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The Latest News on the Coolest Goodies
Dw drums private reserve exotic woods
Drum Workshop Inc. (DW) is beginning to ship its hand-crafted Collector’s Series Private Reserve Exotics. John Good, DW’s "wood-whisperer" and drum designer, has once again traveled the world to curate a stunning collection of select wood species that can be ordered as exotic finishes over available DW shell configurations.
Included in the new 2020 collection is Tortoise Shell Pommele, Moabi, Horizontal Padouk, Vertical Padouk, Super Maple Curl, African Chechen, and Monkey Pod. Each Exotic can be custom ordered in hand-sprayed polyester gloss lacquer or matte finish Hard Satin lacquer. In addition, these natural wonders can be combined with an almost limitless array of bursts, fades, and transparent lacquers to create a one-of-a-kind visual statement.
“Last year, I found these logs on a very productive wood hunt," says Good. "My wife Esther and I have the good fortune of traveling the world looking for woods that that are rarely used on musical instruments. And I have these relationships with wood purveyors that come in handy. They’ve become friends. They know what I like, and they save things for me to see. These new Private Reserves are some of my very favorites.”
Here's what Good found:
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Tortoise Shell Pommele is a rare, semi-hard wood sourced from Ghana, Africa.
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Congolese Moabi has startling consistency and striking beauty. The extreme quilting of this pinkish wood comes from environmental-drought conditions.
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One of the most colorful veneers in the assortment is Padouk. Ordinarily available only in a vertical configuration as the veneer usually comes in 6" strips, Good discovered a unique log from which 25" strips could be cut enabling DW to offer a rare horizontal version.
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Maple trees on the outer edges of forests in Michigan are exposed to extremes of cold and stormy weather. This harsh climate causes stunning figures to form in the grain of the heartwood and produce Super Maple Curl.
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African Chechen is generally a white wood with a straight, stripy grain.
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The dark, rich Monkey Pod wood from Hawaii usually has a less figured grain. Good located an unusual piece of timber with a very expressive, tight grain pattern.
RTOM ReLaunches 14" Moongel Workout Pad
RTOM Corporation is reintroducing its 14" Moongel Workout Pad with a new look, and at a much-lower price ($44.99). Made from a super-soft gel material, the 14" Moongel Workout pad can be placed on any drum head or flat surface 14" or larger, and it is the lowest rebound practice pad on the market. Benefits include "library quiet," accelerates muscle development, absorbs drum strikes and decreases rebounding, and increases speed, endurance, and overall drumming technique. Available September 2020.
SABIAN LIMITED EDITIOn CHICK COREA
18" ROYALTY RIDE & soundcheck program
A tribute to legendary Roy Haynes’ ride in Chick Corea’s “Now He Sings, Now He Sobs”, Sabian R&D Director, Mark Love, recreated this historic cymbal. Each cymbal is individually numbered and includes a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Chick Corea. Not only was SABIAN able to find Roy Haynes famous ride, we’re proud to announce we’re giving drummers the opportunity to own a piece of that legacy. With the gracious permission of Jazz great Chick Corea, SABIAN was given the rare opportunity to study this cymbal, a gift from Roy himself.
Love has also initiated a program where drummers can try out cymbals at home, keep what they like, and return what they don't. The Sabian Soundcheck program lets drummers choose from one of four collections from Area 51—the company's R&D vault when custom sounds are developed: Trashy, Dry, Explosive, and Unbound. You can select up to four models from a single category, as well as fine tune the sound types and sizes. Then, bash away at your leisure and determine what works best for your and your music. Here's how it works:
After you complete THIS FORM, Love will review the information and go to work searching through Area 51’s collection to find cymbals based on the information you have provided. Once your special selection has been completed, you will be contacted for your credit card information and we’ll confirm the amount you will be charged. Sabian will ship the cymbals, and you’ll have 14 days to evaluate them. You will be contacted to determine the results, and if you wish to return any cymbals, Sabian will make the arrangements and pay the cost of any cymbals being returned. Your credit card will be credited the full price of any cymbals returned (pending inspection). Please allow 2 to 4 weeks for processing and delivery of your order. Current pricing ranges from $144 (8") to $569 (16" hi-hats) per selection.
PDP new yorker compact kit refreshed
Pacific Drums and Percussion (PDP) is updating the compact and portable New Yorker Series. Created especially for the on-the-go drummer, the New Yorker line is recommended for students, working drummers, and players looking for a simplified set-up that won’t sacrifice sound. New for 2020 is a smaller, 14"x16" bass drum and slightly larger 5"x14" snare drum to go with its 8"x10" mounted tom and the 12"x13" floor tom. Also new for 2020 are three new laminate finishes: Pale Rose Sparkle, Electric Green Sparkle, and Black Onyx Sparkle. The travel-friendly sets are fitted with low-mass, Teardrop Mini Turret lugs , DW True-Pitch Tuning, a versatile bass drum mount with auxiliary clamp, and Remo drum heads. A bass drum lifter is included for optimal pedal placement and beater height. Designed in California by DW, the kits feature all-poplar wood shell construction with “soft” 45 degree bearing edges that deliver a warm, punchy tonality.