Drum! Magazine Spotlights Some of the Latest Products for Drummers

Istanbul Mehmet Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez Signature Cymbals

By Andy Doerschuk

The past year has been pretty exhilarating for the artist reps at Istanbul Mehmet Cymbals, who added a host of high-profile endorsers to the roster, including the great jazz drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez.

The company allowed Hernandez creative freedom to customize a personal line of Signature Series cymbals, which shares a specially brushed finish and raw bell. It seems that the Turkish cymbalsmiths didn’t restrict his options based on the impressive selection, which includes a 22" Medium Ride, 22" Light Ride, 22" Flat Ride, 19" Crash, 17" Crash, 16" Crash, 15" Crash, 13" Hi-Hat, 12" Hi-Hat, and 9" Splash (with five installed rivets for a cool sizzle effect).

Based on Istanbul Mehmet’s description, these are definitely jazzy cymbals, with slightly trashy crashes that have a short sustain, rides that cover a lot of sonic territories, and heavyweight hats that emit a powerful chick and dry stick sound.

So would you like to sound like “El Negro?” Then you’d better begin practicing now, but in the meantime, check out his bronze beauties.

Published May 7, 2012

Taye Drums Updates The GoKit

By Andrew Lentz

We love good news that comes in pairs.

First, Taye Drums is adding Daytona Sunset finish to its GoKit line for 2012. This irresistible head-turning color offers a timeless visual zing whether you’re playing a retro-hip lounge gig, or surrendering to a spontaneous urge during the commute to stop the car, pull the diminutive kit out of the hatch, and start shedding.

Second, the company is now offering an odd-size 14" x 11" floor tom, which will come in handy on those bomba-inflected jazz breakdowns. Comes on super-tall legs so you can reach it in comfort and still get the benefit of a shallow tom. Made from the same birch/basswood shell as the rest of the GoKit line.

The kit and add-on drum are also available in Antique Honey and White Pearl in addition to Daytona Sunset.

Published May 10, 2012

Grover Roll Ring: Cool Tool For Tambourines

By Andy Doerschuk

If you’re like me, you’ve never had much success executing thumb rolls on a tambourine. I still can’t figure out whether the trick is in the amount of moisture on your thumb, or the pressure you apply to the head, or is it just dumb luck?

Well, the inventive people at Grover Pro Percussion obviously took pity on those of us who never mastered the technique by introducing the Grover Roll Ring.

The 1" wide self-adhesive band is specially shaped to conform to the outer circular edge of a headed concert tambourine. It has a special non-permanent adhesive backing that makes it easy to install and remove in seconds. The Roll Ring is reusable and can be applied and stored numerous times.

Life’s too short to agonize over trying to discover the secret of the tambourine roll. Just get yourself a Grover Roll Ring and count your blessings.

Published April 30, 2012

Rimshot Locs Keep Your Drums In Tune

By Andy Doerschuk

It’s a fact of life – tension rods gradually loosen as you play a drum over time. The harder you play, the faster they back out of the lugs. Of course, the worst culprit is the snare drum, which is the most frequent target for jarring rimshots.

As a consequence, I tweak the tension rods on my snare several times throughout the course of a gig, and at least once or twice on my toms. While I’m used to this necessity, and now do it almost unconsciously, it’s still a nuisance, which is why Rimshot Locs look like a pretty good idea.

They’re ingeniously simple devices. Each little chromed brass and stainless steel sheathe threads onto a tension rod so that it fits between the counterhoop and lug. Once the rods are tuned to your preference, Rimshot Locs tighten up like a nut onto a bolt, locking the tension rod in place. And as you can see, they’re virtually invisible to the eye.

Rimshot Locs are available in packs of six, eight, and ten. Interested? Go here for more information.

Published May 14, 2012

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