Drum Solo Drums: A Natural Choice
By Phil Ferraro (Modern Drummer, January 2003)

Today, environmental issues are having an increasingly direct affect on our lives. As a result, many industries have been trying to portray themselves, deservedly or not, in a more eco-friendly light. Unfortunately, the percussion industry has largely chosen to ignore these increasingly important issues. As is often the case, change rarely starts at the established "top." It's at the grass-roots level, where the entrepreneurial spirit abides, that catalysts for real change take hold and grab the public's consciousness.

In 1991, Novato, California drummer/craftsman Greg Gaylord decided to start his own company, Drum Solo. His goal was "to work with each drummer one-on-one to design the ultimate solution in terms of custom drums" while addressing environmental concerns in the process. Greg's "solution" lay in employing his own hand-crafted hardware and unconventional shell construction methods, using exotic hardwoods acquired through environmentally responsible sources.

Shell Construction And Hardware
At the heart of a Drum Solo drum is the construction method known as segmenting, which holds a number of advantages over multi-ply or even single-piece designs. The concept is similar to masonry construction of a brick wall. Structural strength is imbued block upon block. The shell is comprised of six individual pieces butted and joined in a butcher-block fashion. The shells don't need the reinforcing rings required for strength in a single-ply shell. They also need much less adhesive, which Greg believes is an impediment to vibrations and resonance. To be exact, Drum Solo segment shells require only 22 square inches total of adhesive area, compared to 1,960 square inches in a conventional 3/16"-thick multi-ply drum. This results in a shell of exceptional strength with even greater tonality and resonance.

Segmenting also allows for the use of many different types of hardwood, as well as reclaimed and salvaged woods that would otherwise be considered "unusable" because they couldn't be "worked" into malleable plies. Such exotic names as granadillo, jatoba, bubinga, and cancharana (to name a few) read like a travelog of Earth's arboricultural biodiversity. Using segmented construction, the choice of unusual hardwoods - with their distinctive sound properties and eye-catching appearance - is limited only by your creativity and Imagination. To ensure that all wood selected has been harvested and processed employing environmentally responsible standards and practices, Greg only uses wood that is Forest Stewardship Council certified, purchased through EarthSource in Berkeley, California.

Each shell utilizes a 45° bearing edge, a 1/8"-deep snare bed, and a single vent hole for maximum sensitivity and resonance. Then it's finished with high-gloss polyester for moisture protection and beauty.
To accentuate sound quality, Greg handcrafts his own low-mass, retro-style chrome-plated tubular lugs (and engraved logo plate) from solid brass. Other noteworthy components include the acclaimed Nickel Drumworks strainer, PureSound snares, Aquarian heads, 2.3mm steel triple-flanged hoops, and tension rod washers made from Delrin, a material said to be self-lubricating and more durable than nylon.

31/2x14 Cherry
According to Greg, this is Drum Solo's most popular snare model. It's also a favorite of studio engineers, and I can certainly see (and hear) why. The light shade of cherry wood is visually striking. Acoustically, the drum is a little "powerhouse," with a sound that's far bigger than its shell depth might imply. Unlike many piccolos that have a limited tuning range (becoming "thin and boxy" under high tensioning), this drum would not choke. Over the entire tuning spectrum, it maintained a sensitive, resonant, and rich tone, with excellent "crack" when required. This drum deserves to be considered more than "just a piccolo."

41/2x14 Chokte Kok
Greg refers to this Mexican hardwood as one of his "Dr. Seuss woods," because the colors seem a little odd and unnatural, like something found in a Dr. Seuss book. To my eye, it's similar to a vibrant shade of redwood. Of the drums sent for review, this one was my favorite. From the moment it started to "sing" on an open jam gig, I could see heads turn ... musicians and audience alike! This drum had a projection, depth, and resonance like few I've experienced in thirty years of playing. (I own twenty snares, and it kind reminded me of the biblical admonition to "sell all that you have acquire the one prized pearl.")
The chokte drum could go from a ppp buzz stroke, through a rhythmically accented "whipped cream" roll, to a crisp rudimental pattern, and finally to a howitzer-blast rimshot with the greatest of ease. The action, sensitivity, response, and resonance was, as we used to say in the service, outstanding

61/214 Spalted Maple
This specially commissioned "one of a kind" drum comes with a unique history. The wood was harvested from The Hermitage, the estate of former US president Andrew Jackson. As Greg explained "Spalting is a rare occurrence that's part of the decay process. Under the right conditions the wood begins to break down and get a marbleized look. The black streaking is a fungus that enters the wood, occurring in a random pattern. Kiln drying kills the fungus and stop the decay process. The key is to find wood that has the look we want, but is still solid. It's rare and difficult to find."
Like its two siblings, this drum had excellent sensitivity, response, and resonance. It also had a uniquely warm quality that would make it an excellent choice for those looking for a deeper, more full-bodied sound. It would be ideal for "unplugged", or strictly acoustic settings.

Conclusions
In light of all this praise, two relevant points should be made. When I first tuned these drums, there was a noticeable squeak coming from the tension rods and lugs. At first, I attributed this the Delrin washers. But Greg assured me that this was caused slight plating residue on the threads. After some lubrication al short break-in period, this would pass. No further problems!
The next point of relevance is price. These drums don't come cheap, which will put them out of reach for most drummers. An argument can be made that the major manufacturers produce a good instrument. Why spend the extra money? My answer is when one considers the quality and exotic nature of the materials used, the additional cost of environmentally responsible business practices, and the level of custom craftsmanship and attention to detail exhibited by Drum Solo drums, there really is no comparison. These exquisite-sounding drums are of heirloom quality, worthy of being passed down from generation to generation.

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