Reviews & Comments


aka. the little guestbook. :-)  - If you want to leave a comment about your experience with ACD, please feel free to share a few words. 

Comments: 162
  • #162

    Konrad Troost (Tuesday, 21 January 2025 12:15)


    Vor über 50 Jahren habe ich mit der Ludwig Speed King angefangen. Es gab lange keinen Ersatz für das Teil und ich habe so ziemlich alles ausprobiert: Sonor, Tama, Pearl. Kette und Riemen. Als dann Axis in den späten 90 zigern auf den Markt kam, war, glaube ich, Drums Only in Koblenz der Exklusivhändler für Deutschland. Mit dem Axis lernte ich Doppelpedale kennen und ich blieb dabei. Direktantrieb ist mein Ding. Mein kürzlich erworbenes neues Ludwig Speed King Pedal kommt auch zum Einsatz (für Akustik Gigs mit wenig Aufwand) und der nostalgische Faktor zaubert Glücksgefühle beim Gig. Dann gab es ein kurzes Desaster mit dem Drumnetics Twin Pedal, weil ich das Konzept mit dem Magneten genial finde. Bei der Feinjustierung stellte sich kein Glücksgefühl ein.
    Bei Axis kann ich auf Dauer nicht bleiben, weil Ersatzteile und Service problematisch sind. Warum also die Darwin Pedale? Wegen dem Service! Die Einstellmöglichkeiten vom Axis Konzept sind für mein technisches Können mehr als ausreichend, aber das Modularkonzept von Dennis mit den unterschiedlichsten Möglichkeiten zum Umrüsten ist einzigartig. Die Aussicht auf einen funktionierenden Reparaturservice und die allseits gelobte Verarbeitung der Darwin Pedale mit einem Ansprechpartner sind alles Argumente für meine Entscheidung. Ich freue mich auf den September 2025!

  • #161

    Marco M. Molitor (Groove-Barista) (Monday, 20 January 2025 09:35)

    Simply the best pedal I've ever played.
    Once you've played the Darwin, you'll always play the Darwin. It's that simple!
    Groovy thanks from Bonn, Germany!

  • #160

    Kjetil Hammerseth (Saturday, 18 January 2025 20:06)

    Always a pleasure doing business with Dennis. Fantastic quality parts and service as usual.

  • #159

    Sebastian (Wednesday, 15 January 2025 19:10)

    Got my Darwin pedals overhauled after heavy use. Everything perfect. Wouldn't change back to another brand ever. Thank you David!

  • #158

    Tim (Monday, 13 January 2025 01:45)

    Purchased the geometry upgrade for my Tama double kick. Amazing the difference. Great correspondence and service with Dennis.

    Looking forward to the next upgrade!

  • #157

    Lars Müller (Thursday, 09 January 2025 15:14)

    The Ultimate DriveShaft is such a nice step up from what comes with most pedals. Worth every penny, thank you Dennis!

  • #156

    Johannes Klein (Wednesday, 08 January 2025 22:20)

    I already have an ACD middle pedal and absolutely adore it. Now I updated my Tama Dyna-Sync double pedal with Dennis' excellent drive shaft. Made a difference of night and day, I was instantaneously able to adjust the pedal so that the beaters swing synchroniously. And the playing �, the slave pedal doesn't feel like a slave anymore. Fantastic job, Dennis!!!

  • #155

    Devin L (Tuesday, 07 January 2025 21:53)

    Good stuff �

  • #154

    Bogdan (Monday, 30 December 2024 10:00)

    I bought the ACD Remote Hihat. I highly recommend spending the extra 100/150 euros and getting the ACD pedal instead of TAMA/Pearl. Very good craftsmanship and engineering, materials are high quality and Dennis's support is top tier.
    If you order for electronic drums (Roland), make sure to message Dennis for his rotation stopper.

    Thank you

  • #153

    Matthew Maloney (Thursday, 19 December 2024 04:59)

    ACD Unlimited is incredible-- outstanding craftsmanship, top-notch professionalism, and Dennis is simply a nice guy! THANK YOU!! ^_^

  • #152

    Andreas Köhne (Saturday, 14 December 2024 11:26)

    Seit vier Jahren spiele ich ein Darwin-Doppelpedal und eine Remote Hihat und ich werde dabei bleiben. Einstellmöglichkeiten und Spielbarkeit sind einzigartig und die Pedale sind robust und zuverlässig. Der Mailkontakt zu Dennis ist immer unproblematisch und sollte mal ein Teil benötigt werden, ist dieses in kürzester Zeit im Briefkasten. Austria rules! ; ) Und nicht nur im Skifahren.

