LIKE MOST CREATORS, Dan Dauz is a man with a vision-not a 'carved-in-stone' vision; rather one that changes with the demands of the percussion industry. Four years ago, after noting some 'design flaws' in the pads available at the time, Dauz decided it was time for some improvements,and so created the prototype for his DZ6" Trigger pads.

 Dauz hoped to create a small, good-feeling trigger pad,so he chose to adapt the old Rogers mold of the Gladstone practice pad for his use (which is small and feels good, I presume.....Ed). He also recognized the need for a more durable pad, with an opened-ended design, which could be updated and easily taken apart to replace parts, if needed. He wanted to design a pad that eliminated crosstalk and double triggering. And finally, he wanted his pads to have a sort of 'universal' clamping assembly, so that they could be placed almost anywhere on the kit and adapted to fit a variety of hardware.

 Well Dan you've done it!

 The DZ6" is a circular trigger pad, 6" in diameter, with a rubber striking surface that closely emulates the field of a Gladstone practice pad. The pad utilizes a piezo-type transducer that is isolated from the striking surface by a specially designed assembly of springs and rubber the absorbs the impact of the strike,and thus prolongs the life of the transducer itslef.

 The rear clamping assembly enables tubing of virtually any diameter to be clamped between two rubber gaskets and tightened with a drum key. The input is a recessed 1/4" jack located on the side of the pad. The exterior shell is constructed of polycarbonate plastic (that's the real hard stuff)and is available in a variety of colors.

 In practice, the pads feel great,and because of their size and ease of mounting, you can place them virtually anywhere. I was not able to get the pads to double trigger, though they are susceptible to occasional 'sympathetic triggering'(vibrations from neighboring drums,cymbals, or stands.) The rubber gaskets used for clampimg add to the feel by giving a bit when the pads are struck. Unfortunately, they also tend to slip if they are clamped unto a horizontal piece of tubing. But Dauz is aware of the problem and has already taken steps to eliminate the slipping-the guy never quits!

 The exterior casing is tough. Dauz proved this fact when he triumphantly dropped pads from his second story window to test his theory, and they still functioned quite well.

 Dauz is constantly improving his product, and so far each update is easily adaptable to any previously constructed pad. Other options on the drawing board include multi-colored pads and pads with creative internal lighting designs. I'm sure there will be many future, still confidential, surprises from Dauz.

 At a retail price of $90.00, I think the DZ6" are a great supplement to any setup. They feel great, and don't forget: they can also function as practice pads during blackouts! Dan Dauz is a visionary, and in the future he plans to explore some more escteric possibilities - such as 'Dauz's little pads' are definitely worth checking out.