Mapex THBM2218BA (floating bass drum tom mount). Mounting Process and Design 

Agreed! As far as I know, Mapex is the only one to have made the floating rail system. I've seen others, but they always attach to the shell in some way screwed on with some mounting plate. Mapex makes them for most of their sizes, but even those are hard to find and get right. lol. Happy drumming bro

Yeah, it's super cool, bro!! Yeah I know, that's why I was saying you should check these out when you got your kit. Cause, I've dealt with tom sands like that before too, and they are probably the next best way. But, any hardware I can eliminate from the footprint, is more area to put other things in its place; and I like rack mounted toms for their positioning, but suspension mounted toms for their resonance. So, this little floating gadget is the best of all worlds for me. Especially if/when schlepping the kit around and for easy setup, it's a lot more efficient to just have to bring 2 cymbal stands and that. But, I got the DW kit for that purpose too I guess. lol. Anytime I'm traveling with gear, the less and lighter the better. lol! Just in general, it is probably the smartest way to "rack mount" toms on a virgin bass drum. Really cool little system! Thanks, Marcus! P.S. I hated dealing with dog bone clamps and positioning my toms off cymbal stands! Playing tetris when I wanna be playing drums! lol! 😉

@@blakenunndrums I hear ya, and understand what you're taking about tetris!!!!☺

Thanks! Unfortunately, Mapex is the only one to do it, and only in their Saturn lines. But, they may have created more since I did this video a few years ago. But yeah, at the time Mapex were the only ones. Happy drumming!

Maybe it looked that way in the video somehow, but I can assure you that the bass drum lugs are not at all the same as the toms. The bass drum lugs are about 3" long, while the tom lugs are about 1.5" long. The mounting system wouldn't work at all if they were just the same size as the toms. It takes a lot of travel room for the lugs to go through and support the rail mount. While they are the same diameter lugs and thread distance, the lugs on the bass drum are easily twice as long as the tom lugs. Maybe on a Mars or Armory that might be the case, but the Saturn I have is bulletproof, and the lugs and hardware are twice as beefy as my Gretsch and DW design series. The design DW has finer threads, but are thinner lugs. The Mapex has the sturdiest hardware, hoops, and lugs of almost any kit I've seen. Even my Pearl Masters Custom maple didn't have as beefy of lugs/hoops/hardware that this Saturn V has. If I made a video showing you the direct comparison, you'd see the opposite is actually the case. But, it could just be the way you're only seeing these lugs, and not side by side with the tom lugs. The claws alone take up a good .5" of travel of the lugs, and are also the strongest claws and spurs I've ever had or seen on many a kit. Yes, I've played Tama, Pearl, Gretsch, Ludwig, DW, Yamaha, and Mapex. Mapex in their higher tier kits are easily some of the strongest and beefiest hardware I've ever seen on a kit. Every single piece is hefty, thick, and rock solid. Their cheaper kits, sure, they're limited in some areas. But, the Saturns and Black Panther/sound lab series kits come with the same hardware in most editions, and are the best tiers that Mapex makes (besides their custom lines). 2.6mm hoops, soniclear suspension mounts that are twice as beefy as a Armory, black chrome, and twice as big a diameter lugs than any Gretsch, Luddy, or Yammy I've played on or owned. The closest I've seen to the heft of the hardware at this price point are some Tama or Pearl kits, but the Mapex has far superior tone and resonance to my (and any others) ear. I traded in a Pearl Masters Custom maple 90s edition with re-rings for the brand new Mapex, and the Saturn had just as beefy hoops, a better mounting system, and I can get the drums to sing or sound low and a short fundamental like the Masters with re-rings. I always say, "it's better to have and be able to take away (muffle), then to never be able to achieve that amount of resonance in the first place". I like singing fast tones, not dead sounding short decay personally. But, to each their own! Tama I would say is the next best/better as far as hardware and mounting. Maybe a Gretsch Renown too, but the lugs are far thinner than either the Mapex or the Tama. Out of the dozen or so kits I've owned, the Mapex Saturn V exotic has the beefiest hardware and best tone out of all the kits. The Pearl, Tama, and DW being next in line. I just can't stand Pearl's pole mounting system, dealing with racks, and having to have my setup far apart to accommodate all the tripods and legs. This rail mounting system gives you the ability to have "rack mounted" positioning, and suspension mounting simultaneously. Although, the Mapex usually stays in the studio and the Gretsch is my schlepping concert kit, and the DW Frequent Flyer is my small space/bop kit. I'll do another video sometime and show you the comparisons. You'll be surprised how much beefier the Mapex hardware and lugs are compared to most. The bass drum lugs are definitely about twice the size of the tom lugs. Have a good day, bro! Happy drumming!

