OPEN-ENDED STAVE SHELLS
Roger has designed a world-first solution to producing open-ended stave drums which is both durable and beautiful. Our initial concerns over only one end of our shells being tensioned, or the ends of our thin shells being exposed, or the structural integrity of our shells being maintained, have all been put to bed with the addition of our new Stave Support Inlay (SSI) feature, on our versions of the classic ‘Octobans’, ‘Concert Toms’ and ‘Gong’ drums.
Stave Support Inlay (SSI):
Other manufacturers with thicker shells have left shell ends open with no reinforcement, others have added moulded end caps, and some have added wine-barrel style straps. None of these were attractive enough to meet the level of craftsmanship we expect of ourselves.
The Stave Support Inlay (SSI) feature reinforces our reinforcement ring; lengths of polished brass strips are expertly rolled and joined by Roger before they are inlayed into the shell end. This creates the strength we demand to preserve the shell’s structure for its life.
Why Soprano Tubes?
Originally in sets of eight drums - coined ‘Octobans’ by Tama (or ‘Rocket Toms by Pearl, or ‘Rata Toms’ by DW, or ‘Deccabons’ by ddrum), these specialist drums have long been used by progressive rock and fusion drummers within large drum kit setups. At the mercy of the player’s coordination and creativity they are perfect for producing melodic patterns and ostinatos.
To us they are ‘Soprano Tubes’ for their upper register voice and physical form. They produce a variety of colourful pitches with an unmistakeable squelchy ‘boing’ tone. All drums in this range are 6 inch diameter (4 lugs) and through different depths melodic variations are achieved. These are the only shells in our entire range which are ‘straight’ shell (approx. 8mm thick) with no reinforcement rings lathed in. They are however fitted with our Stave Support Inlay (SSI) feature.
Own all eight, or any smaller selection, keeping in mind that ‘square’ arrays in groups of four are preferable to most players for retaining the closeness of each drum’s playing zone.
Depths available: 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21 and 23 inches.
Bearing edge: Double 45 degree for clarity and voice.
Hardware: Order either Heritage or National model hardware.
Heads: Traditionally Remo CS black dot clear, can fit Evans Hydraulics.
Mounting: L-rod mounting block with a multi-clamp bracket provided (attach to any other stand).
Why Concert Toms?
These alto and tenor voices of our open-ended drum range come in all common sizes from 8 inch to 14 inch mounted Concert Toms. History is repeating in the drumming world, with these drums becoming all the rage all over again. These single-headed drums are thuddy, punchy, barky, dry, loud, and powerful boing with a pronounced pitch. The nature of the lack of hardware enhances the visual real estate of the wood grain. If you are not confident tuning drums, you will not have ‘pitch bend’ to navigate. These drums allow more pure direct sounds which are more friendly to sound-engineers, and offer more clean ‘isolated’ signals protecting microphones from peripheral noise and feedback when mic’d from underneath.
There is no interference, no reflections from resonant heads, that might interfere with the original sound of the batter heads. There is shorter sustain, faster decay, and great clarity even through busy patterns. The air pushes out of the bottom of the shells, creating more projection and articulation, resulting in a primitive ‘tribal’ sound. With half the hardware, they are much lighter, and much more mobile loading in and out.
Our Stave Support Inlay (SSI) is fitted to all these drums.
Bearing edge: Our inner and outer round-overs for richness and warmth.
Hardware: Order either Heritage or National model hardware.
Heads: Evans Hydraulics, or your choice of Evans or Remo heads.
Mounting: All are fitted with our National model Suspension System Ring with an L-rod mounting block, with a multi-clamp bracket provided (attach to any other stand).
How about Concert Floor Toms and Concert (Standard) Bass Drums?
Yes, they are here too. All information above applies, with the added sizes of 14 inch to 18 inch Concert Floor Toms (standard floor tom leg set with Gauger Percussion Flex-Tips), and 14 inch to 22 inch Concert Bass Drums (standard floor-set bass drum with spurs).
Why Baritone Concert Toms?
The title ‘Gong’ drums is a misnomer for single-head suspended bass drums, though drummers ought to be excused for using the name given the precedent set by some big drum companies. These are the baritone voices in our open-ended stave drum range, and as such we will simply call them our ‘Baritone Concert Toms’ in 18 to 22 inch (12 or 14 inch deep) sizes.
Like Japanese ‘Taiko’ drums, they have a beckoning dramatic tribal war sound with rich yet tapered sustain under a drum stick. For use either as musical punctuations, bold statements, or intense resolutions to drum fills.
The ‘bass’ aspect is nodded to with our in-house 25mm bass drum batter hoop, and as well as having our Stave Support Inlay (SSI) fitted, a structural cross bar is installed to maintain shell rigidity in all playing and transit situations.
Our Stave Support Inlay (SSI) is fitted to all these drums.
Bearing edge: Our inner and outer round-overs for richness and warmth.
Hardware: Order either Heritage or National model hardware.
Heads: Evans UV1 EMAD, or your choice of Evans or Remo heads.
Mounting: All are fitted with two L-rod mounting blocks, with two multi-clamp brackets provided (attach to any other stands).
