Dave Kurdelak's Drum Design Kit
Here is a quick story.
The Drum Design kit pictured started out as an idea to recreate the Nicko McBrain Concert Tom kit of the Iron Maiden 1985 World Slavery Tour. I loved the sound of that kit.
So I started drawing up the specs and discussing it with Dana Bentley of Bentleys Drum Shop and Rusty Martin. Originally the kit was only going to have the Scandinavian Birch veener on the outside and Beech shells. Also the kit was to be featured at NAMM to highlight the new DRUM DESIGN series. Well luckily Karl Menzel of SONOR was visiting the Sonor dealers in the US during the summer of 2003.
Dana asked me to send over a list of questions for Karl about SONOR items and one of them was about bringing back the veener on the inside. Well Karl said it was possible and also doing the shells concert tom style. So I changed my specs to be what the kit turned out being in the pics. I placed my order in August of 2003 for what was suppose to the first DRUM DESIGN kit. Unfortunatley SONOR did not have all the items ready to launch DRUM DESIGN to the general public at NAMM ie (Literature, Badges, Parts). Soon the kit arrived in the US right after the January NAMM show. It took an additional 3 weeks to get it due to delays at HSS.
When I opened the boxes from the factory (which also had my name on each box, this was to cool), I was floored, it is gorgeous, Scandinavian Birch Veener inside and outside over Beech shells. The specs are as follows:
8x8,10x10,12x12,13x13,14x14,15x15,16x16 Concert Toms, 18x18 Floor Tom, 18x24 Bass Drum. Graduated 9ply BEECH Shells (meaning thinner on the 8x8 to thick on the 16x16, floor tom and bd), with Scandinavian Birch Veener inside and out, Matte Finish
Designer ( Lugs, BD Spurs, Floor Toms Brackets and Legs, Tension Rods on BD ).
Delite ( Mounting Brackets for the Toms and BD APS Bass Drum Plate ).
(ALL HARDWARE on the drums is BLACK NICKEL PLATED).
I was also able to retrofit the Force 3000 double tom holder into my Signature stands to get extra height out of the drums.
The kit cost a fortune $6000 wholesale, but well worth it. The drums resonate so well and project like cannons. I am very happy that I asked to get the kit made, SONOR did a fantastic job.
Now if I can only get to be a SONOR endorser ;) Well hopefully after my band (Fools Paradise) new cd comes out, which should be another month. Check out the website at www.foolsparadise.us look in the pics section and see my Designer Bubinga kit.
So to all the SONOR geeks, get your specs ready and order your dream SONOR kit, no matter what the size it will be worth it. Watch out because your wife will want a divorce ;)
The Drum Design badges are suppose to be just the two Mallets in either Gold or Silver. I chose Gold for mine. Unfortunately they did not come with the kit because they were not done yet, but I have been told they will arrive shortly. And that they will retrofit right into the Designer badge spots. I'll send pics soon as I get them.
Also SONOR hardware choices for Drum Design (Lugs, Rims,Spurs, Mounting Brackets) are to be either Chrome, Black Nickel or Gold. Designer Style Mounting Brakets or Delite, Designer Spurs or Delite Style. Designer Lugs or Delite. The list goes on and on. Veeners on the inside of any drum, example (Stain Blue outer with Bubunga inner). One more thing the seamless steel snare drum shells are suppose to be cominig back. YEAH!!
I love it, we are living in some good times with SONOR right now.
Sincerely
David Kurdelak
