Show off your axe

[bops]

Nice... is that from Drumskulls? Show us pix when you head it up.

[Garvin]

Yo Bops, is that Wula drum in your first post the same shell thats in their gallery online? I just wonder because these carvings are so exact I wonder if the carvers use templates or if each drum is really a one of a kind design. In any case, those are both some badass looking shells...

I just picked out a new Wula drum as you know (from my rope wrap thread). I went the far opposite direction in terms of design. While I've been playing for about 8 years, most of that time was spent on duns. I only really started trying to learn djembe vocab over the last 2 or 3, and I'm only now just getting a solid feel and confidence for my sound and soloing etc...

I wonder if other intermediate players on the board have been self-conscious about buying super nice drums. Probably a stupid thing to worry about, and I'm lucky to have the option and ability to afford these anyway. Its so amazing to come to this board after floating around other forums where folks are posting pictures of their Toca djembes and "world-market" djembes. To come here and see these instruments which are on the cutting edge of design and function. Its a breath of fresh air.

Here's a pic of my Drumskulls Hare Congas



~G

[Dugafola]

Nice... is that from Drumskulls? Show us pix when you head it up.

yes from the skulls. i'll def post pics. i have 2 drums down...not sure if they IC will be put up first, but i'm dying to hear it.

Yo Bops, is that Wula drum in your first post the same shell thats in their gallery online? I just wonder because these carvings are so exact I wonder if the carvers use templates or if each drum is really a one of a kind design. In any case, those are both some badass looking shells...

you'll see a lot of similar designs coming out of a particular workshop. they are templates, but not physical templates by any means. the decorators will alter their design based on shell thickness, wood grain, hardness/density, and inspiration and probably a lot of other factors.

[e2c]

Garvin, sometimes I feel a tad self-conscious about my 2 djembes (1 is a Wula, the other is a custom-built Mali shell done by Bote Fote Drumworks in Philly), but that all evaporates as soon as I start playing.

A well-crafted instrument is more than worth it, you know? You'll never get that kind of sound quality or sheer "playability" from a junk drum... so why not just enjoy the visual "extras"? That's my personal take, and hey, I'm a lot newer to this than you. (Though not to percussion in general... which means that i already knew the kind of sound and "feel" that I was looking for before I bought any drums. I ended up paying more than I'd anticipated, but ... that's OK.)

[Beerfola]

I haven't been too self conscious about owning and playing quality drums. I have been about playing a Remo drum in my first Mamady Keita workshop. We had just finished playing a phrase all together, about 30 people, and when we stopped at the break my Remo drum was still resonating like a gong. Everyone was looking around to see where the Tibetan monk with gong was sitting. Realizing what everyone was looking at, I quickly placed my finger in the center of the head and the ringing stopped. Mamady and everyone in attendance broke out in laughter, much to my chagrin. That is self conscious! I immediately went out and purchased an authentic african djembe and haven't looked back since.

[ozlady]

I haven't been too self conscious about owning and playing quality drums. I have been about playing a Remo drum in my first Mamady Keita workshop. We had just finished playing a phrase all together, about 30 people, and when we stopped at the break my Remo drum was still resonating like a gong. Everyone was looking around to see where the Tibetan monk with gong was sitting. Realizing what everyone was looking at, I quickly placed my finger in the center of the head and the ringing stopped. Mamady and everyone in attendance broke out in laughter, much to my chagrin. That is self conscious! I immediately went out and purchased an authentic african djembe and haven't looked back since.

Beerfola - that makes me laugh! Thanks for posting that. When Mamady visited us in Singapore we had the same discussion, and a little laughter over the "plastic djembe" (his words in reference to a Remo drum and a student asking why he couldn't get the same sound that Mamady did out of his drum).

I have an African drum imported to Singapore from Africa - not sure where my teacher got it from at the time, but I think I was lucky... I've had it for 2 years and other than a little tuning it has done really well, and I LOVE the sound I get from it. Others often ask to try it out. Sometimes it's just luck - good wood and good skin. I can say that I will never voluntarily go back to a "plastic djembe" (thanks Mamady, and no offense intended - just a joke shared)!