Sorry, just now seeing this! You have to adjust the actual floating rails by that much of an adjustment when you screw them into the 4 bass drum mounts. That's why the poles/rails themselves are threaded slightly. You basically have to crank/screw the poles into those mounts by turning them by that last little adjustment, and they'll fit. But, they are *very* specific to each of the bass drums that Mapex makes. If you have a Saturn V 22x18 and got that part, it will work! You just have to hand tighten (possibly a wrench, but be careful not to scratch the chrome) those floating rails into their housings/receivers, and just play around with them a bit until they fit. But I know exactly what you're referring to, and that's why the rails/poles themselves are also threaded. ;) Happy drumming!

You may have possibly bought the wrong mount too. Not sure. But if you have a 22x18, and bought a 22x18 mount, it should work. Check out 10:00 on

Yes, you can unscrew them, but you would just have to replace the lugs with the factory ones to make it back to the way it came (it's still virgin regardless, because nothing screws into the shell with either setup). If you wanted to leave the aftermarket ones on after unscrewing the rods it'll work perfectly fine with those as well, but you'll have to undo the same process you used to get the rods to screw in on the first place. Usually, ppl just disconnect the whole assembly that floats on the rods, but leave the rods in because of the hassle taking them off. Nothing screw into the bass drum, you just replace the lugs, so you'd basically just have the floating rails still attached to the lugs. It doesn't make any sonic difference or a difference in resonance if you just leave those two rods on the bass drum. Everything floats in that regard.

Hey, bro! You know, that's a good question. Mapex themselves say that it's meant for the Saturn series, but I don't see why a bass drum of the exact same dimensions wouldn't work. Only thing I can anticipate being an issue, the lugs are of a different design and placed in slightly different area of the shells circumference. The way the design works, it fits very close to where the holes are drilled, and is very specific to the depth of the drum. The two series are very close to one another as far as design, mounting, hoops, etc. Just, the spurs are thinner on Armories. But, the bass drum lugs are the same design in each! So, as long as you order one that's the exact dimensions of your bass drum (22x18 is common for Mapex), it should work! But, if the Armories lugs are even 2 centimeters off from the design of a Saturn's, you'll run into issues. What I would do, is just do some research into Armory versus Saturn bass drum designs (I'm pretty positive they're almost identical, except for the spurs and soniclear tom mounts), and then order one off of ebay that you can return if it doesn't work. Mapex is *notoriously* difficult to get in touch with and quickly get pieces from. They even say they discontinued my exact mount on their specs site, only to find one from a private seller on ebay. I had to hunt for one for a good few months before finding it. But, that way you have a guarantee you can just return I and get your money back if it doesn't work out. After doing some quick research just now to answer your question, I'm leaning about 95% it'll work. The lugs are identical, the dimensions are identical, the shell packs are identical (as far as "studioease" dimensions. I know the hybrid plies are different), and the overall designs are almost identical. I think you have a really good shot to make it work, but I'd get that return policy just in case. Sometimes they come up on Reverb too. They are BULLET PROOF, so a used one will still work fine. Precision machined and built to last forever. Ebay is where I found mine though. Good luck, and happy drumming!

Yeah, comparing the 2 bass drums, literally the only difference are the spurs and shell plies. Dimensions and lugs are the same. I'm just not 100% positive that Mapex doesn't put the lugs in a slightly different placement on each series. Visually comparing bass drums and dimensions though, it looks as though it'll work. You could shoot Mapex and email or call and ask them too. But, back to my original point of them being hard with customer service.

no it will not fit because saturn bass drum has 10 spurs while armory has 8. So the distance between lugs are not the same.

