What size do I pick?
After extensive measuring and testing, we've found that most drums use one of three sizes for tension rods. Here is some information to help you pick the right size. The short answer on sizing: most drums (including US/Europe) use Standard, and most drums from Asia (including budget kits, excluding high-end) use Medium, and modern Tama (2009+) which typically use Small. If you are unsure what size to pick, start with Standard, or grab one of our Size Sample Packs.
Standard
Most drums have Standard tension rods. Features usually include sharp or mostly sharp square edges.
US/European/High-End/Custom brands are common including DW, Gretsch, and some high end Yamaha/Pearl.
Medium
While not as common as Standard, many drum brands use Medium sized tension rods.
Round corners are common. Common brands include most Asian brands, PDP, Sonor, Mapex, and some budget Yamaha/Pearl
Small
Almost exclusively modern Tama (2009-Present) and a few other Asian brands. Look for a very distinct V-taper leading to the threads (see arrow).
I'm still not quite sure which size to order...
Differentiating between Medium and Standard can be nearly impossible without calipers and test fits. The difference in size between all three sizes comes to a few 1/100ths of an inch. If you have followed the flow chart and still are not quite sure which size to order, we recommend either a pack of Standard, or a Size Sample Pack. Standard sLUGS will fit Medium sized tension rods, with just a little wiggle room. Medium sLUGS will also fit Standard sized tension rods, but will be very tight, or may not sit completely flush. While we do test each sLUG for fit, sLUGS are 3D printed, so each sLUG in a pack may vary with some being slightly tighter or looser than others. We try to provide as much info as we can, but there are always outliers as tension rods are not precision machined. Feel free to reach out with any questions at support@sluglocks.com
Please view our size chart below for a quick glance at how each sLUG fits on different sized tension rod.
