DRUM! Magazine – Issue 15-1, Pg. 136-137

Crystal Ball Beater. Poor, poor beaters. Tucked way down next to your stank feet and away from the public eye, beaters are the heartbeat and pulse of music but are taken for granted and rarely ever given their well-deserved due. I, for one, am putting my foot down (hello, pun) and am bringing the importance of beaters to the forefront.

From wood to felt to rubber, I have played my share of beaters, but I have not come across one that I have given a second thought to. Designed by Rick Latham, this funktional beater consists of a clear 1.5″ diameter acrylic sphere and a .25″ hardened steel shaft. It is harder and heavier than wood, so it produces a loud sound with lots of boom, and I am certainly not shy about voicing my love for a good bottom end.

Although I’m not a basher, I find standard felt beaters too light for my tastes, so the Crystal Ball’s added weight made it easier to control and throw. Using it with a two-ply head, each kick sounded extra punchy and clear. Some players may not like so much punch, but that’s nothing some muffling can’t control. With a single-ply head, I had to muffle my kick more than I normally do, but the end result was gold. The Crystal Ball made my bass drum punchier than Holyfield and deeper than the Marianas Trench, but I could still play it delicately. Versatility is such a beautiful thing.

Skid-Proof Drum Set Mat. Imagine yourself playing at an important gig that could potentially make or break your band. You’re wailing away and letting it all out on stage, but you notice something wrong. Little by little, this inconvenience ultimately becomes a huge problem that puts a halt on your performance. The rest of the band keeps going, but you cannot continue because you forgot your drum rug and now your bass drum and floor tom are 13′ away next to the guitarist. It’s a nightmare, but it can be prevented. Measuring 5′ x 5′, the skid-proof drum mat provides enough surface area to keep a 5-piece kit from bouncing around. Its tacky surface provides a secure grip for all the various hardware legs, but just make sure you tuck away those bass drum spikes.

At a recent gig, I used the drum mat (and camping blanket if you’re so inclined) immediately after taking it out of the package. It unfolded easily and remained flat throughout the entire set. The surface does attract footprints, but then again, it’s a dang drum mat and it’s going to get stepped on. With some tape markings, you can lay out your drums the same exact way every time.

Although it seems like just another drum mat, this is a much better alternative than that nasty, sweat-soaked carpet shred you’ve been using because it’s lighter and can also be rolled up much tighter. Rolled up or folded over, this mat will easily fit in the trunk of your Hyundai. I can confidently say that this puppy has replaced the old carpet remnant I used as a drum rug. This concludes what may be the world’s longest drum-mat review.

Groove Juice. Amid all the steroid scandals in sports, I will break down and admit that my cymbals are on the Juice. They don’t use the stuff all the time, just when it’s needed. Besides, they can stop juicing whenever they want. They just don’t want to.

Groove Juice is formulated for high-end bronze cymbals and designed only to clean. If your cymbals are already fairly shiny, they will glow like new after getting on the Juice. Unlike a polish, which requires some elbow grease and is best suited for cymbals needing much more TLC, Groove Juice is very easy to apply and remove. Spray, and wipe. That’s all there’s to it.

I tried them on a set of cymbals desperately needing some de-fingerprinting. While they still remained shiny, pesky prints dotted the fabulous bronze landscape. As directed, I sprayed the cymbals and let the Juice sit for a minute. I then wiped the cymbals down, rinsed them with water, and dried them with a clean cloth. I had a shimmering set of cymbals in a matter of minutes. Using a solution of three parts water and one part Groove Juice will leave your hardware shimmering as well.

A word of advice, though: Groove Juice will wipe the protective surface off lower-priced, entry-level cymbals. For those pies, use Groove Juice Jr. Essentially, it’s a gentler version of the Juice and won’t damage the protective coating.

X-Mutes. Based purely on principle, I hate these dadgum contraptions of evil that were designed for the sole purpose of silencing the sweet sounds of drums. I hate their oppressive nature, I hate how that X-Mutes logo mocks me, and I hate how they make me the quietest member of my band. I hate them because they work.

The timing was perfect. A few days after Pro-Mark’s big box o’ stuff arrived, I found myself facing a drummer’s worst nightmare. A neighbor complained about my loud playing, and I had no choice but to bring it down a notch. Truthfully, the neighbor lived more than a block away, and I actually had to bring it down several notches. Next to buying every person within a quarter-mile a set of earplugs, the complete set of X-Mutes is the next best thing.

Unless you angle your toms like Nicko, each drum pad remains securely flat during your painfully quiet practices. The cymbals pads attach to the cymbal post so those won’t dare go anywhere. The bass drum mute requires you to stick a piece of Velcro on your kick head, which I’m not so sold on, but it keeps everything in place. A nifty cutout on the bottom allows the pedal’s mechanisms to swing freely. Like a rubber practice pad, each mute provides a good bounce that won’t leave your wrists and hands hurting, though your ears will certainly miss the sweet stolen sounds. Your neighbors don’t care, though.

Verdict. I gaze into the Crystal Ball Beater and see a very harmonious future with my bass drum. This successful relationship will be greatly aided by the stability offered by the nifty drum set mat. Finally, the beautiful marriage will be celebrated by the crashing of shimmering cymbals brought to new life courtesy of Groove Juice. As far as the X-Mutes go, they’re the only product I’ve hated because they work so well … aside from prunes, that is.