What does what & how
Most Chequerplate Stuff instruments are made from aluminium, the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust ! Combined with stainless bolts, nuts & washers, they are made in the UK and built to last. Currently available are:
- Single and Double Chequers (Hi-Hat mountable, lightweight tambourines)
The Single Chequer with 8 jingles (4 on top, 4 underneath), has a much higher pitch & crisper sound than the Double Chequer, which features 4 rows of 4 jingles sandwiched between 2 Chequer bars, for a fuller & phatter sound. They simply fit over the Hi-Hat pull rod, the rubber grommets holding them in the desired position. Combinations of Single and Double Chequers can be stacked for a variety of sounds and volume. Can also be played handheld, shaker style, as a quieter alternative to a fullsize tambourine.
- Chequer Blades (multiple blades, spring mounted on heavy duty perspex base)
Available in 7" and 9" versions, they consist of 4 Chequer bars, to be played with sticks for an industrial, trashy type of sound. Can be used for accents or continuos patterns, the 7" Blades are tight & high pitched, while the 9" Blades have a much looser, lower sound and pitch. The Blades are mounted on springs for better feel and stick response, and both versions feature a built-in mounting post, which screws onto any cymbal stand / arm with 8mm thread (with or without cymbal underneath), thereby eliminating the need for any additional clamps and costs ! Can of course be fixed via a traditional multi-clamp as well, giving you the most positioning options to suit your set-up and style. The 7" Blades are also available in a durable, black anodised finish.
- Chequer Bells (cowbells with removable jingles and rubber dampers)
Even though both high and low models are the same 6" size, they work perfectly as a pair, achieved by using a different thickness of aluminium: 3mm and 2mm respectively (to hear them together, click on Jon's Chequerplate solo on the home page). Both feature a built-in cowbell post, with the same benefits and functions as the ones used on the Chequer Blades above. Each Chequer Bell also comes with 2 removable jingles and dampers, giving a variety of sound options: from "normal, dry" (dampers & jingles tight), via "electronic 808" (dampers removed), to "resonant, open" (no dampers or jingles). And if that isn't enough, they can also be scraped like a guiro, thanks to the textured surface !
- Chequer Discs (FX discs with removable jingles)
Available in 14" and 18" versions, each featuring 8 removable jingles and a durable, black anodised finish. Use with jingles for that distorted / industrial sound, just with bolts & nuts like a riveted ride cymbal, or without anything for a very clean & pure bell like sound. Can be crashed, ridden or scraped. The 14" Chequer Disc can also be placed in between your Hi-Hats, used as a Hi-Hat top, or put on top of your snare drum for drum&bass type effects. For even more attitude, try stacking the 14" on top of an 18" !
- Sizzle Chequers (cymbal sizzler)
Chequer bar fitted with two brass chains, allows for a riveted ride cymbal sound, without having to drill your cymbal. Fits on top of cymbal felt, before wing nut goes back on. The 2 chains can be reversed in their mounting holes to make contact with different areas of the cymbal, thereby allowing for slight variations in sizzle effect, but also keeping clear your preferred sticking area.
- Chequer Snares, Clear Snares (with or without LEDs), S/S Snares & HM Snares
Usually made to order, but we will be adding some finished examples to the site very soon, as we have managed to build up stocklevels recently.
