This was a very special project for a buddy who had a tough few months of treatment ahead of him. I tried to make the construction of the drum coincide with some of the more difficult periods of his regime, and sent regular photos along to try and keep him involved in the process.
Soon after we started designing I found a glorious little Birdseye Maple board with enough yield to allow for a decent sized center panel. We decided on Purpleheart for the balance of the shell and hoops. There was no question that we were going to use gold-plated lugs and hardware for this elegant drum.The high gloss UV cure finish really brought out the color of the Purpleheart and made the Birdseye pop.
Late in the process I started wondering if I could hand-carve some element of the hardware. I eventually discovered how to make a sturdy and functional throwoff handle out of wood, which opened up some interesting design possibilities. I continue to offer this as an option as you may notice on some of our more recent instruments in the Drum Gallery.
A wonderful sounding drum for an even better guy - and FYI - Joe is doing great and recently married his (goddess) soulmate.
14 by 7 inch Purpleheart and Birdseye Maple
