With Winter NAMM 2009 (National Association of Music Merchants) happening this month in Anaheim, CA, we can expect drum and cymbal companies releasing loads of new products. Pearl got into the game with their release of the new Demon Drive Pedal. Check out the video on Pearl’s website. Almost has me convinced to drop the cash on it.

Looks to me like they’ve improved on the design of Gibraltar’s Catapult pedal. The direct link system they’ve set up here appears very smooth. I’m interested to try it out.

Press Release from Harmony-Central.com

Drummers everywhere, prepare for the new frontier of bass drum playing with the Eliminator Demon Drive, the first pedal ever to truly bridge the gap between control and versatility. This pedal was engineered to create the most seamless link between the player’s musical ideas and their execution on a bass drum. Whether seeking to deliver lightning-fast blast beats or deep, rock-solid grooves, this pedal offers the adjustability to maximize your playing in any style.

The most unique feature of the Demon Drive pedal is Pearl’s exclusive Duo-Deck, the world’s first convertible footboard. Through a simple adjustment, the Demon Drive pedal can be adjusted from a traditional shortboard to a longboard pedal in seconds, offering a slightly lighter, quicker feel that is the preferred setup when speed is a necessity.

Additional features of this amazing pedal include the world’s first two-position Beater Stroke Adjustment and two-position Direct Link Adjustment. Both adjustable features allow the player to create a slightly lighter or heavier feel of the pedal depending on their preferred setting. Adjusting the Duo-Deck in combination with the Beater Holder and Direct Link Adjustments yields 8 possible Pedal Configurations, allowing the player to truly create their ideal pedal configuration.

When you factor in Demon Drive’s other features: Infinitely adjustable footboard angle and beater angle, the Click-Lock spring tension system, incredibly smooth Ninja ball bearings, and Pearl’s new felt and wood Control Core Beaters, Pearl’s Demon Drive pedal is truly the ultimate bass drum pedal for any drummer. Also available in a double pedal configuration with Z-Link universal joints for absolute zero latency, producing incredible speed, finesse and control