DW 5000ADH Heelless Bass Drum Pedal
The 5000ADH is a heelless single bass drum pedal: the heel plate has been removed and the shortened footboard reaches down to the floor, so the drummer's heel rests on the floor instead of on metal. It is not a cosmetic cut — the baseplate was redesigned around that missing piece, together with Los Angeles-based educator Mike Packer.
What sets it apart
- No heel plate, shortened footboard that meets the floor
- Delta hinge built directly into the baseplate
- Free rocking motion, useful for both heel-up and heel-down playing
- Accelerator cam driven by a double chain
- Side-mounted clamp, three pads that conform to the hoop
- Developed with educator Mike Packer
What changes when your heel touches the floor
On a regular pedal, your heel rests on a plate mounted a few millimetres above the floor and joined to the footboard by a hinge. Your foot is therefore working on a surface that is slightly tilted and raised.
Here, your heel touches the same surface as the rest of your body. Your hips drop slightly, your leg finds a more open angle, and the rocking motion has no stop. Drummers who alternate heel-up and heel-down gain the most: switching from one to the other no longer means stepping over a ledge.
A redesigned baseplate, not just a shorter one
Removing the heel from an existing pedal would leave a hinge hanging in the air and a footboard resting on nothing. The casting was therefore reworked to take the bearing hinge right in the plate, exactly where the footboard touches down.
The result is a low, compact assembly whose footing no longer depends on the rear bracket.
Who really benefits from this low profile
Three situations come up: the drummer who plays barefoot or in soft shoes and wants to feel the floor, the one who plays doubles with the foot and wants a rocking motion without unwanted resistance, and the one who sits low and whose ankle does not like the step of a heel plate.
On the other hand, a drummer who plants the heel firmly to lock the leg will lose that anchor point. Trying one before committing is still the right move.
Specifications
| Key feature | No heel plate |
|---|---|
| Baseplate | Delta hinge integrated into the casting |
| Cam | Accelerator, double chain |
| Clamp | Side clamp with three self-aligning pads |
| Development | With educator Mike Packer, of Los Angeles |
| Hinge patent | US 5431081 |
What it is for
- Playing barefoot or in thin shoes
- Foot doubles using an ankle rocking motion
- Low seating, with a very open leg angle
- Drummers bothered by the step of a heel plate
- Teaching ankle technique, heel-down then heel-up
Compare with other manufacturers
Heelless designs remain rare; here is what you find elsewhere:
| Manufacturer | Comparable model | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Sonor | Perfect Balance | No baseplate at all, strap drive |
| Tama | Speed Cobra 910 | Keeps the heel plate, lowered shaft for a similar effect |
| Pearl | Demon Drive | Heel plate present, continuously adjustable footboard height |
| Gibraltar | G-Class chain drive | Conventional design, standard heel plate |
Frequently asked questions
- Can you play heel-down on a heelless pedal?
- Yes. Your heel rests on the floor instead of on a plate. Many drummers even find the transition between heel-down and heel-up more direct this way.
- Does your foot slip without a heel plate?
- Your heel rests on the rug or the floor, which generally offers better grip than a metal plate.
- Is there a heelless double pedal?
- Yes, the manufacturer offers this design as a double pedal. They are two separate models, sold separately.
- Is the hinge the same as on the other pedals in the family?
- It is the same Delta ball-bearing hinge, US patent 5431081, but here it is cast right into the baseplate instead of being added on.
Avis clients
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