UDrum, IDrum, WeallDrum ...

UDrum is based in Burlington, Ontario, and has an excellent reputation for building top quality drum kits from a variety of materials. I picked up this 6.5 x 14 maple snare (I think it's 6 ply, with re-rings, for that "vintage" sound) some time ago. It's wrapped with a beautiful "Arctic pearl" wrap that apparently is no longer available. Excellent build and hardware on this. UPDATE - sold/ traded away on March 15, 2011 to fund another of my projects ...

This is a Ludwig "Pioneer" snare dating from 1962. A previous owner had done a not very good refinishing job on it (see the "before" pictures; I stripped it to the bare wood and had it rewrapped (by Tom Wells of Wells Custom Drums) with a replica of the "Blue Oyster Pearl" wrap that was one of the options Ludwig had for this snare in the early 1960's. These drums have a 3 ply shell with re-rings. Hardware appears to be all original with the exception of the batter side hoop.

Available through Dave's Drum Shop in Ottawa - www.davesdrumshop.com

JTP Wenge Stave shell Snare.

(updated 10.5.13 - my photos have improved alot from these days ....) This is a 6 x 14 snare drum with a stave shell made from Wenge wood. Stave shells are made in a method similar to constructing a barrel; this technique provides great strength and rigidity while maintaining the tone and response of a solid wood shell. Wenge is a dense, hard African wood. This shell is 1/2" thick, which increases the volume over a "typical" snare drum (which are typically 1/4" or less thick). It's also a very resonant shell, even with the greater thickness. I obtained the shell from Joshua Tree Percussion, and built it up with all new hardware (single point lugs from Champagne Drum in Winnipeg, an RCK throwoff, and "S" hoops). SOLD!!