[Marc_M]

Just picked up a new djembe and thought I would share. I sold one of my Guinean djembes for this one. I still kept one of my djembes from Guinea, but I find I can get a more consistent sound from this new one.

Can anyone identify the wood for me?

[bops]

Nice drum, Marc. The wood is khadi (hare), from Guinea. Looks like you can see some red earth in the tire treads

I bet it sounds great. Who headed it for you?

[Dugafola]

nice piece.

[Jeepz]

I haven't been too self conscious about owning and playing quality drums. I have been about playing a Remo drum in my first Mamady Keita workshop. We had just finished playing a phrase all together, about 30 people, and when we stopped at the break my Remo drum was still resonating like a gong. Everyone was looking around to see where the Tibetan monk with gong was sitting. Realizing what everyone was looking at, I quickly placed my finger in the center of the head and the ringing stopped. Mamady and everyone in attendance broke out in laughter, much to my chagrin. That is self conscious! I immediately went out and purchased an authentic african djembe and haven't looked back since.

This is exactly the sort of self consciousness I was feeling after buying my Remo last week, and exactly what my apprehension was after playing it a few days. I never played it in front of a group, just the feeling I got playing it for myself and my wife and kid. Imagine if I'd have played it in a group?! Again, no offense for those who own a Remo and for whom a Remo might be the only affordable option, but for me, it wasn't anything near the sort of sound I wanted out of my drum.

That said, I also couldn't afford a custom made or top-end imported djembe, as much as I drooled over the pictures at the sites people here were nice enough to point me to. For me, being completely new to percussion and djembe, and on a budget, I needed something that was entry level AND as authentic as possible. I was fortunate enough that a local music shop had a nicely tuned 12" djembe from Kangaba. I think mine is guéni (pterocarpus erinaceus) wood, with a shaved goatskin. It is obviously very plain and understated, but I think the wood grain and the rope color are nice. Oh, and for those that weren't following my story in the other thread for the past week and half, I returned the Remo and got this one. If I stick with the djembe/percussion playing, someday I will have a better drum, but in the mean time this will suit me nicely.

[bops]

Jeepz, you got a nice drum, too! Looks like it's from a Malian carver. Like Marc's drum, yours has beautiful grain and is well proportioned.

Don't worry about the decorative carvings, those are purely aesthetic. Great starter drum.

[e2c]

Yeah - my Mali drum is plain as can be, except for the grain. I actually prefer that look, to tell you the truth.

Besides, it's all about the sound, and decorative carving is beside the point when it comes to that. (Though certainly a nice "extra.")

[Marc_M]

Oh, cool. So it is hare. Thanks for the info Bops. The head is original, but they didn't tell me their distibutor - I think the store had tuned it, so I didn't need to adjust it at all. I wasn't getting a consistent slap tone with my Lenke, but I'm getting a more consistent sound similar to my instructor with this new one. I'm very happy with it. You're right Bops, there is a fine amount of red between the treads - I hadn't noticed. I like the idea of a having a little piece of Africa with me as I play.

Jeepz - glad you found a drum to suit your needs. No shame in that drum - it looks really decent and if it has a sound you like then I'm sure it will bring you many years of enjoyment. Thanks for sharing you image.

Cheers everyone.

[jamsa]

my #1 since 99 even though its a bit small for me

[Jeepz]

Figured this was as good a place as any to share this ... the new drumhead cover my mom made for me! I had the idea to make my own, picked out the fabric, told mom my concept, and while they were watching my kiddo for the weekend she went ahead and made it for me (I was going to make it myslef, honest!). It's reversible, padded slightly, with a tight elastic fit. They've got some stellar fabric and I'm thinking about making myself a few more just for variety. I'm also going to try my hand at making a full drum case, but that'll take a bit more design, though my Pop and I are in the initial concept stages right now.