NEIL PEART'S COWBELL SET UP: THE MYSTERY AND THE TRUTH REVEALED!

One interesting topic that comes up often in drummer discussion forums all over the internet is the cowbell setup of Neil Peart.  I have seen numerous debates, arguments, speculations and unanswered questions from many frustrated Peart fans trying to uncover the specifics regarding the cowbells he uses.  In the end, however, no one seems to have the answers, not even Lorne Wheaton, Peart's current drum tech.

Indeed it was the cowbell section of Neil Peart's drum solo during "YYZ" on the live album Exit...Stage Left that first caught my attention and inspired my many years of Peart-worship.  It was he who introduced me to the wonderful world of percussion instruments interspersed among the basic drum kit: bar chimes, temple blocks, timbales, orchestral chimes, etc.  As I uncovered unique new sounds on my growing collection of Rush albums, I would seek out the source that produced those cool noises and ultimately try to obtain those instruments myself.

It was many, many years ago in the early 1980s that I heard Peart reference The Percussion Center of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and thank them for supplying him with his equipment.  Therefore, realizing the chances of me getting in touch with Neil himself and getting the answers I sought about the particulars of his cowbell selections, I instead wrote to his personal music store of choice and to my surprise, got positive results.  A detailed blog post concerning the letter I received can be seen HERE.

THE GOOD NEWS
The question that is most often asked about Neil Peart's cowbell setup is this: What are those three little cowbells hooked together?  Who makes them, what are they called and how can I get some?  The good news is, I can tell you EXACTLY what those little bells are and, as evidenced by the photo to the left, prove that at one time I actually owned a set myself.  (Please don't laugh at my haircut or appearance.  As I said, it was the 80's.)

These high-pitched little bells were manufactured by Gon Bops and were called the "Triple Agogo Bell." A special mounting bracket, sold separately, was also available to mount the bells on a 3/8" rod, cowbell post or cymbal stand.

THE BAD NEWS
The bad news is, I either sold or lost my set and Gon Bops no longer makes it.  I have written to the company more than once begging them to start making these bells again but have been coldly rejected, a decision by Gon Bops officials that I consider to be incredibly foolish and short-sighted.  Imagine how many Neil-obsessed Peart-worshipers like myself would jump at the chance to own a set of these bells!  I can't imagine why Gon Bops stubbornly refuses to reintroduce them and proudly market them as the "Neil Peart Triple Cowbell Set."  Seems like a profitable endeavor to me.

But the availability of the Gon Bops Triple is no more, and I suspect in order to keep his setup unique and one-of-a-kind, Neil remains silent about the origin of his bells so that his look and sound cannot be exactly copied.  I also surmise that when Neil learned Gon Bops was halting production, he probably bought up all the remaining stock and has them stored secretly somewhere in Canada in case his set becomes damaged.

This photo on the left above is the best up-close example I have found of Neil's current setup, which has moved from its original position on his right near the ride cymbal to the left side of his 8" tom.  The top bell is a Latin Percussion Black Beauty and the bottom one is an LP Bongo.  The glorious Gon Bops Triple is there in the middle.  In this close-up we can see that Neil has trimmed off the stems that connect the triple bells and custom-mounted them on a knurled DW cymbal arm.

Originally Neil also had a small silver bell above the Black Beauty and an LP Agogo Bell (seen in this photo of a "replica kit" here on the above right), but these bells were removed from his setup in later years.  The small silver bell was a Zildjian Zil-bel from the days when Zildjian experimented with making cowbells for a short time (see vintage ad on left).  Nowadays Zil-bel is the nomenclature Zildjian uses for its version of an LP "Ice Bell," but at one time this was name of their cowbell line.

SOME SIMILAR ALTERNATIVES
So accepting the fact that Gon Bops won't make them,  Neil Peart isn't going to share one of his and the chances of finding a used set for sale on eBay are slim to none, what alternatives are there?  Here are some other routes you can take.

Gon Bops does offer a couple of triple bell sets made by artist Pete Englehardt, but they are very different in appearance and pitch.  This was the suggestion the representative of the company gave me, not realizing the importance of the look and sound when trying to duplicate Peart's setup.  Yes, this is a three-bell setup but not the right three bells, and they don't look anything like Neil's!

Pearl makes a triple bell that looks like a perfect match, but in reality is actually slightly larger than the original Gon Bops instrument and therefore is not the correct pitch for exactly reproducing Neil's cowbell sounds.  But they do look really cool and mount better than the old Gon Bops did.  They are an excellent high-bell addition to an extensive cowbell collection and the set I prefer to use myself.

TAKING MATTERS INTO MY OWN HANDS
One final solution some have tried to attempt is to re-create the set themselves by cutting down three LP Tapon cowbells to the proper sizes.  Since I previously owned a Gon Bops set, I know that the bells should be 2-1/2", 2-3/4" and 3" in length.  Here is the result of that experiment with an unaltered Tapon beneath.

The finished product looks pretty cool and functions adequately, but still does not reproduce the exact notes that the original Gon Bops Triple made.  While not completely disappointing, this effort still does not ultimately satisfy my desire for the perfect three-bell arrangement like Neil Peart plays.  I WANT A GON BOPS TRIPLE!!!

My desperate search continues, and my only hope is to one day come across the elusive and extremely rare Gon Bops Triple Agogo Bell for sale on eBay (or somewhere).  But if anyone other than Neil actually has one, why would they sell it except for some exorbitant collector's price?

But you never know.
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***** POST UPDATE: FEBRUARY 2016 *****
As reported by a reader in the comments below, a vintage Gon Bops Triple Agogo went up for sale on Ebay in January of this year.  Unfortunately, I was not aware of this auction and did not participate, therefore the bells sold for a measly $26.00.  Yes, that's right.  Twenty-six dollars.  Snagged without a fight.  As you might imagine, I am utterly heartbroken and completely SICK to my stomach that I missed this opportunity to own a set of these bells.  Despite the severe depression that this news causes me, I will post here a pair of auction photos of the bells that sold to demonstrate what they look like, so that if ANYONE ever spots another set for sale, they will PLEASE NOTIFY ME IN ADVANCE SO I MAY GO AFTER THEM.  A generous "finder's fee" will be awarded for their efforts.  Thank you so much.

These were a bit old and rusty, but they could have easily been repainted.  Notice the mounting bracket was included, although it was missing the wing nut.