Most companies will guarantee a newly purchased cymbal against certain types of breakage, but it ends there. If a player breaks a replacement cymbal, all love is lost and the cymbal will not be replaced. The rational is that the owner/player must be doing something wrong or just plain abusing their bronze.
Read moreEverything I Know About Bearing Edges
I'm So Confused
And so you should be. Options you may hear about bearing edges include: round-over, 30 degree, 45 degree, dual-45, reverse 45, 45 with round-over, bull-nose, baseball bat, vintage round-over. There are also different theories, applications, claims, boasts, and myths.
The Snare Drum Outfit
Many of us share the introduction into the drumming world with that first snare drum, or if you are one of the fortunate ones, the “Snare Drum Outfit”!
Read more85 year old James Gadson's first album! Funky drumming and singing.
On August 23, 2024, James Gadson released a solo EP, Dance On Through [High Rise Sound]. The five-song, self-penned release finds the eternally youthful 85-year-old badass going deep with crisp funk beats and a buoyant and soulful voice.
Read moreEdward Tucker’s Catalog Corner 1959-1965 Slingerland
Here is a rare Slingerland snare that has a very interesting story of metamorphosis.
It first appears in the 1959 catalog as a “New Brass Shell Snare Drum” showing in either clear lacquered brass or chrome plating.
1929 L&L Rose Standard Sensitive
I got this rare drum from Bill Wanser of Olympic Drums & Percussion. Bill also pointed out a Ludwig Drummer magazine article that places Rose Pearl at 1929, this aligns perfectly as the Standard-Sensitive model was first seen in 1929. Bill agrees that this was an uncatalogued finish, L & L obviously had the material but it was never seen in a catalog, only in a Ludwig Drummer Magazine article.
Read moreThe Drum Engravers, Part 4: Katelynn Corll
“I first noticed the incredible wood-burning that had been done on two of the Woods Custom snare drums at the Music City Drum Show. The level of detail and artistry was truly impressive. She subsequently engraved a (Woods) snare drum and hoops for me and an additional set of hoops for another drum. I gave her just a little bit of input and let her run with it. She truly hit it out of the park. So talented and such a pleasure to work with.”
Read more5 Minute Lessons with George Lawrence - #2 Flamacue Shuffle
Here is the second video in the series "5 minute Drum Lessons w George Lawrence" shot at Memphis Drum Shop . We are publishing once a week on Saturdays. Hopefully there will be many more to come.
Read moreFive minute Lessons with George Lawrence - 6 and 3 Stroke Rolls
Here is the first of 8 videos in the series "5 minute Drum Lessons w George Lawrence" shot at Memphis Drum Shop . We are publishing once a week on Saturdays. Hopefully there will be many more to come. This can also be found on MemphisDrumShop.com. Just scroll down the front page.
Read moreVideo of George Lawrence - "Groovin' in Memphis" video series w Chris Pat Brown
George Lawrence talking and playing with Chris Pat Brown at Memphis Drum Shop.
Read moreWe’ve Got Something To Say
One night, while sitting at a club not far from where I lived, one of my favourite local players came off the stage and made his way to my table. He was not his usual smiling self, and as he sat down he said, “Some people just got nothin’ to say.”
Read moreRemembering Tony Williams - Jeff Indyke
Tony influenced me with the open flams, his loose high-hat rhythms, and the amazing sound of his snare drum and tom toms.
Read moreEarly Yamaha Red Ripple Snare Drum
If any of the Japanese drums of the 60’s and 70’s stand out it’s the early Yamaha drums. They projected a professional quality in all of their drums, staying away from the appearance of beginner or entry-level and also avoiding the copycat mentality. This particular snare drum is from the late 60’s to early 70’s and has that flash to it that really stands out.
Read moreA rare George Way/Advanced Drum Co. brass marching snare drum
a bass player I know dropped off a couple items that he no longer wanted. One being a brass snare shell made by the Advanced Drum Co.
Read moreMichael Carlito's Transnare Drums
The creation of a Transnare drum involves a combination of traditional luthier techniques and modern equipment, such as CNC machines. The entire process, from initial design to the final product, takes several months to complete. In many cases, I build custom jigs and fixtures to perform specific tasks during the drum’s construction.
Read moreA Brief History of the Butt Plate (plus some other stuff)
Photo © Christoph Hähnel (Dreamstime ID 18749883)
The coiled-steel snare wire is a wonderful invention, and a huge improvement over, uh, animal parts. But making it happen required the simultaneous invention of the snare End Plate and its introduction opened a can of worms.
Read more1934-35 SLINGERLAND 6.5 x 14 ABALONE PEARL BROADCASTER MODEL
"The Broadcaster was evidently a forerunner of the Radio King, the strainer is a very early Radio King style strainer and the lugs do not have inserts. (The tension rods thread directly into the lugs.) The muffler was the single-pad style Harold R. Dodd muffler."
Read moreVintage 1982 TAMA Superstar all Birch in Cherry Wine Lacquer.
Before these drums the interiors and bearing edges of most drums were not what you would call to the highest standards. The interior of these drums, the bearing edges and the outer shell are pure perfection, they feel like glass everywhere you run your finger, there is not a single rough spot, gap, glue, bump, separation or ripple anywhere.
Read moreCatalog Corner - 1951 Leedy & Ludwig Catalog No. 51
Edward Tucker revives the "Catalog Corner" column which Harry Cangany for so many years. Catalogs are so important the vintage drum collectors. Thank you, Edward, for sharing your large catalog collection and your knowledge of vintage drums!
Read moreRemembering Ed Mann, percussionist for Frank Zappa
I just remember looking at this melody part and I noticed a bar of 22 notes over four beats followed by 23 notes over four beats. These notes were also jumping large intervals. Frank asked Ed” ‘Is this playable?’ Ed just looked at him and said, sure, I’ll shed it tonight and play it for you tomorrow, which he did.
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