DM10 Bass Drum Piezo Fix

[Tacobot]

Hi everyone,

I've been a bit of a lurker on here, and used Hellfire's mesh head conversion method for my DM10 set.  It worked beautifully, and I've been playing on that for a good while now.

Now though, I have run into a problem - my bass drum has died on me.  In searching around on the forum, this appears to not be an uncommon problem, and these things apparently break fairly frequently, so it seems like buying a new one is not a very smart option, and I should just go for the fix.  I took it apart to see what the problem was - the sub-resonator plate (the plastic thing) became totally unattached from the metal plate.  However, even trying to re-attach it led to no signal, so I suspect the piezo might be dysfunctional as well.  Unfortunately, in my poor attempts to get this working, I pulled a bit too hard and severed the two wires... but ah well, those can be soldered.

Here are pics of the devastation: http://i.imgur.com/FXj1LK0.jpg     http://i.imgur.com/hxUdGca.jpg

I saw in a different thread about fixing bass drums on this site that the best strategy was to just not even bother with the sub-resonator - just attach the piezo directly to the metal plate, and to kind of put it near the bottom so it's not being hit directly by the beaters.  This seems sound to me, but I'm not entirely sure how to go about a few things.

1. Where would one go to get a replacement piezo?  I looked around online but couldn't find it exactly.
2. How does one attach the wires to the piezo and the metal plate?  Is it just one wire on the piezo, one on the plate?  Do you just use electrical tape, or some sort of glue?
3. Similarly, how do you attach the piezo to the metal plate?  Is this some heavy duty tape, or glue?

Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere on the site - I looked around but couldn't find anything.  I appreciate any help you are willing to give!
Thanks,
Ryan

[Trondster]

The piezo comes with wires attached. Buy a couple of 27mm piezos on eBay - they are quite cheap. The wires are then soldered to the socket - or to extension wires soldered to the socket.
The piezo (with wires attached) is then glued or gaffer taped to wherever you want to place it.

[Hellfire]

The piezo comes with wires attached. Buy a couple of 27mm piezos on eBay - they are quite cheap. The wires are then soldered to the socket - or to extension wires soldered to the socket.
The piezo (with wires attached) is then glued or gaffer taped to wherever you want to place it.

Agreed, but I would also state to just adhere the piezo to the main steel plate and don't worry about the plastic sub plate. Also, you might want to affix the piezo at the 6 o'clock position on the plate. This will keep it out of direct impact with the beater.

[Tacobot]

Perfect, thanks very much for the info guys.  Just a quick question - any sort of glue / tape will work?  I just wonder - with the bass drum taking a beating as it does - if there's an optimal method to make sure that piezo sticks.

Thanks again!

[jardelcarvalho]

Dear drummers,

   Which is the appropriated piezo's size for Alesis DM10X bass drum: 27mm or 35 mm? Thanks in advance.

[Hellfire]

Dear drummers,

   Which is the appropriated piezo's size for Alesis DM10X bass drum: 27mm or 35 mm? Thanks in advance.

Hi Jardelcarvalho,

Welcome to the forum. First things first. I get it, you don't know where to ask your question but, please don't spam the forum with the same question in different places. You will not get an answer any faster by doing so.

[modolovo]

I have a lot of problems with the wire breaking at the piezo.  I have soldered heavier gauge wire on now.  Does not seem to affect anything.  Is that the solution?
Should I be using some kind of glue gooped all over the top of the soldered wires at the piezo?
Mentioned above to move the piezo off center away from the beaters. Maybe I should cut new foam so the entire circle thing can drop down lower, would that be a solution? I dont want to peel the piezo off as it is attached just fine.

[modolovo]

Thanks.

Before I could glue it, it broke again.  The middle solder came loose.  I lightly sanded then re-soldered but now it does not work.  All solder connections are good, though I have not checked the plug (the bass worked when I hit it really hard, just not soft, so issue was likely not the plug).

I have soldered the outer wire 8-10 times already.

Is it possible I have damaged the piezo with heat from the iron?

[Dartanbeck]

Thanks.

Before I could glue it, it broke again.  The middle solder came loose.  I lightly sanded then re-soldered but now it does not work.  All solder connections are good, though I have not checked the plug (the bass worked when I hit it really hard, just not soft, so issue was likely not the plug).

I have soldered the outer wire 8-10 times already.

Is it possible I have damaged the piezo with heat from the iron?

Very possible. The piezo is glass. Be careful when soldering. Not too much heat to the piezo itself. The easiest solution for most people os to buy the piezo with the wires installed - then just solder the wire ends to the previous wires in a good spot.

[Dartanbeck]

Here. This fellow explains that overheating the piezo can destroy what makes it work (the thin metal deposition layer):
https://youtu.be/VrCwmU6QMfo

[Dartanbeck]

Although he initially decides to simply solder to the remaining wire, since it's still connected via solder, he later ends up soldering the wire directly to the piezo, so watch a bit further.

[modolovo]

My soldering skills are getting good.  I have done the repair 20 times at least.  I even bought a drum key drill attachment to make it faster.
I bought new piezos with wires and the new ones break too.
I tried the glue.
I have tired bigger wire.
It breaks.  The wire breaks off where the solder ends usually, a weak spot, where it flexes I assume.

Solutions?

The drum is the head, that big circle of thin foam, the plastic and metal plate with the piezo stuck to it, a foam o-ring is behind that...
What if I moved the foam o-ring between the head and the piezo plate?  Would that not be sensitive enough?
I moved the piezo to the outer edge farthest away from where the beaters hit.  The outer edge might shake more violently though. We will see

[Dartanbeck]

I hear ya. I get broken wire syndrome too, and I get tired of making that same repair over and over. Was even thinking of using much longer wire in a circular pattern to change the direction of the impact stress.
I think that glue or other tough adhesive is absolutely necessary though. It helps to hold everything together and bind the galaxy... or... wait, what?