  • #151

    Micah Reynolds (Thursday, 12 December 2024 02:02)

    I picked up the new heel risers that Dennis designed for Trick pedals.
    They are phenomenal in build quality and utilization. Installation was easy and they have improved my playing as a heel-up drummer.
    I can't wait to pick out and install other ACD upgrades!

  • #150

    Michael Nießen (Monday, 25 November 2024 13:25)

    Just recieved the spare parts with a small surpise on top. Amazing Service. ��

  • #149

    thibault from paris (Monday, 18 November 2024 10:38)

    exactly what i need for my old rusty 98 Iron Cobra

  • #148

    René Diget (Thursday, 07 November 2024 16:29)

    What a pleasant discovery of a absolutely 100% A-grade manufacturer with a passion for what is produced.
    Customer service is also top tier and the product even arrived with a little treat.
    This shop deserves more attention!

  • #147

    Joan Chilet (Friday, 25 October 2024 09:41)

    After reading a lot on the website and different forums and watching a lot of helpful videos, I decided to sell my demon drives and buy a Phantom double with strap drive. Best pedal ever! Also, Dennis is probably the nicest guy in the business and provides without a doubt the best customer service I've ever experienced in my life. If you're considering getting some ACD stuff, don't hesitate!
    I'm so happy with my Phantom double, that I've ordered a second set (direct drive this time) after 8 months.

  • #146

    Jean-Baptiste Pol (Thursday, 24 October 2024 01:33)

    I've heard about ACD for a long time and as a professional drummer I was very interested in these pedals. I’ve played several direct drives in the last 20 years: Axis, Demon Drive and Trick. Strangely I’ve always had an embarrassment, a feeling of having a little latency on the left foot despite the quality of the equipment. I’ve been using Pearl Eliminator for two years, a good mid-range pedal but whose many concerts have used it too quickly. After seeing the possibility of upgrading it on the ACD website I took everything that was possible: longboard, direct drive, drive shaft, spring and beaters. A quick installation later the result is clear: it's very impressive. Everything inspires solidity and quality. But it’s the drive shaft that impresses me the most, for the first time in my life I feel like I have two kicks. I no longer have to compensate for anything with the left foot and it's particularly enjoyable. I am also extremely satisfied with the laser engraving whose rendering is absolutely perfect. Last point, Dennis is a very nice guy and the exchange by email was flawless, his responsiveness, his listening and his professionalism were very appreciable. I understand that the price can make you hesitate but trusting Dennis and ACD is choosing quality equipment that you will not find anywhere else. I'm still blown away by my practice session and I can’t wait to use them on stage this week-end.
    Thank Dennis, you are a magician ��

  • #145

    J.G. (Monday, 14 October 2024 18:35)

    Ich spiele die FTW nun seit August. Ich bin absolut angetan von der Qualität und dem durchdachten Engineering. Man merkt einfach, dass das Pedal, welches an den Füßen klebt, nichts von der Stange ist. Eine größere Investition, die aber aus meiner Sicht jeden Cent wert ist. Auch bin ich mir sicher, dass - wenn es mal irgendwelche Probleme geben sollte - Dennis direkt mit Rat und Tat da sein wird.
    Viele Grüße
    Jens

  • #144

    Allan (Friday, 11 October 2024 14:57)

    I decided to replace the short boards on my eliminators with some ACD longboards - and I have to say I'm really impressed with the quality.
    Not only are they easy to install but the bearings are super smooth and I have zero issues with my feet sliding around on them.

  • #143

    Rainer Gartner (Thursday, 10 October 2024 12:38)

    Einfach nur genial und perfekt. Ich habe noch nie bessere Pedale gespielt und werde das wohl auch nicht mehr nach dem Darwin.
    Sensationell gut und zu 100% zu empfehlen.

  • #142

    Martin Jüssi (Monday, 07 October 2024 09:29)

    I have played the Trick V1 for such a long time that I do not remember how other pedals feel. This summer I read something about the "spongy-like" feeling that is natural to the compression springs and realized that this had been one of my major frustrations with these pedals - I had thought the problem had been in my technique, and had been keeping the bass drum tilted towards the pedals to reduce that feeling. After that realization I did the ACD (R2) bias rod upgrade to the pedals.

