Christmas Thought

Sorry, Carmine!

After this whole cymbal cut down debacle, there seems to be a good spirit brewing within this forum. Even though, we haven't met each other personally, you develop a feel for one's spirit in each of our written words. I think I'm going to cry.

Anyway, here's just an idea. Let's help out a fellow brother while sharing the spirit of drumming. I don't about the rest of you, but I always admire people trying to make a living with their own business.(Someone key up the Stars and Stripes) I've been on SlapHappy's website and he makes some mighty fine looking hand drums. For Christmas, let's all buy a drum from him and make ourselves SLAPHAPPY or share our love of drumming and give the drum to someone else? Go Grandpa!

Well Jeez Hungarian , thanks man (I'll send to the cash we talked about later) We've been at it for about ten years now , and I'm proud to say that every aspect of our income is drum related. We build em and sell em (the Wife should get allot of credit she does most of the work), I play em on stage , and teach others how to play too, and while I'm not yet a Drum Baron (I swear there is a club LP DW Slingy and the boys sittin around sippin Scotch in fancy leather chairs), I do pay my rent with enough left over to have cable. I'm very thank-full that we've been able to make it as far as we have , and someday I'm hoping that LP has to have a meeting about their competitors SlapHappy , but for right now we're a Mom and Pop preparing for the Christmas season so we've been busy ,busy, busy building drums , and I really appreciate the props from Wellhungarian ,made me feel a lot better about my sore muscles and splinters, and with the Holiday spirit and all, Slap Happy Drums will now offer free shipping to the continental USA for all forum members , and an equal discounts on drums (but not shipping) to all you guys outside the USA. Also I love selling drums that are gifts , if anyone wants to buy a drum and give it to someone else for Christmas you'll get free shipping and a free shaker too.

Here's a few shot of the Wife and I in our wood shop and outside van-side hillbilly tarped metal working area. We put the Mo Po in Mom and Pop.

I hope the wife's the one in the mask. If not she needs a shave...

Too bad they're wayyyy overpriced.

hehehe jk I'm into the idea, im actually considering who to give it to as i type this.

My website hasn't been updated in quite a few years , and I'm proud to say that over ten years our quality has increased and our prices have dropped , many of the website prices have been decreased at least partially. Anyone intersted can PM me for updated pricing. Also check out my myspace for updated pics of custom drums.

and yes I'm the one with the beard , thats the wife behind all the saftey gear.

She sure looks like she is working hard. Yet I notice you don't look like you even got dusty from being too close to the work:lol:. Anyhow I remember seing quite the collection in some pics you posted not too long ago. Tell your wife she does some really nice work.

Ghenghis...ya gotta remember Slappy's the concept guy...the vision quest...the "Big Picture Guy". At least that's what he keeps telling her as she grinds her fingers to the bones. I can hear him say "keep working dear, ya missed a spot...we still need that batch of 3500 doing to New Zealand by Friday...we're still on schedule right?...This would be number 4?"

(Just teasing...:D:D)

Nice , yes my wife does most the work these days.....But....

I do have about 40 students , I still skipper the table saw , and I do all the metal work , but yes she does most everything else. About 10 years ago I was playing drums in a band and making Ashikos all on my own , the cello player in the band started helping out in the shop here and there , then she became my apprentice , then my girlfriend , then my wife , and somewhere along the line she got better at the craft than me. I do still do a lot of work on the drums but my main roles are as cutter and welder , while she's the gluer, shaper, and finisher. She kicks my ass on the inlays hands down. Don't you love it when your teach someone something and then all of the sudden the roles are switched and the students becomes the teacher , oh well I can still play drums better than her , but she can kick my ass on the cello , banjo , and guitar.... I'm a lucky guy , I married well , when people asked what to get us for our wedding instead of china she asked for a bench planer.

Anyway even if I don't sell you guys any Christmas drums I really dig the thought , and it's nice to share more about my company/life/wife w/ you guys. So here's a shameless product plug and a chance to brag about my wife some more , this is our latest custom drum , when I finish the stand it'll ship out to a customer Maryland , the spoon is part of his company logo. Curly Maple , Ebony , and Zebra Wood , this drum is one of a set of three all made and inlaid w/ the same materials.

Those are as professional as I have seen anywhere...very nice inlay work...

I'd love to buy some gear off ya Slap... but I'm a poor individual... I have to use friends with connections to buy heads for my kit LOL

Perhaps someday..... maybe when we move to Texas next year

Too bad they're wayyyy overpriced. hehehe jk I'm into the idea, im actually considering who to give it to as i type this.

Dan, Dan, Dan..buddy..chum,that is..er,..uh,pal! Did I ever tell you how much I admire the shape of your noggin?:poke: Hand drum donations cheerfully accepted..PM me.:lol:

Even though we've talked, I had no idea that you made the bulk of your income from your drums- very cool. Since my regular gig is a safety director, I was glad to see a respirator on your wife. Now, are those ANSI Z-87 Safety Glasses? And were's her side shelds?:thu:

Just some random thoughts. I know you are busy but....

1. Have you ever thought of promoting your business as a working vacation in Modern Drummer? Come make your own drum?

2. Have you ever thought of allowing elementary music classes or introductory shop classes to do tours of your operation to see how drums are made? Remember when you were a kid and they took your to a dairy farm(you can sell your sawdust to them for bedding) to see where milk came from?(I live in the midwest!) or beef for that matter. Wow, I've never been quite the same since.

3. Have you ever thought of including a book with the drum that describes introductory hand techniques and rhythms or pictures of their drum being made?

4. Have you ever wondered why your students look confused after doing a sticking exercise correctly and you say right and they say right, I thought I played a left there and you say right and they still look confused?

Hey can your Pinners get a good bass sound? I'm thinking about getting that, but I have to get something that has a good bass and a pop.

The pinners are great but they don't have much bass , mostly high end , the 18"er would be your best bet for bass , pop , portability , and price. They're one of my favorite size drums. 140.00 w/ free shipping and you choose hard or soft wood (hardwood is recycled flooring , soft wood is super light), finish , head style and ring wrap color.

check out a sound sample , it's the med Ashiko sample jam (rough recording , and playing)

http://www.myspace.com/eugenedrummer4hire