Jump to content

Neil Peart's Cowbells


Mr. Ludwig
 Share

Recommended Posts

I remember reading on the internet what the make and model of Neil's cowbells were... but as of late I cannot find the source! Oh well, bookmarks tend to get lost whenever you have to reformat your computer...

 

So anyways, can anyone shed some light on the topic and tell us what Neil uses for cowbells and if possible how he has mounted them throughout the years? Thanks!

 

PS: beathorse.gif is this a recommended "cowbell"? Sorry, forgive my dry humor please! biggrin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, during the bulding of my Tama Superstar '79-'81 replica set I've made a lot of research about Neil's cowbells and I can say the most difficult thing to recreate is the frame with the three cowbells of different pitch. This is what I've used for my project and I can say is quite accurate (at least for me) in terms of sound and pitch.

Top to bottom:

1) LP Black Beauty

2) totally custom made: I sawed to the exact length three LP Tapon and soldered to a custom made frame

3) LP Timbale cowbell

In the '80's Neil also had a chrome cowbell (probably Ludwig) on top of the Black Beauty and two LP Agogo cowbells.

In my opinion the triple cowbells frame is Gon Bops and I've been lucky enough to find one on Ebay but unfortunately I don't like how they sound, I also have bought a set of Afro ACB20 (now Pearl) which you can find on Ebay at $9.95, they're nice but too big and the pitch don't match Neil's cowbells pitch. Let me know if you want to see a picture of my cowbells tree.

Hope this helps, Alessandro 2.gif forever

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use these: Pearl Tri-Bells. They're awesome. I also think that the bottom one is an LP Mambo. The Tri-Bells are mounted on a straight stand, screwed on from the very back using a separate nut rather than the one that comes with them. If he screwed it on with the regular nut, the top bell would cover the Tri-Bells and he wouldn't be able to reach them.

 

http://www.pearldrum.com/03_nuupdts/pp/PTB-30TRIBELLS.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (DoubleAgent420 @ Dec 28 2005, 10:04 AM)
http://www.pearldrum.com/03_nuupdts/pp/PTB-30TRIBELLS.jpg

This is what my buddy Adam uses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Syrinx @ Dec 29 2005, 09:11 AM)
I have one of Neil's cowbells from the Hold Your Fire Tour.  No brand on it, but it is black and big.  It had broken off of the stand as you can see where the soldering is damaged.

That would be interesting to see, can you post a pic of it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to The Rush Forum, Mr. Ludwig. bekloppt.gif

 

Nobody knows what cowbells Neil currently uses. People who viewed the SS Professor on it's recent tour saw no markings on them, and even Lorne Wheaton, his drum tech, did not know. Several people asked him. Apparently only Neil knows who made them.

 

NeilFinal.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Drumnut @ Dec 30 2005, 12:33 AM)
QUOTE (Syrinx @ Dec 29 2005, 09:11 AM)
I have one of Neil's cowbells from the Hold Your Fire Tour.  No brand on it, but it is black and big.  It had broken off of the stand as you can see where the soldering is damaged.

That would be interesting to see, can you post a pic of it?

Here are a couple of pics. This cow bell is from the Hold Your Fire tour and measures 8" long by 5.5" at the wide end and 3.75" at the narrow end. http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/GRohn/NPHYFCow2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/GRohn/NPHYFCow1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Dec 30 2005, 12:26 AM)
QUOTE (DoubleAgent420 @ Dec 28 2005, 10:04 AM)
http://www.pearldrum.com/03_nuupdts/pp/PTB-30TRIBELLS.jpg

This is what my buddy Adam uses.

i got a fever ,and the only cure is more cowbell !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Grandpa Grizz @ Jan 5 2006, 12:35 PM)
Wow. That's way more than life size, buddy. wink.gif

You are right about that! I was just happy figuring out how to post the photos. Anyway you get a nice closeup.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay....one of my favorite subjects that I just couldn't let pass me by.

 

I was the one person, (and I know that because Lorne complimented me on asking him a question that he had never been asked before), that asked Lorne Wheaton specifically about Neil's cowbells at the Las Vegas Drum Clinic Tour. Here's precisely what he said to me.

