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 I’m just getting started into customizing drums, its becoming a passion  My first pieces were snares and then i made my way to completing a kit… My kit consist of 20′x22 bass, 12′x8′tom, 14′x16′tom, and 16′x16′tom,12′x6′ custom snare, MCS cymbals, blue hardware and flat black paint job:) Still learning, but I love it…
My shells were maple, manufactured by ddrum and everything done on them was horrible quality. I removed the wrap which had 3 thick glue strips on each shell, I used a heat gun to safely remove the glue strips with out scratching the surface of the wood. Sanded everything down to remove all the filler I had to put in because the shells were not well put together. There were huge gaps between the seems of the shell, opened up the pores and then wiped clean all the debris.
This time around on my set instead of staining I wanted to paint. I used an automotive grade primer and paint. The automotive grade paint was amazing covered great and super easy to use shooting it out of a hvlp gun (if anyone is going this route make sure you have done your research, because you will need the right air compressor and tools to get the best finishes.)
I added a very cool touch by getting a 5 meter strip of led lights which had an adhesive side that glued to the inside of my bass drum, i ran the plug out of the air vent and added a very cool touch. You can find these on ebay for $30 comes with a remote to change colors… All in All looks very professional so I’m happy
Kevin Penner
RevKev customs
Rick Latham DVD Review: Advanced Funk Studies…
 Advanced Funk Studies Contemporary Drumset Techniques DVD I have purchased about 40-50 DVD’s on drum technique. Some were excellent, others were just OK.
The one that helped me the most (along with 2 others) was Rick Latham’s Advanced Funk Studies DVD.
When I purchased it way back when it was actually a VHS recording. And I had to keep rewinding and rewinding to get the techniques nailed down as I practiced on my practice pad set.
Several years later he made it into a DVD and bought that one. Then he updated it again, and it comes with all kinds of other material that I wasn’t able to get at the time.
But overall, this DVD had the most immediate and long term impact on my drumming. The exercises are fun and challenging. I highly recommend you get this DVD, even if you are not into the funk or rock drumming. You’ll see!
Hey Brian, I have a nice snare drum I made out of koa wood. Made the whole thing from scratch!
I.E. Made all the veneers and glued them all up. (easier said than done!) Got all the hardware from drummaker.com.
For the finish I started with DEFT brush on sanding sealer. About 3-4 coats. Then used some DEFT satin spray lacquer over that. I lost track of how many coats it took till all the pores were filled in, but I’d say approximately 9-10, sanding between every coat back to bare wood.
A guitar builder friend told me you want as thin a final coat as possible (for guitars anyway, but figured the same idea would apply for a drum) because too thick a finish will deaden the tone.
I sanded up to 1,200 grit, then used some “Meguiar’s scratch X2.0″ fine scratch and blemish remover (get at auto parts store) for the final buffing. NICE! The photo doesn’t really do it justice!
Aloha from Maui!
Eric House
 Koa Wood Snare Drum (Custom)
Here is a kit and a snare I have built using your drum building book.
The kit is from Keller shells that were originally purchased and never used by another guy in 1992. The rims are older Sonor rims (2.3mm) from a kit that had been flooded. Lugs and lug screws are new from John Ricolo at AMDrumParts. Kit finish is a tung oil base–3 coats–with a polyester resin top coat. Continue reading →
Hi heres my Victor Roy: Own badge own name. I built this snare drum from a maple keller shell and finished paistakingly by hand.
All parts sourced from different drum companies. The brass plate badge was brought at hardware shop and engraved . The wood hoops and inside of the shell I gave three coates of yaht varnish for a hard as tough wearing gloss finish. It was hard to rub down but worth it. And the outside of the shell is 10 coates of thinned out varnish. Continue reading →
Hey Brian. Thanks for your continued interest in my drum building. Below is an picture of my latest snare drum. This is the new 14″x6″ “Burberry” Snare. Again, the steps you had outlined in your book had been very easy to follow. In fact the steps are so detailed that I find myself, now, working without them. I mean that in a positive way. Easy to follow, easy to memorize.
I’ve built a few drums since the last pics I sent your way and the build process has become easier and easier…
I am sending you this for two reasons:
- To remind you that your step-by-step guide is still helping people overcome the obstacles that come with building drums the first year.
- To encourage anyone reading this, who may be thinking of purchasing your book for a guide to building, to do so and follow your dream of having your own “Custom Drum Kit or Snare”.
Thanks for your time.
Jeremy Wolfe
J Wolfe Custom Drum Co.
Huntington, WV
 14x6 "Burberry" snare drum by Jeremy Wolfe
Here’s what Jody says about this Gretsch style laquer job on this very nice looking drum kit:
Brian,
My name is Jody Hasty, I am 37 years old and have been playing drums since I was a little kid.
I used a Transtint dye that I custom mixed myself then pulled a lacquer job using deft spray can satin lacquer (it is a nitrocellulose lacquer) . Continue reading →
Here are pictures of a drum kit I built using your book How to Build a Custom Drum Set.
The dimensions are a 22×14 bass, 12×8 tom, and a 14×14 floor tom.
I gave the maple shells a natural satin lacquer finish. The drum kit sounds like everything I ever wanted from a kit and I also saved a lot of money making it myself.
Thanks for all of the help I couldn’t have done it without your book!
Corbin Cansler.
 4 Piece Custom Maple Drum Set
Here’s another killer custom made kit you should check out. But first here is what he had to say about Drum Building Secrets. Check it out: Continue reading →
 John Ledingham's Custom Built Drum Kit John A. Ledingham sent us a picture of the drum kit he built using Drum Building Secrets guide. Here’s what he had to say:
14″ (diameter) X 24″ kick
10″ X 13″ mounted tom
14″ X 9.34″ floor tom.
Finish is Burnt Orange, which matches my Gretsch drums.
They play beautifully with Aquarian heads on the kick and mounted tom and an Evans head on the batter side of the floor tom. I prefer to mount the tom alone on a cymbal stand…great mobility.
Very lightweight kit.
John A. Ledingham
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I’m just getting started into customizing drums, its becoming a passion 
