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The following is information about the Pearl Free Floating system compiled from threads on the Pearl Drum Forum. They have been lightly edited for grammar and to just make it more readable. Credit has been given to the original author of each statement. Hopefully, this will save others from having to spend a lot of time going through old threads, and save the moderators from having to answer the same questions over and over.
Summary:
The Pearl Free Floating system is unique in that it allows the top and bottom heads to be tuned separately. This is accomplished by creating a metal device that includes the bottom bearing edge, lugs, and tension rods. Various shells can be placed in this device as long as they have their own top bearing edge. Shells of different sizes (depth only) can be used by changing the tension rods, and in some cases, the lugs. The lugs on piccolo depth drums are very short. You can add a bigger shell by simply using longer tension rods, but this will not be as stable as if you replace the lugs with a longer version. A big shell cannot be replaced with a much smaller shell without replacing the lugs.
Here are the details:
geoff7877
The top and bottom side tension rods are screwed into the lugs just like any other drum. The lugs are mounted on an aluminum chassis which the shell rests on. So the chassis and lugs are completely seperate and not at all attached to the shell. The shell is held in place by the top head/rim.
Grolubao
Q:If I buy for example a 14x3.5 and want to fit (replace it with) a 14x6.5 (shell), I would only have to buy the tension rods, is that correct?
Masters Studio
Yes mate, that is correct. Just remember though that if you were to put it side by side with a 6.5" snare with the proper length lugs, the drum with the longer lugs would feel much more solid and contained than the short lug/long tension rod version.
Masters Studio
Just remember that with the Pearl FF's ,the shell depth is not the overall drum depth i.e. for a 6.5" FF the shell is actually 5" or so to account for the 'shell bed' and 'snare assembly'.
bigtone23
Just for accuracy, the basket is 1 3/8" deep. A 6.5" FF shell is 5 1/8" deep.
nif j nac x
Q: how do i remove my lugs from the strainer section...
Masters Studio
A:I'm pretty sure that the lugs bolt on to the Shell Bed, which also holds the strainer mechanism. You can remove them (carefully) by undoing the lugs anti-clockwise with a visegrip. (wrap the lug in thick cloth first, and don't overtighten the visegrips) Each lug also has a hex head nut at its top so you can use a ring spanner if you prefer. Make sure you have undone the bolt at thew bottom of the lug first!
Steve D
Q: Does the Brass FF shell come seamless? Is it the same shell as the reference? What is the construction of the shells used in the FF?
Masters Studio
Yes the Brass shell is seamless (it is wrought out of one piece.) As for whether it is the same as the Reference Shell, I couldn't tell you but I can't see it being too much different.
Last time I checked the metal FF shells were all 3mm thick with folded top bearing-edge and the maple shells were 6 ply, unless you go Masterworks.
surfnate02
I read somewhere that the the Steel FF's come with Superhoops, and the Brass and Maple FF's come with Die-cast hoops.
bigtone23
I feel that the Superhoops give a fatter, more open rimshot while Mastercast give a brighter, focused rimshot, perhaps just a hair louder but only from the higher frequency content of it's effect on tone.
Sinder
Q: I'm interested in getting one of these free floaters, and I LOVE the black hardware on that CF snare...how would I go about snagging one with black hardware?
Masters Studio
You will probably have to go Masterworks to get one. Unless you can find an older model of the CF prior to them becoming Masterworks...
Masters Studio
I did split one tension lug on tour so tune evenly, always.
As is the case with every snare, even tension at each rod is paramount. So long as you were tuning it regularly to keep even tension all 'round, you shouldn't run into too many problems!
geoff7877
You can buy replacement lugs for I think around $4.00 each. It's been a while since I bought any FF lugs, so they have probably gone up.
They're really easy to swap out with a crescent wrench. Personally, I would rather buy an extra set of lugs than have super long tension rods.
bigtone23
Here is a link to FF parts: http://www.pearldrum.com/04_spareparts/PDF/44-FFS.pdf
gotdrums?
The only problem with the FF snares, is you can't crank the bottom head too high, the bottom "bearing edge" of the chassis is pretty sharp, I've blown out 2 snare side heads trying to get them to the tension i want...
bigtone23
The beds look pretty non-existent. There may be just the slightest whiff of a bed at best. With the extended wires the need of a bed is minimal.
Nasrudin
Q: So if you buy a 6.5" Free Floater, does it sound like a 5" drum, or does the mechanism also contribute to the sound?
fezzasus
It sounds like a 6.5" deep drum. The shell itself doesn't contribute that much to the sound. It's mainly the ratio of depth to diameter that is the main factor.
