Vintage Simmons Drums (UK) Users Group

Hi Rick.
Don't get me wrong and don't get angry, but I think most of your problems
result of misunderstanding. You have 7 Pad-Inputs on the back-panel,
corresponding to the 7 module slots on the front-panel. These are for Pads
only, not for pedals. The frontpanel is devided into (up to) 8 sections,
each a small metal panel hold by 4 phillips-screws: The master/mix section
on the very right side and the (up to) 7 Modules.  1 module has 5 Leds, 4
"little buttons", 6 big knobs and 12 drilled holes. There is a name printed
on each module, like bass, snare a.s.o. You can install up to seven modules,
the order doesn't matter. If you hit a pad connected to Channel 1, the
trigger led on channel 1/module 1 should flash. Each module represents one
drum (or a hihat or a cymbal). The four "little" buttons represent 4 presets
(tunings) of each drum. 1 Preset means 1 Sound for 1 drum. There are 6
parameters changeable to set up a preset/sound. Preset 1 is the
factory-preset. It can be changed only by removing the module. Preset 2 can
be altered by turning the 6 knobs on the module. Presets 3 and 4 can be
altered by a screwdriver through the little holes on the frontpanel. So: If
you push "little button" 2, only the 6 big knobs are responsible for the
sound. If you push "little buttons" 1, 3 or 4, the knobs are off and you
need the screwdriver. Your snare-problem: Check, if you trigger the
snare-module with your snare-pad. Again: If you hit your snarepad, the
trigger-led on the snare-module should flash. Press preset-button 2 on the
snare-module to activate the big knobs on the snare-module and check
noise/tone balance (big knob number 5). If you hear only a tomtom-like sound
with NO NOISE and NO CLICK, you have to give your unit to a serviceman,
because: There is a problem with the noise generator or the filter. Tell him
to check: Tr 6 (Noise Source), Output of the Lm 301 (Noise Amp), if ok,
output of the SSM 2044 (Pin 3). And the problem with your hihat? The pedal
must be connected to hihat control in, not to a pad-input. This can't be
done with a mono-jack to XLR, because this will result in shortcut of the
complete unit. Silly, but serious question by the way: Are you sure you have
a hihat MODULE fitted on your SDS 5? Without a hihat-module (looks like the
others, snare, bass or tomtoms, but there is "hihat" written on the
front...) nothing will happen, there is no "hidden" hihat inside the unit.
If you only read bass-snare-tomtom-tomtom-tomtom or so on your modules, no
pedal on the globe will output a hihat sound out of your unit. But if you
have a hihat-module installed, it doesn't matter, in wich slot it is: A
correct pedal will "find" it.
y.s. Michael