 

The manufacturer of the three highest cowbells have gone out of business and he couldn't for the life of him remember the name of that company. He did confirm that the 4th pitched (from high to low) and the 5th pitched (lowest) cowbells were in fact LP brand. I then asked Lorne what the pitches are for his current R30 cowbell setup. Lorne just shrugged his shoulders and said, you tell me! Then he played each cowbell from high to low twice for me. I video taped the entire clinic. When I arrived back home in Florida, I replayed the tape and was able to verify that the Neil Peart 5 cowbell setup on his current R30 drumset is pitched as follows...

 

From High to Low...

 

F, C#, G#, F, A#

 

The configuration of Neil's cowbells are like this...

 

---F---

 

F--C#--G#

 

---A#---

 

 

 

Alessandro (who's NP 79-81 replica drumset is absolutely stunningly accurate and very beautiful too...maybe he can re-post his pictures again here!) is correct that Neil had a chrome cowbell added to his '79-'81 cowbell setup, and a set of LP agogo bells also. However, the most current cowbells that are present on Neil's R30 drumset total only 5 and are pitched as I notated above. I hope this helps you out, Mr. Ludwig.

 

As a side note, Neil has referred to his melodic cowbells in all of the tour book equipment lists as LP (Latin Percussion)...with one exception, of course. In the 1990 Presto tour book, on page 7, Neil lists the manufacturer of his current cowbells as Guernsey & Holstein. This exhibits Neil's great wit and comedic subtly...just in case anyone thought he was actually serious about that!!!!

Edited by tascam
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Syrinx @ Jan 5 2006, 11:40 AM)
QUOTE (Grandpa Grizz @ Jan 5 2006, 12:35 PM)
Wow.  That's way more than life size, buddy. wink.gif

You are right about that! I was just happy figuring out how to post the photos. Anyway you get a nice closeup.

trink39.gif Thanks!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This the cowbells tree I built for my Tama Superstar replica '79-'81. It consists of:

 

1) chromed cowbell

2) LP Black Beauty

3) triple cowbells made by three LP Tapon sewed at exact length and soldered to the frame

4) LP Mambo cowbell

 

http://www.labatteria.it/public/file/Tamacowbells.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Alessandro I just noticed your ride cymbal isn't drilled out. Did you have a custom stand made? When Larry delivered the kit to Adam they drilled out the center hole of his ride cymbal to fit on the middle part of the stand. Adam has drilled out the holes on a few cymbals to accomodate Neil's stand. There is only a thick piece of felt underneath. It's a bit of a rig but that's the way it came.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Jan 12 2006, 10:37 AM)
Hey Alessandro I just noticed your ride cymbal isn't drilled out. Did you have a custom stand made? When Larry delivered the kit to Adam they drilled out the center hole of his ride cymbal to fit on the middle part of the stand. Adam has drilled out the holes on a few cymbals to accomodate Neil's stand. There is only a thick piece of felt underneath. It's a bit of a rig but that's the way it came.

Jim, yes it'a custom stand, I didn't want to drill the cymbal so I put a cylindrical piece of solid brass inside the top section stand which is female threaded and it screws to the bottom part of the stand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (yyzyy @ Jan 12 2006, 03:34 PM)
I remember reading somewhere that the company was 'Guersney & Hynes' if I'm not mistaken...

I think this is the source...Neil's Drum Kits

Great link!

 

Thanks for that!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (yyzyy @ Jan 12 2006, 03:34 PM)
I remember reading somewhere that the company was 'Guersney & Hynes' if I'm not mistaken...

I think this is the source...Neil's Drum Kits

 

It's a joke! See my above post!!!

Edited by CygnusX-1Bk2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

goodpost.gif Wow no need to do the quote thing but thanks heaps for your information TASCAM - very interesting. Years ago I used to really be into lots of different cowbells but your pitch information is very useful for me.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is crazy! I'm up late trying to buy an LP white cowbell tree. Three of them. I have one on my DW kit at the office. It's perfect for "The Trees" but my main kit is home in my garage. It seems the cowbell tree is out of print. I will just put the tree on my home kit. Damn.

So in searching I found this thread! EPIC!!!

 

Long live the cowbell tree!!!!!

 

I have LP granite blocks too!

 

"The Trees" is probably my most favorite song to play on the the kit.

 

Cheers!

 

RUSH ON!

 

NEIL RULES!!!!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...