I spent much of the first year researching drum construction and the processes for taking flat and square stock and making it round. I also learned as much as I could about the physical and acoustical properties of dozens of wood species. Next, I built prototype shells using every conceivable construction method - from laying up my own exotic plywood, to kerf and steam-bending shells, to stave, segment and solid hollowing on the wood lathe.

 

Ultimately I determined that a lathe-turned segment shell construction has the best possible qualities for a drum shell tonally, esthetically and structurally. Such shells are extremely labor intensive, but this is a trade-off I am willing to make to stay true to the original objective of this company. I soon discovered that there are musicians with a desire to play beautiful sounding, profoundly high quality instruments, and who want to share in the process of their creation.

 

I still don’t build many drums in a year, but each and every one of them is a finely crafted work of art.