I was noticing that the # 5 bass drummer have been carrying the drums low. We use the old Alumavest on our 32 Yamaha Bass and its is very high even in the lowest position. I removed the J-bars to let the drum rest against the fiberglass vest (that's as low as I can get it).

Anyway.... Carrier choices? and comments on playing height. I know the goal is to keep the arm parallel to the ground with good stroke technique.

Im pretty sure we use the exact kind. Im playing 5th bass and im finding that those carriers to be pretty uncomfertable. And also would look wierd if I bought my own carrier and used it?

If you want the drum to sit any lower, you've got to find a way to lower the attachment point between the carrier's hooks (the eyelet hooks, not j-hooks) and the drum's eyelets. There are a few possible ways to do it, but the option I'd probably try first is using straps & clips instead of solid hooks, like you'd find on XL carriers such as this one.

If you've got some old carriers laying around, you may already have the parts you need. If not, one way to do this on the cheap is to use dog leashes for the straps. The end of most nylon dog leashes are pretty much identical to XL's straps & clips. Buy a couple of cheap leashes (preferably about 1" wide), cut off the last 6" or so with the clip, and burn a hole through the leash with a soldering iron to pass a bolt through. (Burning instead of cutting keeps the nylon from fraying and unraveling.)

As for comments on playing height... On a 32" bass, there isn't a whole lot of range for adjustment unless you've got a really tall person carrying the drum. It needs to be low enough to see the top of the person in front of you and hopefully high enough you don't kick the drum whenever you take a step.

WHS: Unlike snares & tenors, most of a bass drummer's carrier is hidden behind the drum. With that in mind, I wouldn't mind if one of my students sought out a better-fitting carrier if he was uncomfortable. I tend to be a bit of a stickler for detail when it comes to appearance, so I'd suggest looking for a carrier with similar-looking shoulder pieces so that you look as much like your linemates as possible. Most Randall May t-bar or tube carriers should look pretty similar to the Alumi-Vest from behind, assuming they've got the back support bar.

I like that Xl Vest. We do have an issue with 4 and 5 mounting being too tall and players can't see. I like the dog leash idea and can mofify current harness. Thanks again !!

the absolute truth is that on bass drums most of the time you arnt going to be able to see, unless your over 6 foot tall. The reason for this is, the proper form for bass drum, in my opinion, is to have the forarm parallel to the ground and have the stick angled around 45 degrees right to the middle of the drumhead. this may allow some players to see in front of them with their drums on, but i marched 1st this indoor season (im 6'3") and i could hardly see over my drum. as far as the drum not being comfortable on you, i think its really hard for a 32" drum to fit comfortably on anyone with any carrier. but the line im on uses Dynasty carriers, and i love them, they are really cool because they have a hard eyelet that can actually be bent, and can be shifted up and down about 3 inches with just a drum key.