DW 9000 Pedal | A favourite bass drum pedal among drummers

The DW 9000 Pedal has become a favourite bass drum pedal amongst drummers. They are known for being highly adjustable and reliable.  

Let’s find out more about what makes these pedals so great.

Who has the DW 9000 Bass Drum pedal been designed for?

For many years the DW 9000 pedal was DW Drums premium bass drum pedal offering until the DW MFG Machined Pedals were introduced. That being said, the DW 9000 bass drums pedals are still a premium pedal.

These are designed for professional drummers or those who have been playing for a long time and a looking for a more customisable pedal.

These pedals are highly customisable, fast and powerful. Like everything, DW makes these are very well crafted and are built to last. If you look after it, this could be the last pedal you ever buy.

Pedal features

The DW 9000 pedal has many features you would expect from a premium bass drum pedal as well as a few that make it unique.

DW 9000 Pedal Infinite adjustable cam

Adjusting the cam on a bass drum pedal can drastically change the feel. With the infinite adjustable cam, you can set your pedal from maximum speed or maximum power. 

If you go for power the cam will slightly be extruded from the pedal increasing the whipping effect from the chain. The speed mode trucks the cam back into the pedal creating a smoother path for the chain.

With the infinite adjustable cam, you can choose a position between the two that gives you a balance of speed and power that works for you.

Floating swivel spring

Unlike most bass drum pedals, the DW 9000 spring sits inside the mainframe of the pedal and is connected directly to the cam. Because the spring is connected directly to the cam, you get a quicker response compared to pedals that are connected via the rocker shaft the cam sits on.

Choose between chain or strap

By default, the pedal comes with a chain attached. This will be the most popular option for most players but a nylon strap is also included. You can easily switch between the strap and chain to get a feel that works best for your playing situation.

This is a great feature that gives you time to experiment and find a setup that works best for you rather than having to choose between a chain or strap before making your purchase.

Tri-Pivot™ Toe Clamp

The Tri-Pivot™ Toe Clamp has been designed to ensure your pedal never separates from the bass drum hoop. It has also been designed to ensure minimal damage to your bass drum. There is nothing worse than a damaged hoop from where a bass drum pedal has been connected.

The pedal achieves this with its three padded contact points with the hoop. Two on the bottom and one that applies pressure from the top. 

This provides a solid grip without overly applying pressure to one area which can damage your bass drum hoop.

Single post-casting

One of the most awkward things about a double bass drum pedal is how do you get your slave pedal (left pedal of a right-footed double pedal) next to your hi-hat? If you are like me, you like to have them right next to each other making it easy to transition between the two. 

The DW 9000 double bass drum pedal features a single post on the slave pedal. This means you can have the slave pedal right up against your hi-hat. 

A rubber bottom 

The DW 9000 kick pedals feature a rubber bottom to reduce any pedal movement. A rubber bottom provides enough friction to stop movement whilst being easy to lift off the surface when you want to move your pedal.

Many pedals come with a velcro grip on the bottom which does keep the pedals incredibly stable but it can make them cumbersome when you want to adjust the placement as they can be very hard to lift off a drum rug.

What can be adjusted on a DW 9000 pedal?

As you would expect many things can be adjusted on this pedal to make it feel best for your playing style. 

• Spring tension – make the pedal faster to respond by increasing the tension.
• Chain length – adjust the angle of your pedal by adjusting the chain length.
• Adjust the cam – change the cam setting to get more power, speed or somewhere in between. 
• Driveshaft – amend the length of the driveshaft on the double bass pedals for a comfortable sitting position.
• Beater length – to ensure your beaters are hitting the centre of the bass drum head. 

Different DW 9000 pedal models

The DW 9000 series pedals are available in a few different variations to meets drummers requirements.

• DW 9000 Single pedal
• DW 9000 Double pedal (lefty version available)
• DW 9000FX 
• DW 9000 FX Double pedal 

DW 9000 FX

The DW 9000 FX pedal features everything you get on the DW 9000 pedal but with a longer footboard for those who have larger feet or prefer a bigger playing surface. 

DW 9002

It is also worth noting that on some sites you will see the DW 9000 pedals listed as DW 9002 pedals. In 2012 DW made some upgrades to the pedal which are included in this article. 

If you are buying a new pedal you will be getting the features in this article, if you are buying a second-hand pedal, check the year as some features may be missing if it was manufactured pre 2012. 

Where can I buy these pedals?

You can buy the DW 9000 pedals from your local drum shop or most online music stores. If you are ordering online here are our top picks.

Final thoughts

It is easy to see how the DW 9000 pedal has become one of the most popular chain bass drum pedals available today. It is crafted to an extremely high standard, has a lot of customisation options and most importantly, it is going to last a long time making it a worthwhile investment. 

If you are still looking for other options it may be worth considering a direct drive pedal. Here is our article with everything you need to know about them.