This clip documents the installation of a Zikit Pro-Kit system into a 5x14 Ludwig Black Beauty snare drum. The Black Beauty already has a DW 3-way snare butt switch which allows for different tensions of the snare wires—giving either a normal, tight, or loose snare wire sound. The Zikit will increase the tonal variety threefold—giving NINE unique snare drum sounds:
10” tight
10” normal
10” loose
12” tight
12” normal
12” loose
14” tight
14” normal
14” loose
PLUS, with the use of the Big Fat Snare head covers (two kinds), this could potentially give me three head tones per above setup, or 9x3 = 27 different snare tones!
Is it overkill? Will all of these snare setups be useful? They are definitely musically useful!
Anyways, the Zikit really does work the way they claim it does. And the installation wasn’t that hard. It took me an hour to do it—the hardest part was to align the hoops so that they are centered. It helps to have a power drill handy, as well as a vacuum cleaner.
I hope this has been a helpful clip. Sorry for the lighting and jiggly footage. And I apologize for not playing the drum with a drumstick. I did so later that night at band practice, and my bandmate was really impressed at the engineering that went into the Zikit mechanism, as well as its tones. I think it’s a well made product that will provide a wealth of opportunities for creative uses in live music!
