Ahead SPG-BL3 Spinal Gl. Drum Throne

The throne is very (I should say extremely) confortable. Probably even more so than my Tama First Chair. Sturdy? Yes. Not as strong as others, but do you really want to stand on it like those annoying "show-off" drummers? Hope not. But the backrest is not my cup of tea, so I ordered one without it. I had a Tama backrest as a backup, so I fabricated an option to put the two together. Voilá. Best throne ever! Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Well, If you need a backrest, I suggest you alter it with a better one. I not, good for you. Do I recommend it? Imagine this: we spend a lot of time sitting. Do you want something that is just ok, or something that has the potential to be AWESOME? So yes. Get one! Even without the backrest!

I've played with round thrones for 20+ years and this is my first saddle throne. It took a while to get comfortable with the saddle seat, as the lesser support for the back of my thighs (hamstrings) felt weird at first. I felt as I was about to tumble forwards constantly. However, after a few sessions, I found the proper positioning and placement and everything feels solid and comfortable.

As for the split seat, I cannot honestly assess whether it alleviates back pain. I have terrible posture and have had issues with my lower back, so maybe in the months and years to come I could notice a difference. The seat is very comfortable and a good balance between firm and comfy. Build quality is good, although a common problem among many thrones from various brands seems to be that the tightening loosens after a while and you need to re-tighten if you don't want the seat to spin freely. Not a huge issue though.

Pros:
- build quality
- comfort

Cons:
- doesn't stay tightened for very long