@Hallowed Yeah, I get/understood that, I was just thinking the top 4 lugs that the rail would attach to might be similarly spaced eventhough one is 10 lug and one is 8. You could also measure and try and retrofit one on, and just drill a couple holes to make your lug spacing the right distance. Or, you could go with a DW type design mount for virgin bass drums. But, that also requires drilling 2 small holes into your shell. Best thing to do, dog bone clamps/Tama fast clamps on a cymbal stand, and just have 1 up for gigs/jams/recording. If you insist on having 2 rack toms (2 up, 2 down, kinda thing); you could always just buy a tom rack/stand. Mapex makes a bunch of those, and 1 tripod will accept 2 drums. Besides dog bone clamps off a cymbal stand, drilling into your bass drum, using a rack instead of stands, or buying a tom mount stand; I don't really have any other ideas for you. Sorry! But, as long as things are comfortable, ergonomic, stable, and easy to shlep around, you should be good. Whenever I take a virgin bass drum and toms to a gig, I always just bring the 12" and attach it to a SoniClear mount on my left ride stand. Way less gear to take around and setup, and I can mount the suspended tom in 2 minutes. If using the entire kit, then yeah, I use the floating rail mount system. But, I try and get away with just 1 up and 1 down for gigs. Either that, or I just bring one of my kits with rack mounted toms, like my Gretsch Catalina or DW Frequent Flyer bop kit. My Mapex mostly stays in my studio. Hardly ever leaves. My schlepping kit I don't care so much about is the Gretsch. Same sizes, but deeper floor toms, great tone, and rack mounted toms. My Mapex is the only kit I have that's suspended and virgin. I had a Pearl Masters Custom maple that was like that too, but every drum was suspended, including the floors. So, I had. To use a rack, and I absolutely hated it. Reminded me of why I originally got rid of one of my big rocking racks when I was younger. I hate dealing with racks, not being able to get things in exact placement, things slipping, the amount of stage space it takes up, and how long it takes to assemble a kit. 2 cymbal stands (maybe 3) and 2 clamps, and I'm good! Can set the whole kit up in 10 minutes.

@@the_rummer 👍

Hey, bro! Man, they are awesome! Cleaned up my footprint, made it so everything is still floating/suspended for the resonance, and has the positioning of rack mounted toms. One of my buddies has one, but he lives in Canada! Haha! It took me a YEAR to find mine in the 22x18 size, let alone black chrome, bro! No joke. You can find them every so often used/on reverb, but with the factories and warehouses closed down cause of covid, stock and delivery is abysmal right now. I found mine on ebay! New in the box, but still on ebay. My friend Marcus (in Canada, who also plays a Mapex Saturn with a 22x18) was able to find and store one (he prefers his off a seperate tom stand mount (completely opposite idea of what this system allows you to do. lol. Tom stands take up even MORE room! But, it's what he likes); and he told me if I knew of anyone that wanted one he has it. But, Texas is closer than Canada! 🤣 They are hard to find, bro! Especially in the new Saturn IV/V design, and not used. Mapex even discontinued specifically the 22x18 size system for awhile, and people love them and don't usually get rid of them for used anyway. If you were able to find one easily acquirable in the states, that's the best you'll probably find, bro. But, I like my stuff ergonomical, close, low, and tight. None of this 15 pieces of gear just to mount a tom, and everything cluttered or super far apart. So, it just depends on if you're really that bothered by having to use dog bone clamps off cymbal stands or not, your footprint size or being able to put other stands in the spaces you cleaned up, etc. But, I love mine! Makes your bass drum heavier though, and have to consider the extra width it adds to the drum once mounted, if going in and out of cases. But, if it's just for an organizational thing and staying in the studio, that won't matter. Good luck, bro!! Lemme know if you have any other questions, and happy drumming!

Not for Tama, Mapex makes this specifically to float on rails, and is the only manufacturer with a full floating system. All others require drilling into the shell, as far as I've seen. 👍