Growing Region: Mexico.
Availability: Found in wood specialty stores, available with FSC certification.
Cost: Nearly twice the cost of Maple.
Timbre/Tonal Color: Full bodied, dominated by low and mid range frequencies
yet balanced out nicely with some high frequencies. Low fundamental
pitch. Rich. Warmer than our Maple comparison drum due to the wider
spectrum of frequencies.
Dynamic Range: Nicely defined at pp (very quiet) through ff (very
loud). There was no change in the character sound from pp to ff, it
just got louder. Pops and projects nicely at high volume.
Tonal Range: Lower than Maple with a larger sweet spot (about a full
inch larger).
Tuning Range: Chokte Kok won't tune as loosely (down) as Maple. It
took about the same high end tension, yet maintaned its lower pitched
sound characteristics.
Resonance/Decay: Cleaner than a Maple drum with less over ring, but
not as clean as cherry or birch. The principle note is the same length
as that of a Maple drum.
Cross Stick: More low end than the Maple comparison drum. The Maple
has a lot of high frequencies, while the Chokte Kok is bigger and
richer sounding. The cross stick on the Maple drum lost some of the
drums body, but the Chokte brought it out even more.
Volume: Both the cross stick volume and the over all volume of the
drum is equal to the Maple drum, it was just more full bodied. Volume
should not be confused with pitch. The Maple drums dominant high frequencies
might make it seem louder than the Chokte drums mid and low frequencies.
Sensitivity: Good definition and full snare response at all volumes.
Comments: Absolutely stunning red color with streaking. Nice stick
rebound, good "feel" to the drum. Not as "sticky"
feeling as the Maple drum. What stands out about the Chokte Kok
besides its vibrant colors is the full bodied sound with out lots
of overtones, and its good response.
By Greg Gaylord & Robert Bowler (RB).
Photo credit Frankie Frost
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