    With the upgrade, the feeling changed completely, and the pedals feel very much lighter and more controllable. So I would recommend those to anyone who feel disappointed in their investment into Trick pedals - the relatively low-cost upgrade totally changes the game.

    Also to mention - the customer support of ACD exceeded any expectations!

  • #141

    Marc CUCULIERE (Wednesday, 02 October 2024 10:35)

    Hi there,
    ACD hardware is outstanding.

    I've started with the Ultimate drive shaft for the Iron Cobra. I was looking for it from Tama, the price was a bit expensive, so I looked for an alternative and I found ACD, for a few euros more I was able to get something way more qualitative, and on top of that I could contribute to the passionate work of a real craftsman.
    Once the hardware recieved ... I was really surprised by the quality. The feeling on my double pedal was ... terrible : I had to practice a lot beacause the left pedal was really as responsive as the right one :-)
    The I bought the Direct Drive for Iron Cobra : Flawless victory !
    Then, I purchased The Phantom, with a special mounting :)
    The left pedal moves the right hammer ... Honnestly, it wierd but mesmerizing :)
    Looking for triggers now ...
    Maybe for concerts one day, i'll be equiped with a Darwin !
    Many Thanks to Dennis for his devotion to build amazing handmade hardware.

  • #140

    Anthony (Sunday, 29 September 2024 23:33)

    I ordered a spring geometry upgrade pearl version for a.... gibraltar pedal, of course I contacted Dennis first to ask him if it would fit my pedal, and it does !! So if your pedal is neither pearl nor tama, contact Dennis anyway with the specs of your pedal and he will let you know if it's still compatible or not. Also ordered the ultimate driveshaft and now I'm able to place my pedals however I want without any copromise, highly recommended !! My next pedals shall definitely be ACD unliited (when I can afford it lol)
    Long Live ACD Ulimited !!!

  • #139

    Nikola (Tuesday, 24 September 2024 12:15)

    I highly recommend ACD! Dennis has been incredibly helpful throughout the entire process. The products are top-notch, and the customer service goes above and beyond. If you're looking for quality drum gear and a team that truly cares about their customers, ACD is the place to go!"

  • #138

    M.L. (Wednesday, 18 September 2024 13:47)

    I sent 6 emails/inquiries to Axis support asking about parts because I want to upgrade my pedals. Nobody replied. That's was the time I realized Axis is prehistoric.

    So I went ahead and ordered ACD Darwin pedals. I've been back and forth with Dennis via email in customizing the pedal to my liking and 11 months later, they're now in transit to me.

    Axis still hasn't replied to me until this day =)

  • #137

    Ron mai (Monday, 09 September 2024 03:05)

    I received my new ACD middle pedals a few day ago. They are on my 60’s Gretsch kit.
    I can’t believe how smooth, responsive, and light they feel. It has to be the best, most appreciated purchase I have ever made. Dennis has created a monster, and I’ve got a saddle on it. He truly is the artist I’ve always claimed him to be, as well as a genuine good guy for his customer interaction.
    Very well done…
    Ron

  • #136

    Johannes Rantala (Tuesday, 20 August 2024 09:59)

    Dennis is the coolest guy and his products and customer service is always top notch! 5/5

  • #135

    Joey (Tuesday, 13 August 2024 15:55)

    I bought the beater on it's own and it made my entire pedal setup so much more precise. I can change bass drum sizes and hoop types and never worry that I won't be able to strike in the right part of the head to get the feel and sound I want. It was a pleasure using the online store and receiving my order with so much care.

  • #134

    jason (Wednesday, 07 August 2024 06:57)

    Awesome Upgrades!!..With the Direct Drive,and the Recently Purchased Spring Geometry it totally transformed my Iron Cobra HP600.I Probably would have bought the UltimateDriveshaft,But I already have the Trick.I Also have the beater shifters which i like also.Like Already Stated,the pedal is super fast and sticks to your feet with less effort...I had the Quick Torque Cam,which I ditched for The Spring Geometry.Glad I Did.Kudos for all the great products!!

  • #133

    Cody Johns (Saturday, 03 August 2024 19:04)

    Dennis is a one man army! Communication was amazing, incredibly helpful, obviously making the best pedals on the planet right now. I don’t know how he does it, but we must protect this man at all costs! Thank you again!

