

Once you have done this, the head should ring pretty true all around and have a nice long note.

You will have noticed by now if your hoop is out of round or bent or if the bowl itself is out of round you can measure. If so you go back and try to straighten them –really.

Now the head is on, sings the right note a just a little higher. Gently start to work the pedal and gently stretch the head by working the pedal.

Likely you will need to add a ¼ turn or more to each tension rod as the lowest not will now be lower. Get it back in range or just a bit higher.

Last thing is to reconnect the spring on the Ludwig drums so the pedal stays put.

To do this, press the toe down all the way while turning that big know clockwise until it engages and then keep turning until the pedal stays put through most of it’s range. If it won’t stay heel down, go counterclockwise, if it won’t stay toes down, go clockwise.

Remember though that this only works well of the lowest note if the right range.

There you go, not so bad eh?

Andy