Floor tom to bass drum conversion in 8 Easy Steps

The floor tom to bass drum conversion is one of the least expensive ways to have a smaller kick drum. Perhaps you want to use it for jazz, a different sound on your monster kit, or you find that’s easier for gigging in tight spaces. Regardless of the reason you want one, it’s important to choose the right one and know how it works.

Several drum manufacturers make kits to convert your floor tom into a kick drum. If the make and model of your drums is compatible with a kit, that’s the one that will likely work best. However, there are a few manufacturers, like Gibraltar, that offer universal kits that can be adjusted to fit almost any make or model floor tom.

The diameter of your floor tom legs (and brackets) is the most important information to know because it will determine the compatibility of your floor tom with a particular conversion kit. Floor tom legs most often come in either 9.5mm, 10.5mm, or 12.7mm. This can vary depending on the make and model, as well as the year the drums were manufactured.

Finding the right conversion kit for you may take some more information, so the following table provides a few things to consider. This table is a good place to start, but be careful to match the hardware sizes. The safest bet is to buy a micrometer to measure your hardware.

1. Buy the conversion kit.

Once you decide whether you want the kit made by your drum manufacturer or a more universal design, it’s important to make sure it has what you need. The video (below) of my floor tom conversion includes the Pearl Jungle Gig kit.

Conversion Kit	Bracket Size(s)	Compatibility
Pearl Jungle Gig (JG16)	⅞” diameter post receiver, for ⅜” legs (9.5mm)	Pearl, Ludwig (vintage), DDrum, Gretsch (vintage)
Dunnett R-class Floor Tom to Bass Drum Conversion Kit	12.7mm leg brackets	Ludwig Atlas hardware, DW, Gretsch
Gibraltar Floor Tom to Bass Conversion Kit SC-GCK10	10.5mm leg brackets (SC-GCK12 fits 12.7mm leg brackets)	PDP, Tama Starcalssic, DDrum, Mapex, Yamaha, Gretsch, Ludwig
Trick Drums Floor Tom to Bass Drum Conversion Kit – 16″ (different kit for 18”)	10.5mm leg brackets	PDP, Tama Starcalssic, DDrum, Mapex, Yamaha, Gretsch, Ludwig

If you don’t have Pearl drums, you can still use the Pearl conversion kit if you have a tom arm receiver that fits Pearl hardware (refer to the specifications in the table above). No tom arm receiver? No problem. You can try attaching a Pearl I.S.S. mount to the rim of your drum (see step 2 below). Just make sure you buy the mount that fits the drum sizes if you choose to use the Pearl Jungle Gig kit.

2. Determine how to attach it to your floor tom.

The legs slide into two of the three existing floor tom leg brackets attached to the drum. The kit hardware that keeps the kick pedal in place is attached to the rim or the tension rods, depending on the kit model (see table below).

Conversion Kit	Kick Pedal Attachment Design
Pearl	The pedal attachment has a ⅞” tube that slides into a tom mounting bracket (i.e., I.S.S. or Optimount).
Gibraltar / Dunnett	A rim clamp connects the pedal attachment.
Trick	It is attached to the tension rods on the drum, so make sure you buy the right size (16” or 18”).

If you want more stability, or the I.S.S. doesn’t work for you, Gibraltar makes floor tom mounting systems that are far more universal. If you don’t have pearl hardware, the other manufacturer conversion kits may work better. The prices are higher than the Pearl kit, but the Pearl kit requires a mounting bracket that’s not included.

3. Insert and adjust the legs.

Assuming you have the right diameter kit for your tom leg brackets, the legs are fairly easy to insert and adjust. The height on all of these kits comes from the rotation of the legs in the tom brackets. Rotating the feet away from the drum lowers the front, while moving the them in raises it.

The Pearl kit includes memory locks, which makes it easy to set up quick at gig or simply to maintain the same adjustments with ease.

4. Adjust the piece that receives the kick pedal.

The Pearl model can be adjusted by sliding the ⅞” post in or out of the tom mounting bracket. This is different than the Gibraltar / Dunnett model because those have a rim clamp that slides up and down on a track. The Trick model does not include a height adjustment.

Consider adjusting the kick pedal beater to achieve the best place to strike the drum’s batter head. More toward the center produces a sound that does no resonate as much, whereas striking closer to the edge will resonant more.  

5. Attach the kick pedal.

All of these designs include a plate to attach the kick pedal. Be careful about how close the pedal is attached because you don’t want the the pedal drive mechanism to contact the rim or head of the drum.

Likewise, consider how far away the pedal is attached. If it’s too far away, you could lose optimum power of the stroke. The pedal could also wander on the plate or fall off if it doesn’t clamp down on enough of the plate.

6. Choose a resonant head.

Depending whether you want the drum to ring more or less, you’ll want to choose the right head to achieve your desired sound. The head in the video is a Remo Ambassador Coated. This head is thin, so it resonates well. The coating tames the ring a bit without killing the tone.

You could try a clear head for brighter sound. The Remo Diplomat is thinner than the Ambassador, while the Emperor is thicker, so there a variety of ways to achieve the sound you want.

Who needs a resonant head? I like the look and the sound, but you could get a great sound with no front head, especially if the drum has the right microphone. For more information, check out this article about kick drum mics.

7. Cut a hole in the resonant head.

The hole isn’t a requirement, but the sound will move better with a port. When the air is trapped in such a small drum, it takes away from the projection of the instrument. Since the tom is know struck while on its side and with a kick drum pedal, the projection won’t be the same as with a stick in the floor tom position.

Here are the steps for cutting a hole in the resonant head.

1. Find a table to work and cover it with a piece cut from the drum head box (or other cardboard).
2. Place the top (or the front) of the head face down on the cardboard, and line up a round object (about 4”-6” diameter) as a guide for the cut.
3. Use a razor or Exacto knife to cut the hole.
4. Score the head first, and be patient with the cutting process. If you try to cut too much at once, the knife can slip and ruin the head.

It’s also a good way to access the inside of the drum to position a microphone. Check out this article on how to mic your drums for more information on microphone choices and positioning.

8. Choose a batter head.

The Evans Emad kick drum head series comes in 16” diameter, so that’s the one I used for my floor tom. This head comes with to muffle rings, each with a different thickness to help you achieve the sound you want.

If you’re using the drum for jazz, try a single-ply head for more resonance or a double-ply for more control. I may even try a symphonic head for it’s warm tone and longer ring. A strip of felt on the inside of the head (off to the side) could help tame the head if necessary.

Even with the hole cut in the resonant head and the kick drum batter, you could still use this drum for a floor tom. Be careful to on the tension of the batter head, however. I had mine too loose and played a gig. The sticks dented the head. It’s not a dealbreaker — the head just needed to be a little tighter.

The Pearl kit fits this 14″ floor tom, too!

Final Thoughts

The floor tom conversion is an inexpensive way to add a small kick drum to your collection. I use it for gigs with limited space and like the potential for recording different kick sounds, as well.

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