![[Experience] My Hori Taiko Drum finally works: A cheap, home-made modding journey (Night and Day difference!).](https://external-preview.redd.it/AAuawjINC6V9PE0QAoVk9ABy92U6Z0444n6iJauqmhA.jpeg?width=140&height=105&auto=webp&s=80e5bcdb4724419a3a06050be051d4a2bf613c50)
[Experience] My Hori Taiko Drum finally works: A cheap, home-made modding journey (Night and Day difference!).
Hey guys! I wanted to share my experience after purchasing and subsequently modifying the HORI Taiko Drum for Nintendo Switch.
I received Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival for my birthday, and although I was dying to play, the experience with the stock drum was frustrating. It had terrible hit registration unless you hit it relatively hard, which completely ruined the gameplay. I’m a casual player, but it was so bad that I even thought about using the warranty (thinking it was a defect) or just returning it.
After digging through forums, I discovered that this is actually NORMAL for HORI drums. Some people said the rubber "softens up" after X hours of use, improving sensitivity, but I wasn't willing to spend hours struggling just to maybe see an improvement. Then I noticed a UNANIMOUS opinion: modding the drum is simple and the improvement is massive. So, I decided to go for it.
After reading Reddit, searching the web, and watching several tutorials (likethis one, this one, andthis one), I jumped into modding. Now the drum works like a dream—it's night and day. I honestly believe this is 100% necessary; if I bought another one in the future, I’d mod it before even playing.
Summary of the mods I did:
- Foam Replacement (DON mod): Essential in my opinion.
- Sensor Mesh Change (DON mod): Highly recommended.
- Added tape/rubber to supplement sensitivity (KA mod): Highly recommended.
Important Note: This post is just my personal opinion based on my own process. I’m not a modding expert, but I can assure you this mod is very straightforward. I’m not saying my method is the absolute best, just that it worked perfectly for me on the first try.
I’m attaching some photos I took during the process, a video showing the sensitivity after the mods, and .SVG templates made with Lightburn (though you can get the same results by scanning the parts).
Materials and Process
I researched several options mentioned in videos (cork, special rubbers, expensive Etsy 3D-printed parts, wood...). In the end, I decided to use a mix of those opinions and consulted with Gemini (Google's AI) regarding material suitability.
Opening the Taiko, as in the tutorials. Just make sure to mark the wires to remember each wire for each socket. Y just disconnected the 3 small wires, and worked with the big one attached.
1. Replacing the Foam (Center Plate):
- I used two layers of 5mm plywood joined with wood glue (instead of a single 1cm piece).
- Tip from Gemini: Using two layers glued together helps the drum "resonate" better and pick up vibrations more effectively. To get them perfect, apply a uniform layer of glue across the entire surface and put a lot of weight on top while they dry (for 2-3 hours).
The "Perfect Template" Trick: Many people trace the shape of the wood or rubber with a pen, but that leads to errors. My advice: Scan the original foam and the sensor plate. If you don't have a scanner, use your phone and scale it to an A4 size. You’ll get an exact template that fits to the millimeter.
2. DON Sensors (Center):
- I used 1mm thick self-adhesive EVA foam.
- I tried two designs: one with holes (like the original) and one that covered all the sensors completely. I chose the second one because it significantly improves registration according to Gemini.
3. KA Sensors (Edges):
- I cut small squares of 1mm self-adhesive EVA foam, about 5mm x 10mm if I remember correctly.
- I placed an individual square on each sensor.
- Important: Based on info from Gemini, do not use a single continuous strip for all the KA sensors; it can create "noise" and cause reading errors. I used tweezers to place them because if you touch them with your fingers, they lose their adhesive and get deformed.
I forgot to take a proper picture, so I Zoomed in to show it.
Tools and Budget
I used a laser cutter I have at home for convenience, but you can achieve the same results with a manual jigsaw. The total budget for materials was around €7-8:
- €3.70 for a 0.5mm (5mm) plywood board (300mm x 900mm).
- €2.40 for a pack of self-adhesive EVA foam (10 A4 sheets).
- €1.50 for wood glue.
Final Verdict
The registration is now almost perfect. Maybe the "Ka" sensitivity is a bit lower, if I hit it extremely softly, and I might add an extra 1mm of foam in the future if the foam softens. I do not think that it is a good idea to do it from the start with 2mm of new foam since the reassembly I saw that it is came very close.. I will try it in the future. Bor for now, it feels and play amazing!
https://reddit.com/link/1spwdfy/video/3pp4ek1c26wg1/player
Here I leave you some A4 scans for the foam and the sensor so you can use it: