Often overlooked in a vintage MIJ kit is the bass drum pedal, many of which were worn out, broken, or replaced altogether. But there was a Japanese pedal from the 70’s that really stood out and has survived to keep on kicking (literally).
In 1977, just three years into the new Tama brand of drums, they released a monster of a bass drum pedal, the King-Beat. The King-Beat was one of the most heavy-dutiest of any pedal made by anyone. This became their flagship pedal up through 1983. This short-lived pedal never really caught on and seems to have very few fans, but that doesn’t change its relevance as a reliable pedal.
If you have ever had a bass drum pedal go out on you on stage, you know you are pretty much screwed for the rest of a song, and if you don’t carry a backup, for the whole gig. The “6755” is the remedy to prevent this from happening, every part of this pedal is heavy duty, with no plastic parts to break, no leather strap, and no chain to come off of the sprocket.
The King-Beat is not an overly complex pedal and all of the adjustments are easy to make. The quick release from the bass drum hoop is also a great feature.
This pedal is a good versatile unit that can handle the hardest of hard rock. I personally use this on one of my kits, without a single problem. The common complaint from others is that it isn’t fast, but I’m not fast so we get along great!
When these were new they listed for $100 (1982 Tama’s Suggested Retail Price), but today they can be found for about $50, making them a great bang for your buck.
A little geography lesson: Aichi, is a prefecture in Japan, a prefecture is kind of a cross between a US county and a state. It is located on Japan’s east coast, a couple hundred miles south-west of Tokyo. Tama’s factory is located in the city of Seto, which is just under an hour from the coast.
Editor’s note: I bought one of these pedals when they were fairly new on the scene. (yes, I am that old). I had experience with all the popular pedals of the day. I think this one is a composite of the good features of all the modern pedals of that time. The Japanese drum companies were known to copy different American and European drum designs. The one post frame is influenced by the Rogers Dyno-Matic pedal. The direct metal link drive is obviously a Ludwig Speed King design BUT the nylon bushing eliminates the “squeak”. (Why didn’t Ludwig think of that?). The curved footboard reminds me of the Premier pedals of the time. Ludwig had used compression springs but the spring tension knob at the bottom of the King Beat sealed spring housing was innovative. I didn’t use it but the heel riser was a cool innovation. I had no problem with sluggishness as some had reported. I think they probably didn’t understand how to adjust the settings. I didn’t keep it long. I opted for an Ippolito/Gretsch pedal and used that one for many years. It was the first to employ a chain and sprocket that eventually evolved into Tama/Camco/DW. I kinda wish I had kept the King-Beat but it probably would have just sat on the shelf with all my other pedals that I don’t use now. -George Lawrence