Summary:
The Pearl Free Floating system is unique in that it allows the top and bottom heads to be tuned separately. This is accomplished by creating a metal device that includes the bottom bearing edge, lugs, and tension rods. Various shells can be placed in this device as long as they have their own top bearing edge. Shells of different sizes (depth only) can be used by changing the tension rods, and in some cases, the lugs. The lugs on piccolo depth drums are very short. You can add a bigger shell by simply using longer tension rods, but this will not be as stable as if you replace the lugs with a longer version. A big shell cannot be replaced with a much smaller shell without replacing the lugs.
Here are the details:
geoff7877
The top and bottom side tension rods are screwed into the lugs just like any other drum. The lugs are mounted on an aluminum chassis which the shell rests on. So the chassis and lugs are completely seperate and not at all attached to the shell. The shell is held in place by the top head/rim.
Grolubao
Q:If I buy for example a 14x3.5 and want to fit (replace it with) a 14x6.5 (shell), I would only have to buy the tension rods, is that correct?
Masters Studio
Yes mate, that is correct. Just remember though that if you were to put it side by side with a 6.5" snare with the proper length lugs, the drum with the longer lugs would feel much more solid and contained than the short lug/long tension rod version.
Masters Studio
Just remember that with the Pearl FF's ,the shell depth is not the overall drum depth i.e. for a 6.5" FF the shell is actually 5" or so to account for the 'shell bed' and 'snare assembly'.
bigtone23
Just for accuracy, the basket is 1 3/8" deep. A 6.5" FF shell is 5 1/8" deep.
nif j nac x
Q: how do i remove my lugs from the strainer section...
Masters Studio
A:I'm pretty sure that the lugs bolt on to the Shell Bed, which also holds the strainer mechanism. You can remove them (carefully) by undoing the lugs anti-clockwise with a visegrip. (wrap the lug in thick cloth first, and don't overtighten the visegrips) Each lug also has a hex head nut at its top so you can use a ring spanner if you prefer. Make sure you have undone the bolt at thew bottom of the lug first!
Steve D
Q: Does the Brass FF shell come seamless? Is it the same shell as the reference? What is the construction of the shells used in the FF?
Masters Studio
Yes the Brass shell is seamless (it is wrought out of one piece.) As for whether it is the same as the Reference Shell, I couldn't tell you but I can't see it being too much different.
Last time I checked the metal FF shells were all 3mm thick with folded top bearing-edge and the maple shells were 6 ply, unless you go Masterworks.
surfnate02
I read somewhere that the the Steel FF's come with Superhoops, and the Brass and Maple FF's come with Die-cast hoops.
bigtone23
I feel that the Superhoops give a fatter, more open rimshot while Mastercast give a brighter, focused rimshot, perhaps just a hair louder but only from the higher frequency content of it's effect on tone.
Sinder
Q: I'm interested in getting one of these free floaters, and I LOVE the black hardware on that CF snare...how would I go about snagging one with black hardware?
Masters Studio
You will probably have to go Masterworks to get one. Unless you can find an older model of the CF prior to them becoming Masterworks...
Masters Studio
I did split one tension lug on tour so tune evenly, always.
As is the case with every snare, even tension at each rod is paramount. So long as you were tuning it regularly to keep even tension all 'round, you shouldn't run into too many problems!
geoff7877
You can buy replacement lugs for I think around $4.00 each. It's been a while since I bought any FF lugs, so they have probably gone up.
They're really easy to swap out with a crescent wrench. Personally, I would rather buy an extra set of lugs than have super long tension rods.
bigtone23
Here is a link to FF parts: http://www.pearldrum.com/04_spareparts/PDF/44-FFS.pdf
gotdrums?
The only problem with the FF snares, is you can't crank the bottom head too high, the bottom "bearing edge" of the chassis is pretty sharp, I've blown out 2 snare side heads trying to get them to the tension i want...
bigtone23
The beds look pretty non-existent. There may be just the slightest whiff of a bed at best. With the extended wires the need of a bed is minimal.
Nasrudin
Q: So if you buy a 6.5" Free Floater, does it sound like a 5" drum, or does the mechanism also contribute to the sound?
fezzasus
It sounds like a 6.5" deep drum. The shell itself doesn't contribute that much to the sound. It's mainly the ratio of depth to diameter that is the main factor.
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