  • #132

    Aki heikkinen (Friday, 02 August 2024 14:11)

    hello!
    the drive shaft arrived today and immediately tested. all I can say is that it's damn good. completely from another planet compared to the original tama drive shaft. no latency in the slave pedal. absolutely super!
    thank you very much!
    Best regards. Aki from Finland

  • #131

    Johnny Wall (Friday, 26 July 2024 02:08)

    I received and installed the R1 bias rod in my Trick Bigfoot pedal today. Massive difference! I was able to increase my spring tension a bit and move the beater back, too. Snappier and more consistent feel through the stroke with more power. Fantastic service from Dennis! Thank you!

  • #130

    stefan resch (Friday, 19 July 2024 23:46)

    Lieber Dennis,

    vielen vielen Dank für dieses tolle Fußpedal. Ich habs heute zum ersten mal ausprobiert und ich muss sagen: Einfach nur der Hammer!

    Spielt sich sehr angenehm und Heel Toe mit Triggern ist mit diesem Pedal einfach ein Traum.

    Danke auch für die netten kleinen Messages auf dem Koffer und in dem Koffer. Das macht alles sehr persönlich und malt einem ein Lächeln ins Gesicht.

    Einfach nur spitze!

    Vielen Dank

    Stefan







  • #129

    Nikalus Garrido (Tuesday, 16 July 2024 03:58)

    I have order the following for my two single pedal Tama Iron Cobras:
    Long Board Conversion
    Direct Drive Upgrade
    Spring Geometry Upgrade
    Dynamic Beaters
    And a custom order of two 1" 3d printed heel plate riser blocks
    All are absolutely phenomenal! Dennis is the man and anything you order from him today should have been ordered yesterday. Outstanding quality, craftsmanship, and care go into everything he does.
    You're the man Dennis, but you already knew that ;)
    Much love brotha! Keep it up!

  • #128

    James Hansford-White (Thursday, 11 July 2024 12:21)

    I am absolutely blown away by the Ultimate Drive Shaft, thank you Dennis for the incredible craftsmanship and overall build quality. My left pedal feels noticeably smoother/effortless compared with my stock drive shaft. Thank you also for the great customer service. I suspect you might hear from me soon about Darwins :)

  • #127

    Ron Mai (Friday, 05 July 2024 17:48)

    I woke up early this morning, on my 70th birthday, to a note from Dennis that my universal drive shaft, and remote hi-hat had shipped…
    What a wonderful way to start my day!
    The artful machining and thought that goes into every aspect of the product is why ACD is my go-to for the greatest drum hardware on the planet
    Thanks Dennis, for your hard work!
    Ron

  • #126

    Marvan (Thursday, 27 June 2024 03:20)

    Just received adapters for may ACD Darwin drive shafts! 5 days form ordering to delivery to the US! Unheard of! These drive shafts are w/o question the best in the business! Thank you Dennis for your innovative vision, craftsmanship!

  • #125

    Nicolas Riegel (Tuesday, 25 June 2024 09:08)

    Best Quality with the best Service!
    Schnell und persönlich �
    Nothing to complain about!!
    Perfectly organized ��
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    The Real Deal! Thanks heaps Dennis, you’re the man!! ❤️
    Kann’s absolut jedem empfehlen! �

  • #124

    Jason (Tuesday, 18 June 2024 22:29)

    Very pleasant experience dealing with ACD.Im blown away at how fast I received my Direct drive Iron Cobra upgrade from Austria to So.Cal.. also impressed with the build quality.Nice work Sir,Dennis is a pedal Wizard!!

  • #123

    Sal (Saturday, 15 June 2024 17:04)

    The Ultimate Drive Shaft is amazing and worth every penny! I observe zero difference in beater swing between the main and slave pedals for the first 4-5 swings on my Tama Speed Cobras. Most importantly, I get same performance even when I put the pedal at angle (which is often necessary when setting up in tight spaces). The difference between this and stock shaft is night and day. I cannot recommend this product enough!

  • #122

    Michael Kitchens (Sunday, 09 June 2024 18:17)

    Dennis is a true craftsman and makes the best pedal I have ever used. Every component is well thought out and formed to perfection. Besides the product Dennis makes the experience much better with his kindness and care of the craft, this differs greatly from buying from large brands. Best wishes to your future.

  • #121

    BryanForceDrums (Monday, 03 June 2024 11:56)

    Dennis is an absolute wizard and the best in the business. His upgrades for all different types/brands of pedals are just world class. Not only that, but he is an incredibly nice and caring person who genuinely wants everyone who visits or shops his store to leave happy. 10 out of 10.

