Sonor Protean Drum Key

Bought two of these to be able to tune two tension rods simultaneously on opposite sides of the head. On one of the keys, the red plastic part is not solid, so it starts to slip when you start getting some resistance. In other words, I cannot use the two keys to achieve the same level of 'finger tight' by holding on to the red plastic part.

Otherwise; it's a drum key. The red plastic is a good idea for the finger tightening (if it was always solid, some quality control might help with that) and the red color makes it easier to find when you inevitably drop it, especially in dark gig conditions.

As with all other drummers as I have the problem of the wondering drum key, our drum keys seem to have a life of their own and start growing legs because they always seem to dissapear in the darkest depths of your stick bag, carpet, hole in the stage etc.

Sonor have managed to resolve this issue by inventing a drum (with help from Gavin Harrison) that has a BRIGHT REDY/ORANGE plastic cover which is really in not only finding your walkabout drum key on a dark stage but it helps massively to tune the drum by allowing you to use the plastic to finger tighten the tension rods.

As always from sonor, great chrome. I bought 2 purely to help with finger tighening tension rods a pair at a time.

Great product

Square socket fits perfectly (just snug enough and not too loose like some) on standard tension rods allowing for quick reversals as well as leaving in place while testing head pitch.

Orange rubber tip provides for rapid loosening and tightening (as others have mentioned) and the tips on both of my keys do not move so possibly Sonor has starting gluing them in place. The indentations on either side of the handle (ears) also make for a very comfortable and precise grip while fine tuning.

The chrome and overall build quality are typical 1st-class Sonor and if there's any room for improvement it would be an insignificant nit-pick... the inside of the socket is not completely chromed and the copper plating is exposed, but some silver paint could easily add protection if desired.

Kudos to Gavin Harrison and Sonor for a high-end, low-cost product. You'd be hard pressed to find a comparable key for a similar under $5 USD cost.