  • #120

    Mane (Monday, 03 June 2024 11:12)

    I‘m using the Darwin Double Pedal live and at home for several years now and didn‘t run into a single issue with them. Absolutly well crafted product with tons of options, great functionality and astonishing looks. Working with Dennis is beyond compare - every task is handled in not time and he has smart solution for everthing!

    Also got some upgrades for my speedcobra which definetly take the pedals on another level!

    Always my pleasure, 100% recommendation!!

  • #119

    Hannes (Tuesday, 28 May 2024 16:06)

    Just got my Phantom Shortboard double pedal with strap drive! I have been loking for a new pedal to replace my Speed Cobra for ages, I have tried Tama Dynasync, Axis Longboard, Pearl Demondrive, Pearl XR and Yamaha FP9 but they all felt wrong.
    The Phantoms are perfect, the exponential resistance in the springs allows you to play both powerful slower singles and fast heel-toe stuff without any compromises, it is light and snappy, and the build quality is superb!
    Keep up the good work!
    /Hannes
    Raven Banner (SE)

  • #118

    Carter Pochynok (Tuesday, 21 May 2024 01:59)

    Absolutely floored by the quality of ACD components! Coming from a family of aerospace engineers and having a close friend who is an aerospace machinist, I've learned the signs of quality work AND THIS IS IT. As a drum tech, I've begun recommending these products to clients seeking more performance out of their high-end pedals.

    Judging by the slight markings of a CNC end mill, I'd say that these are all billet-machined from aerospace grade metals down to the tension rods... AND HE'S NOT EVEN ADVERTISING THAT!!

    The fact that my mods showed up on my birthday with some nice candies in the box really just put the icing on the cake. Couldn't be more pleased with my experience.

    Dennis, if you read this: YOU ARE THE MAN. Keep up the great work!!

  • #117

    Elias (Thursday, 16 May 2024 15:32)

    I've bought the ACD Drive Shaft because my Tama (Speed Cobra 910) one started to get stuck at the right side of the bearings (The side which connects to the main Pedal)
    So I always heard about the ACD Drive Shaft and finally decited to go and buy one.
    I am more than happy and I can reccomend the Drive Shaft as a Metal Drummer, who needs a fast respond from the slave Pedal as well.
    Since my footboard is starting to get cracks out of nowhere, I will probabl buy myself the Darwin Footboard as well :) . \w/

  • #116

    Brennan (Tuesday, 07 May 2024 22:09)

    Just got the beater shifter and the spring geometry upgrade for my Tama Dyna-Sync pedal, and wow. The difference is mind blowing. My bass drum head is no longer rubbed by the direct drive pulley bc the beater shifter allows the beater to be close enough not to have to tilt my drum as much to get rid of the obtuse angle. The spring geometry upgrade allows me to implement speed, dynamics and control like never before. Dennis knows what he’s doing like none of the major manufacturers do, and I’m so stoked that he makes hardware fixes and upgrades so accessible!

  • #115

    Jörg (Friday, 03 May 2024 10:48)

    Hey,
    ich habe seit ein paar Wochen die Game Changer in Betrieb. Was soll ich sagen, einfach perfekt! Durch die super feine Einstellung am Rädchen, musste ich am Modul gar nichts ändern.
    Vielen Dank an Dennis, für den sehr netten Kontakt und auch die schnelle Lieferung.

  • #114

    Ethan Breithaupt (Thursday, 02 May 2024 15:58)

    Dennis was great t work with. I could not be happier. The pedals are well worth the wait.

  • #113

    Ian (Thursday, 02 May 2024 10:57)

    I don't really leave reviews but feel compelled to do so. I've been playing on and off for almost 40 years. In that time, I've used an Iron Cobra, Speed Cobra, DW 9000, Trick Pro 1V, Rogers Dynomatic, Pearl Demon Drive and P2000, Tama HP50, PDP Concept, Offset Middle Pedal, Sonor Giant Step Single and Middle and numerous others I can't recall. I managed to find a used strap drive Darwin FTW pedal. This also came with the Fat Boy cam (using that and is perfect). All I can say is don't wait, just buy one! I'm mainly a heal down player (playing funk, pop and rock) and without doubt, this is the very best pedal I've every used by a long, long way. It literally feels like it is an extension of my foot. Amazing build quality and having dealt with Dennis before, the product support I'd second to none.

    If you're buying new, they are absolutely worth the price and wait!